A Report of the Debates and Proceedings in the Secret Sessions of the Conference Convention. L. E. Chittenden
of our duties here. I doubt not that every member of this assembly is already deeply impressed with the solemnity of those duties, and I feel convinced that there are few, if any, in this assembly, who would not lay down their fleeting and feverish existence, and follow our deceased brother to his final account, if by doing so they could restore peace and harmony to this glorious Republic of ours.
It does not become me to make any professions of devotion to my country—to my whole country—but this I will say, in the spirit of the last prayer of my friend, that I should regard my poor life, such as it is, a cheap purchase—the cheapest imaginable purchase—for that great boon to our country, the restoration of its peace, of its harmony, of its unity, of its ancient confederated strength and glory.
The question was taken, and the resolutions were unanimously adopted.
The body of Judge Wright was then brought into the hall, preceded by Rev. Dr. Hall, who read the impressive service of the Episcopal Church. A number of the members of the family, and of the friends of the deceased, were present during the services.
The funeral cortege proceeded from the hall to the depot of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.
The following gentlemen were designated to act as pall-bearers on the occasion:
| Mr. Ewing, | Mr. Chase, |
| Mr. Hitchcock, | Mr. Loomis, |
| Mr. Backus, | Mr. Groesbeck, |
| Mr. Wolcott, | Mr. Stanton, |
| Mr. Sherman, | Mr. Harlan, |
| Mr. Vinton, | Mr. Gurley. |
The proceedings upon the death of Judge Wright were, by the Conference, ordered to be published, and the special session closed.
NINTH DAY.
Washington, Friday, February 15th, 1861.
The Convention was called to order by President Tyler, and prayer was offered by Rev. Mr. Renner. The Journals of the 13th and 14th were read and approved.
The PRESIDENT:—I have this morning received several communications from different persons, which will be laid before the Convention. One is an invitation from Horatio Stone, inviting the members of the Convention to visit his studio; also, a resolution of the House of Representatives, authorizing the admission of members of this Convention to the floor of the House. Also, a letter from J.E. Sands, offering to the Convention certain flags which possess historical interest, from the fact that they were used in the convention which adopted the present Constitution of the United States. Also, a communication from Horatio G. Warner.
The communications were severally read and laid upon the table.
Mr. SUMMERS:—I am instructed by the Committee on Credentials to inform the Convention that the committee has received satisfactory evidence of the appointment by the Executive of Ohio of C.P. Wolcott, as a delegate to this Convention, in the place of John C. Wright, deceased.
Mr. ORTH:—I desire to offer the following resolutions, which I ask to have read for the information of the Convention. I have no purpose to admit spectators to seats on this floor, but in my judgment it is the right of the country to know what we are doing here. My constituents will not be satisfied with my course, unless I take means to give the public knowledge of all our transactions. I am aware that this is an invasion of the rule already adopted, requiring secrecy, but in my opinion no possible harm can come from the daily publication of our debates. It is far better that true reports of these debates should be made, than that the distorted and perverted accounts which we see daily in the New York papers should be continued.
The resolutions were read, and are as follows:
Resolved, That Rules Sixteen (16) and Eighteen (18) of this Convention be, and the same hereby are, rescinded.
Resolved, That the President is hereby authorized to grant cards of admission to reporters of the press, not exceeding—— in number, which shall entitle them to seats on the floor of the Convention, for the purpose of reporting its proceedings.
Resolved, That no person be admitted to the floor of the Convention, except the members, officers, or reporters.
Mr. WICKLIFFE:—I do not wish to prolong this discussion myself, nor to cause it to be prolonged by others. I am sure that if we permit our debates to be reported, we shall never reach a conclusion which will in the slightest degree benefit the country. Every member will in that event wish to make a set speech, some of them three or four. I wish to have our time used in consultation and in action, not consumed in political speech-making. I do not care what the newspapers say of us. I know their accounts are distorted; but they would be distorted if we admitted reporters. Some of them assail us as a convention of compromisers—as belonging to the sandstone stratum of politics.
Mr. CHASE:—That is the formation which supports all others.
Mr. WICKLIFFE:—I know it, and I hope this Convention will prove to be the stratum which supports and preserves the Union and the country. Let us go on as we have begun, preserving secrecy; keeping our own counsels; making no speeches for outside consumption or personal reputation. Let us all keep steadily in mind the accomplishment of the great and good purpose which brought us here, and nothing else.
Mr. RANDOLPH:—New Jersey does not wish to have time consumed in making speeches. I think we should proceed at once to hear the report of the committee. I move that the resolutions offered be laid upon the table.
Mr. ORTH:—I suppose this motion cuts off debate. I should much have preferred to discuss the resolutions. I hope the motion will not prevail.
The motion to lay on the table passed in the affirmative by a viva voce vote.
The PRESIDENT:—Is the General Committee upon Propositions prepared to report? If it is, their report is now in order.
Mr. GUTHRIE:—That committee has given earnest and careful consideration to the subjects and propositions which have from time to time been presented to it. It has held numerous and protracted sessions, and the differences of opinion naturally existing between the members have been discussed in a spirit of candor and conciliation. The committee have not been so fortunate as to arrive at an unanimous conclusion. A majority of its members, however, have agreed upon a report which we think ought to be satisfactory to all sections of the Union, one which if adopted will, we believe, accomplish the purpose so much desired by every patriotic citizen. We think it will give peace to the country. In their behalf I have now the honor to submit, for the consideration of the Conference, the following:
PROPOSALS OF AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION
OF THE UNITED STATES.
Article 1. In all the territory of the United States not embraced within the limits of the Cherokee treaty grant, north of a line from east to west on the parallel of 36 degrees 30 minutes north latitude, involuntary servitude, except in punishment of crime, is prohibited whilst it shall be under a Territorial government; and in all the territory south of said line, the status of persons owing service or labor, as it now exists, shall not be changed by law while such territory shall be under a Territorial government; and neither Congress nor the Territorial government shall have power to hinder or prevent the taking to said territory of persons held to labor or involuntary service, within the United States, according to the laws or usages of the State from which such persons may be taken, nor to impair the rights arising out of said relations, which shall be subject to judicial cognizance in the federal courts, according