Year: 1862

W
country, or place it south of Kentucky,
or north of Ohio, and still the truth re-
mains that none south Of it can trade to
any port or place north of it, and none
north of can trade to any port or place
south Of it, except upon terms dictated
by Government foreign to them. These
outlets, cast, west and south, are indis-
pensable to the well being of the people
inhabiting and to inhabit this vast interi-
or region. Which of the three may be
the best is no proper question; all are
better than either, all of right belong to
that people and to their successors forev-
er. True to themselves, they will not
ask where line of separation shall be
but will vow rather that there shall be
no such line. Nor are the marginal re.
gions less interested in the communica-
,ons to and through them to the great
outside world. They, too, and each of
them, must have access to this Egypt of
the west, without paying toll at the eros
sing of any national boundary.


AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION PRO-


POSED.


Our national strife springs not from
our permanent part, not from the land
we inhabit, not from our national home.
stead. There is no possible severing of
this but would multiply and not mitigate
evils among US.


In all its adaptions and aptitudes, it
demands Union and abhors separation
in fact it would ere long force reunion,
however much of blood and treasure the
separation might have cost. Our strife
pertains to ourselves, to the passing gen
eratons Of men, and it can, without con-
yulsion, be hushed forever, with the
passing of one generation. In this view
| Recommend the adoption of the follow
ing resolutions and articles, amendatory
to the Constitution of the United States.


ReSoI0ed, by the Senate and House of
Representatives of the United States of
America in Congress assembled, two
thirds of both Houses ooncurring, that the
following articles be proposed to the Leg.
islatures or Conventions of the several
States, as amendments to the Consttu-
ton of the United States, all or any of
which articles, when ratified by three
fourths of the said Legislatures or Con-
ventions, to be valid as part or parts of
said Constitution, viz:


Article-.Every State wherein slavery
now exists, which shall abolish the same
therein at any time or times before the
first day of January, in the year of our
Lord one thousand nine hundred, shall
receive compensation from the United
States as follows, to wit -


The President Of the United States
shall deliver to every such State bonds
of the United States, bearing interest at
the rate Of - per cent. per annum, to
an amount equal to the aggregate sum of
- for each slave shown to have been
therein by the eighth census ofthe Uni
ted States, said bonds to be delivered to
such State by instalIments, or in one
parcel, at the completion of the abolish.
ment, according ly as the same shall have
been gradual, or at one time, within such
State and interest shall begin to run
upon any such bond only from the proper
time of its delivery as aforesaid. Any
State having received bonds as aforesaid,
and afterwards reintroducing or tolera-
ting slavery therein, shall refund to the
United States the bonds so received, OF
the value thereof, and all interest paid
thereon.


Article-.All slaves who shall have
enjoyed actual freedom by the chances of
the war, at any time before the end of
the Rebellion, shall be forever free, but
all owners of such who shall not have been
disloya shall be compensated for them at
the same rates as is provided for States
adopting adjustment of slavery, but in
such way that no slave shall be twice ac-
counted for.


Article-,Congress may appropriate
money and otherwise provide for coloni-
zing free colored persons, with their own
consent, at any place or places without
the United States.


DISC UssION OF THE EMANCIPATION MEA


SURE.


1 beg indulgence to discuss these pro-
posed articles at some length. Without
slavery the rebellion would never have ex-
listed; without slavery it could not con
tinue.


Among the friends of the Uuion there
is a great diversity of sentiment and poll
cy in regard to slavery and the African
race anon st us. Some would perpetu-
ate slavery some would abolish it, sud-
denly, and without compensation; some
would abolish it gradually, and with
compensation some would remove the
freed people from us, and some would
retain them with US, and there are yet
other minor diversities, Because of these
diversities we waste much strength in
struggles among ourselves. By mutual
concession we should harmonic and act
together. This would be compro omise,
but it wonld he compromise among the
friends and not the enemies Of the Union.
These articles are intended to embody a
plan of such mutual concession. If the
plan shall be adopted, it is assumed that
emancipation will follow, at least in sew
eral of the States.


AS to the first article, the main points
are first, the emancipation ; secondly,
the length of time for consummating it,
thirty seven wears. and thirdly. the COM