Year: 1874

ENCE.


The following interesting statement
of the case" is from the recently pub
lished "Warden's Life of Chase"


''You profess to be satisfied with sla-
very, as it is, and where it is You think
the institution just and beneficial. The
very able gentleman from Virginia (Mr.
Seldom, who commands the respect of
by all the frankness and sincerity of his
speech, has said that he believes slavery
to be the condition in which the African
if to be educated up to freedom. He
does not believe in perpetual slavery.
He believes the time will come when the
slave. through the beneiicent influence
of the circumstances which surround
him, will rise in intelligence. capacity,
and character. TO the dignity of n free
man, and will be free.


We cannot agree with you, and, there
fore do not propose to allow slavery
where we are responsible for it, outside
of your State limits. and under national
jurisdiction. But we do not mean to
interfere with it at all within State linn
its. So far as We are concerned, you
can work out your experiment there in
peace. We shall rejoice if no evil comes
from it to you or yours. Mr.. Chase's
time having expired, lie was unanimous
ly invited to proceed


aside from the Territorial question
the question of slavery outside of
slave States-I know of but one seri-
Gus difficulty, / refer to the question
concerning fugitives from service. The
clause in the Constitution concerning
this class of persons is regarded by al
most all men, North and South. as
stipulation for the surrender, TO their
masters, of slaves escaping into free
States. The people of the free States,
however, who believe that slavery is
wrong, cannot, and will not, aid in the
reclamation; and the stipulation be
comes, therefore, a dead letter. You
complain of bad faith, and the complaint
is retorted by denunciations of the cru
city which would drag back TO bondage
the poor slave who has escaped from 1t.
You, thinking slavery right, claim the
fulfillment of the stipulation; we, think
ing slavery wrong, cannot fulfill the
stipulation without conscienciOusness
of participation in wrong. Here is
a real difficulty, but, it seems to me,
not insuperable. It will not do for us
to say to you, in justification of nOn-per-
formance, The stipulation Is immoral,
and, therefore, We cannot execute it
for you deny the immortality, and we
cannot assume TO judge for you. On the
other hand, you ought not to exact from
us the literal performance OF the supu-
lation, when you know we cannot per-
form it without conscious culpabllIty.
A true solution of the difficulty seems to
be attainable by regarding it as simple
case where a contract. from changed
circumstances, cannot be fulfilled eX-
actly as made A court of equity, III
such a case, DEGREES execution, as near as
may be. II requires the party who can
not perform to make compensation fOr
non-performance. Why cannot the same
principle be applied TO the rendition OF
of fugitives from service! We cannot
surrender, but we can compensate. Why
not. then, avoid all difficulties on all
sides, and show, respectively good faith
and good will by providing and accept
ing compensation where masters reclaim
escaping servants, and prove their right
of reclamation under the Constitution!
Instead of Judgment for rendition, let
there be a judgement for compensation,
determined by the true value Of the ser
vices, and let the same Judgment assure
freedom to the fugitive. The cost to the
national treasury would be as nothing
In comparison with the evils of discord
and strife. All parties would be gamers.


What have Just said is, indeed, not
exactly to the point of the present dls-
cussion. But | refer to this matter to


~. afsaEf Il
may be adjusted if approached IN truly
Just, generous, and patriotic spirit.


/ refer to it in order to show you that,
if we do not concede all your wishes, it
is because our ideas of justice, duty and
honor forbid, and not because we cher
ish any hostile or aggressive sentiment.
We will go as far as we can to meet you
come you as far as you can to meet US.
Join, at least, III the declaration we pro-
pose. Your people have confidence IN
YOU. They will believe you The decla-
ration. made with substantial unanimity
by this conference, will tranquilize pub
lie sentiment, and give chance for rea-
son to resume its sway, ard patriotic
counsels to gain hearing.


Did you say that, after all, what we
propose embodies no substantial guar
antees of immunity TO slavery through
the perversions of Federal power. We
reply that we think the Constitution, as
it stands, interpreted honestly, and exc
cuted faithfully, is sufficient for all
practical purposes, and that you will
find all desirable security i'll the legisla-
ton or non-legislation of Congress. If
YOU think otherwise. we are ready to
ioin you in recommending national
convention to propose amendments TO
the Constitution in the regular and le-
Ultimate way. Kentucky, slave State,
has proposed such convention; Hi
nois, a free State, has Joined in the prop
osition. Join Us, then, all recommending
such a.convention, and assure us that
you will abide by IFS decision. We will
Join you and give you a similar assur-
ance.


This, gentlemen, Is the proposition we
make YOU to-day. 1t Is embodied in the
amendment Just submitted. Is it not a
fair propositionl 1t is a plain declara-
ton of facts which cannot, reasonably,
be questioned, and a plain submission of
all disputed questions To the only proper
tribunal for the settlement of such ques-
tions-that of the American people, act
ing through a national convention.


The only alternative TO this PROPOSE
ton is the proposition that the present
Congress be called upon to submit to the
State a thirteenth article embodying
the amendments recommended by the
committee. In order to the submission
of these amendments to the States byf
Congress, a two-thirds vote in each
House is necessary. That, | venture to
say, cannot be obtained. Were it other
wise, who can assure you that the new
article will obtain the sanction of three
fourths of the States, without which 1t is