o it as out of order. Let us take the vote
upon the various sections of Mr. HITCHCOCK'S proposition. If they are
rejected, then these amendments may all be moved to the committee's
report.

The PRESIDENT:--I have already decided that the substitute is open to
amendment.

Mr. RANDOLPH:--Then I will appeal from the decision of the Chair.

The PRESIDENT:--I will state the ground of my decision. It is true, as
claimed by the gentleman from New Jersey, that if the propositions of
Mr. HITCHCOCK are _rejected_ these amendments may be moved to the
sections reported by the committee. If, on the contrary, they are
_adopted_, or either of them, so far as they are adopted they must
stand as the order of the Conference, and are no longer subject to
amendment. I understand the Parliamentary rule in such a case to be
well settled.

A somewhat confused debate here arose, when Mr. RANDOLPH withdrew his
appeal from the decision of the chair.

Mr. BALDWIN:--I move to amend the proposition of the gentleman from
Ohio, by striking out the words "nor shall Congress have the power to
authorize any higher rate of taxation on persons held to service or
labor, than on land." I do not think these words are appropriate in a
provision of the Constitution.

Mr. HITCHCOCK:--I supposed the Conference would understand my purpose.
It was to substitute my three sections for the third section of the
committee's report. I did not suppose this series of amendments would
be offered. For the present, I will withdraw my amendments.

Mr. HARRIS:--The gentleman forgets that if we once adopt them, they
are no longer subject to amendment.

Mr. BRONSON:--I wish to make a suggestion. I don't know but
Parliamentarians would call it a point of order. Now let us go on and
decide whether we will, or will not, adopt the third section as
reported by the committee.

Mr. SEDDON:--I have several amendments which I am constrained to offer
to this third section. My State would think me remiss if I did not
offer them. I move, first, to insert after the words "State or
Territory of the United States," the words "or obstruct, hinder,
prevent, or abolish."

By the section as reported by the committee, Congress is prohibited
from controlling or abolishing slavery in any State or Territory. This
amendment which I propose will prevent any action in relation to
it--in aid of it, or otherwise. The Territorial Legislature will
always be the creature of Congress, and under t