Year: 1865

der no circumstances to proifer or accept negota


tons which shall admit by the remotest imphcatio


the existence of any other Federal or Confederat


Government within the territory ofthe United States


Mr.. FARSswoRrH Of Illinois objected to therecep


tiop of the resolution.


Mr.. FERNANDO WooD gave notice that he wou,


next Monday move suspension of the rules to in


troduee the resolution.


VOTE FOR PREsIDEST.


The Speaker appointed Mr. Stevens Of Peunsyl


yania, Mr.. Washburne of Illinois, Mr. Mallory 0


Kentucky Mr. Davis of Maryland, and Mr. Cox o


Ohio, as a Committee on the part of the House tt


examine and count the votes for President and Vice
President of the United Stases, on the seconc


Wednesday of February.


/ THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
/ The House resumed consideration of the Senate
joint resolution, proposing amendments to the Con
sttution of the United States


Mr.. McALLIsTER said when this subject was before
the House on former occasion, voted against the
measure have been in favor of exhausting all the
means of Cancellation to restore the Union as our
fathers madeit. am for the Union and utterly OPP
posedto secession dissolution any way or shape
The result of all the peace missions, and especially





Of recognition of their independence will satisfy the
Southern Confederacy. 1t must therefore be destroy
ed, and in voting for the present measure, cast my
vote against the cornerstone of the Southern Con.
federacy; and declare eternal war against the enc
mics of my country.


Mr.. CoFFRoTH addressed the House in favor of the
amendment, not however, speaking for or against
Slavery He eargued the power of Congress to sub
NIT the amendment to the Legislatures of the states;
that the South could defeat the amendment that it
must be submitted to the seeded States or II would
be recognizing their independence that if this
was done, it would apply only to those which adopt
edit He also argued that the South would not re-
main in the Union under the Constitution as it now
is and they would not come back after four years
lighting. All relating to Slavery should be stricken
from our Statue books, and then when the people of
the South tired and sick of this barbarous and
inhuman war, and demand cessation of hostilities
until it be ascertained if peace cannot be obtained
there will be obstacles in the way of giving new
guarantees to every person who shelters himself un-
der the American Constitution. He also argued
that Slavery the fruitful theme for the opponents
of the Democracy. Itbreathed life and existence
into fanatcism and unless that which sustained and
fed fanacism be removed from the political arena,
the country would be entirely destroyed He was in
favor of removing it, dthen the people would place
in power the democracy. He gave this vote after
much consideration and as a Democrat, and would
consistently stand by the organization of his party.
No power earth should prevent him from voting
for the candidates of his party. His desire was the
triumph of the party which has made this country
great.


Mr. MILLER PA. said he owed it to himself and
his constituents to reply to the sentiments of his col
league, Just uttered on the floor He wishes to so
act that when he returned home he would not be
found derect to the duty with which he had been
entrusted having take an oath to protect, defend
and preserve the Constitution of the United States
Long as the matter had been discussed here it was
very strange that no man had answered the question
what was to be done with the freed. people, should
such amendment to the Constitution prove effec-
tive. Gentlemen on the other side had failed to
make out case. During this administration the
Constitution had been violated in all its important
features


Mr.. HERRIcK, in the course of his speech, said it
was inconsistent to remain stationary when all the
rest of the world is movingchange is the universal
law of nature. What he had heretofore regarded as
mpolitic had ceased to operate Having at the last
session voted against the proposed Constitutional
amendment, he would now vote for it. He had no
doubt of the power to make the amendment in the
manner proposed. In amending it three.Gourths of
the States represent the whole. The time has ar
rived to exercise the power He believed that if
democratic policy and measures had been adopted,
we should not now be engaged in war; but in the
late presidential election the people had indorsed
the anti Slavery issue He was prepared to follow
it, The question had been settled by the verdict of
the people, and, so far as the National Government
was concerned, it was not political issue. The
adoption Of the amendment would tend to restore
all that is desirable the prosperity of the country
He belived the best good of the Democratic party
would be enhanced by the passage of the PROPOSE
ton and it win open up way to its triumph in the
future


Mr.. Brown Wis. spoke Of the dangerous abuse
Of the power of the amendment, He had never
been the apoogist for Slavery. He never thought
that it would be a permanent institution. If he


lived in Missouri or Kentucky he should vote for
the abolition of Slavery therein; but as to Con-
gressiona action on that subject it might be differ
ent. The question of Slavery under the Constitu
ton was reserved to the States respectively wherein
it exists In conclusion he caused to beread sub
stitute which he desired to submit, providing that
hereafter every sale and transfer of slaves shall be
void and the slaves shall become free, and, from
and after 1880, Slavery shall cease, and Congress
shall give compensation for the actual damage and
loss suffered by loyal citizens of the United Slater


Mr.. HARDING said truth and principle never
change, but men change, and from time to time
adopt opinions just readily they change their
garment. But he would rather hold on to the Con-
stituton, which was the only ark Of safety. He
denied that there was any Constitutional power to
deprive any State in the Union of its local selfgov
ernment Kentucky had been treated in bad faith.
Not one of the pledges made to her had been full
filed She had been betrayed, and now it was
sought suddenly to emancpate all her slaves The
policy would result in the destruction of the slaves,