nce has
already determined to perfect the committee's report, before
substitutes are to be considered.

Mr. CURTIS:--I now move to amend Mr. FRANKLIN'S substitute, by
striking out all after the word "prohibit," in the third line, down to
and including the words "common law," and inserting instead thereof
the words, "but this restriction shall not apply to territory south of
said line."

My proposition is offered in good faith, and to show that Iowa is
disposed to compromise. I do not say that this is as far as she will
go. I have inserted the very words used by our fathers. They
prohibited slavery north and tolerated it south of the line. This was
the original proposition of Virginia. If there is any thing in its
ethics, they are Virginia ethics. Slavery now exists in these
Territories. Let it be there. There is slavery in Kansas, Utah, and
Nebraska. We cannot help it. It appears to me that the South ought to
accept this amendment. It recognizes the opinions of our fathers. This
was JEFFERSON'S idea when he drew the ordinance of 1787.

The Constitution does recognize the relation of master and slave, in
my opinion. I do not like it, I confess. You in the South do not
regard your blacks as slaves in the absolute sense of the term. You
have a right in their services, not in their bodies. You recognize
them as _men_ in various ways.

Again I say, I do not offer this amendment to embarrass the action of
the Conference. It secures slavery south of 36 deg. 30'.

Mr. GUTHRIE:--This amendment would not be satisfactory either to the
South or myself. In my judgment, it ought not to be adopted. We claim
the right under the Constitution as it is, to go into all the
Territories of the Union with our property. This right is confirmed to
us by the decision of the Supreme Court. There will be no compromise,
if we cannot go home to our people and tell them that you concede this
right south of 36 deg. 30'. Otherwise, they would throw the propositions
in our faces. As it stands, the article gives you security, North. As
it would be when this amendment is adopted, it would give the South
law and litigation. We want peace. We cannot take this amendment.

Pending the consideration of the amendment offered by Mr. CURTIS, on
motion of Mr. JAMES, the Conference adjourned to ten o'clock to-morrow
morning.

SIXTEENTH DAY.

WASHINGTON, SATURDAY, _February 23d, 1861._

The Conference was called to order at ten o'clock A.M., by P