90

"Whereas, The Constitution of the United States | for a State to withdraw from the Union. Referred to the Committee of Thirty-three. Mr. Crawford, (Dem.) of Georgia, offered a motion declaring that the Constitution recog

is the supreme law of the land, and its ready and faithful obedience a duty of all good and law-abiding citizens: Therefore,

“Resolved, That we deprecate the spirit of disobe-nizes property in slaves; that Congress has dience to the Constitution wherever manifested, and that we earnestly recommend the repeal of all nullification laws; and that it is the duty of the President to protect and defend the property of the United States."

passed laws to aid slave-holders in recapturing their slaves whenever they escape and make their way into the Free States; that the Supreme Court has decided that negroes are not included either in the Declaration of Independence or in the Constitution except bers quite generally refusing to vote. Nays, and we, the members of the House of Repreas slaves; that they cannot become citizens;

This forced a direct issue upon all. It passed by a vote of 124-the Southern mem

none.

Mr. Morris, (Dem.,) of Illinois, then brought forward, for the third time, his Union resolution, as follows:—

44

sentatives, will sustain and support the construction of the Constitution, the laws, and the said decision of the Supreme Court. This resolution was tabled Tuesday.

In the Senate, Tuesday, (Dec. 18,) the procedings took an additional interest by the introduction of schemes of compromise by Messrs. Lane, (Dem.) of Oregon, and Crittenden, (American) of Kentucky. The first-named declared the Government to be unfitted for the exigencies of the times and proposed Commissioners to suggest remedies, &c. This silly and impracticable scheme was, on motion of Mr. Douglas, very properly "laid over." Mr. Crittenden's series was as follows:

"Whereas, Alarming differences have arisen between the Northern and Southern States, as to the

Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we properly estimate the immense value of our National Union to our collective and individual happiness; that we cherish a cordial, habitual, and immovable attachment to it; that we will speak of it as of the palladium of our political safety and prosperity; that we will watch its preservation with jealous anxiety; that we will discountenance whatever may suggest even a suspicion that it can, in any event, be abandoned, and indignantly frown upon the first dawning of every attempt to alienate any portion of our country from the rest, or enfeeble the sacred ties which now link together the various parts; that we regard it as a main pillar in the edifice of our real independence, the support of tran-rights of the common Territory of the United States, quillity at home, our peace abroad, our safety, our prosperity, and that very liberty which we so highly prize; that we have seen nothing in the past, nor do we see anything in the present, either in the election of Abraham Lincoln to the Presidency of the United States, or from any other existing cause, to justify its dissolution; that we regard its perpetuity as of more value than the temporary triumph of any party or any man; that whatever evils or abuses exist under it ought to be corrected within the Union, in a peaceful and constitutional way; that we believe it has sufficient power to redress every wrong and enforce every right growing out of its organization or pertaining to its proper functions; and that it is a patriotic duty to stand by it as our hope in peace and our defence in war."

and it is eminently desirable and proper that the dissensions be settled by the constitutional provisions which give equal justice to all sections, and thereby restore peace: Therefore,

"Resolved, That by the Senate and House of Representatives, the following article be proposed and submitted, as an amendment to the Constitution, which shall be valid as part of the Constitution, when ratified by the Convention of three-fourths of the people of the States:

"First In all the Territories now or hereafter acquired, north of lat. 36 deg. 30 min., Slavery, or involuntary servitude, except for the punishment for crime, is prohibited; while, in all the Territory South of that latitude, Slavery is hereby recognized as existing, and shall not be interfered with by Congress, but shall be protected, as property, by all departments of the Territorial Government, during its continuance. All the Territory north or south of said line, within such boundaries as Congress may. Mr. Sickles, (Dem.,) of New York, intro- prescribe, when it contains a population necessary duced a resolution proposing, as an amend- for a member of Congress, with a republican form of ment to the Constitution, an article arranging | government, shall be admitted into the Union, on an

This was passed by 115 to 44-several Northern Democrats, including Messrs. Sickles and Florence, voting nay.

The Capetition of the afted States ples of the land, and its ready and ezenty of all good and law-abiding

for a State to withdraw from the Union. Referred to the Committee of Thirty-three.

Mr. Crawford, (Dem.) of Georgia, offered a motion declaring that the Constitution recognizes property in slaves; that Congress has passed laws to aid slave-holders in recaptur ing their slaves whenever they escape and

ke their way into the Free States; that the Supreme Court has decided that negroes are not included either in the Declaration of Independence or in the Constitution except and we, the members of the House of Repreas slaves; that they cannot become citizens; sentatives, will sustain and support the construction of the Constitution, the laws, and the said decision of the Supreme Court. This resolution was tabled Tuesday.

In the Senate, Tuesday, (Dec. 18,) the probal cedings took an additional interest by the introduction of schemes of compromise by Messrs Lane, (Dem.) of Oregon, and Critten(American) of Kentucky. The first-named declared the Government to be unfitted for the exigencies of the times and proposed Com missioners to suggest remedies, &e. This silly and impracticable scheme was, on motion of Mr. Douglas, very properly "Inld over." Mr. Crittenden's series was as follows:

"Resolved, That by the Senate and House of Rep resentatives, the following article be proposed and submitted, as an amendment to the Constitution, which shall be valid as part of the Constitation, when ratified by the Convention of three-fourths of the people of the States:

"First In all the Territories now or hereafter ac quired, north of lat. 36 deg. 30 min., Slavery, or involuntary servitude, except for the punishment for erine, is prohibited; while, in all the Territory South of that latitude, Slavery is hereby recognized as existing, and shall not be interfered with by Coinovers! gress, but shall be protected, as property, by all deMe Sapartments of the Territorial Government, during its continuance. All the Territory north or south of mid line, within such boundaries as Congress may. prescribe, when it contains a population necessary