Year: 1861




and in all probability restore peace to the
country. The propositions submitted 10y MIR.
Critteuden it was thought, would be accept
able to the South. The following is the first
article of the proposed amendments which he
Inns offered


/ ART. /. In all the territory of the United
States now held, or hereafter acquired, situ-
ate north of latitude 3G deg. 81 slavery or
/ involuntary servjtude, except as punishment
for crime is prohibited while such territory
shall remain under territorial government
In all the territory south of said line of lati-
tnde, slavery Of the African race is hereby
recognized as existing and shah not be inter-
fered with by Congress, but shall be protec-
ted as property by all the departments of the
territorial government during its contlnu-
auce. And when any territory, north or
south Of said line, within such boundaries as
Cong css may prescribe. shall contain the
population requisite for member of Con-
gress according to the then federal ratio Of
representation Of the people of the United
states, it shall, iii its form of government be
Republican, bo admitted into the Union, on
am equal footing with the original States,
with or without slavery, as the Constitution
OF such new state may provide.


This gives to the free States all the terri
tory they claimed before the repeal of the
Missouri Compromise line In the territory
south OF the line proposed 10y Mr.. Crttenden
TO wit: in New Mexico-s'ayery already ex-
lists and is protected by territorial law. The
Republicans could lose nothing by agreeing
to the above proposition, and the concession
on their part would not be the concession of
any established right but the concession of
an idea merely-an idea thatal the territory
ought to be devoted to freedom


Article . Of the proposed amendments sub
miued by Crittenden, provides that Con
gress shall have no power to abolish slavery
in places under its exclusive jurisdiction and
situate within the limits of States that permit
the holding of slaves"


Article provides that Congress shall
have no power to abolish slavery within the
District Of Columbia, so long as it exists in
the adjoining States of Virginia and Mary
land or either nor without the consent of the
inhabitants nor without Just compensation
first made to such owners of slaves as do not
consent to such abolishment"


Article provides that Congress shall
have no power to prohibit or hinder the
sportation Of slaves from one State to an
other, or to a Territory, in which slaves are
permitted 10 be held, whether that transpor-
tation be by land, navigable rivers, or by the
sea


The 5th article makes it the duty of Con
gress "to provide that the United States shall
| pay to the owner who shall apply for it, the
full value Of his fugitive slave in all cases
when the Marshal or other officer whose duty
it was to arrest said fugitive was prevented
from so doing by violence, or when, after ar
rest, said fugitive was rescued 10y force and
the owner thereby prevented and obstructed
in the pursuit of his remedy ior the recovery
OF his fugitive slave"


These propositions contain nothing to which
the Republicans ought not to accede, ifneces-
sary for the peace of the country Other
propositions for adjustment have been offer
ed, but as those submitted by Mr. Criuenden
appear TO be the mcst acceptable to the
South, and as Mr. Breckinridge is sreported to
have abandoned all hope unless they we're
adopted we have alluded especially to them
As we have before said, the President has his
duty 20 perform, and Congress theirs 1t is
the duty Of the President to reinforce the
Federal forts menaeed by the secessionists,
and we have no doubt judging from last oc-
counts, that he will do it,-and if blood
should follow, those in rebellion must bear
the consequences. The Federal Government
cannot now back down at the bidding Of
those who have commenced actual hostilities
against it.


But as to what will be the action of Con-
gress there is nothing but doubt and uncer.
tainty. ltis for the good Of the Republic
that the Republicans are expected to concede
not any established Constitutional right, but
an opinion merely, on the slavery question
They don't want any further extension of
slavery in the tcrritories-they don't want
any more slave States. Let them forego this
idea for the public good-let them say to the
men Of the South, "you are mistaken when
you say we are determined to hedge You in
with Gordon of free States-that we are
determined to contract and sap your power
till there is nothing left of it," In short, let
them compromise.


The Republicans, we repeat, can lose moth
ing by such a compromise as that offered bv
Mr.. Crttenden. The States formed south Of
the proposed line would lave or reject slave
ry according to their own pleasure, just as
they have been doing. True, before the
formation of those States slave property
would be protected there, ifit happened to
go there, and if it was found necessary to pro
teet it. AT any rate, there could be no dis
pute then, as to the meaning Of the Coustisu-
tion upon the question of slavery in the terri
tories. Besides, we ask, how long will the
present territorial domain of the United
states remain open as territories? Why Re
rublieqns themselves have said that all the
territories viii most likely be admitted as
States during the Administration of Mr.. Lin
coin. Ofeourse, then. when that domain is
admitted as States, there will be an end of
the question of slavery SO far as the terri
tories are concerned At any rate, a short
time would suffice to settle that phase Of the
slavery question. But it is the idea of the
introduction and protection Of slavery in the
territories at which the Republicans stand
agast, To many Of them it has assumed the
fnrm and featnres of thn falnnl q Cor...r IL.