extend it to new States, and to make it
unchangeable without the consent of all the States, the attempt should
be resisted by every freeman. There are other property interests more
important than that of slavery, but none of them have been so arrogant
as to claim such exclusive privileges and perpetuation.

_Finally._--Other objections of a grave character might be stated, but
it is not deemed necessary. The great purpose of the Convention was to
amend the Constitution of the United States, so as to recognize and
protect slaves as property. As a direct proposition this was
negatived, but the same end was sought to be attained by indirect
means, and its friends exulted in having accomplished it. Such is the
obvious effect of these amendments. If adopted, slaves must everywhere
in the Union be regarded as property, and entitled to the same legal
protection as other property. The necessary result will be, that all
State laws forbidding the bringing of slaves within their limits, will
be void, the sovereignty of the States in that respect will be
destroyed, and the National Constitution will recognize and protect
property in man.

We do not believe that the people of the State of New York will, under
any pressure of circumstances, however grave, recognize a claim so
repugnant to humanity, so hostile to freedom.

We commend to your honorable body the careful consideration of these
proposed constitutional amendments. We believe that they will, if
adopted, engraft upon our Constitution the odious doctrine of property
in man; that they will extend slavery over a vast domain once free;
that they will change the whole spirit and character of our organic
law, making that to protect and foster slavery which was intended to
establish freedom; making that irrevocable and perpetual which the
framers of the instrument intended should be temporary.

DAVID DUDLEY FIELD,
WM. CURTIS NOYES,
JOHN A. KING,
JAMES S. WADSWORTH,
A.B. JAMES,
JAMES C. SMITH.

* * * * *

NOTE OF MR. FIELD.

The following statement shows why the vote of New York was not given
upon the first question taken in the Peace Convention, on the
twenty-seventh of February. The Journal represents the vote as
divided. _It was not divided._ The vote was ordered to be cast, _and
should have been cast_ in the negative.

On Tuesday, the day preceding, a message came to me from the clerk of
the Supreme Court of the United States, that t