nst the substitute, for it destroys the effect of
the amendments offered by Messrs. HALL and McCURDY.

The vote was then taken upon Mr. GROESBECK'S amendment, and resulted
as follows:

AYES.--New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut,
Pennsylvania, Delaware, Ohio, and Indiana--7.

NOES.--Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey,
Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Missouri,
Illinois, and Kansas--12.

And it was rejected.

Mr. GUTHRIE:--I feel that my mission here is ended, and that I may as
well withdraw from the Conference. I seem to be unable to impress
gentlemen with the necessity of accomplishing any thing. The report of
the committee is not satisfactory to the South; it is even doubtful
whether they will adopt it; certainly they will not, if it is cut to
pieces by amendments. I may be compelled to sacrifice my property, or
go with the secessionists. At my time of life, I do not wish to do
either.

Mr. McCURDY:--I regret that my amendment produces so much feeling, but
I think, at all events, we should prevent the sale of slaves in the
free States; it should be prevented beyond any possibility. I renew
the offer of my amendment.

Mr. EWING:--If the laws of New York will permit the sale of slaves
within the limits of that State, then we should prohibit the sale in
the Constitution as proposed; but so long as that State has power to
pass a law prohibiting it, there is no necessity for the amendment.
The owner is only permitted to touch with his slaves, under certain
circumstances, at the ports of free States.

Mr. RUFFIN:--It is impossible that slaves can be sold in a free State
under the section reported by the committee. We propose to give the
right of touching at those ports as a privilege, but we give no right
of sale there. The laws of a free State could not be evaded in this
way. Each State is supreme within its own limits; that supremacy would
not be aided by this proviso.

Mr. TURNER:--Suppose a slave owner is compelled to stop at the port of
Cairo, through stress of weather or any other cause, and he dies
there, are his slaves set free by his death? Does not the law of
actual domicil prevail? I think they will be regarded as slaves, and
that under this provision they might be administered upon and sold as
a part of his estate.

Mr. POLLOCK:--I think we may obviate all difficulty by inserting after
the words "landing in case of distress," the words "bu