n them. The
power to prohibit the sale of slaves rests somewhere. It has not been
conferred upon Congress; it must remain in the State.

Mr. SMITH:--The argument of the gentleman from Kentucky seems to me
very inconsistent with his report in other respects.

Mr. HOWARD:--The Border States are trying to get back the seceded
States. We hope they will come back. We expect the adoption of this
report to offer a strong inducement to them to return to the Union. It
will not offer such inducement if its general effect is ruined by
amendments.

The vote upon Mr. VANDEVER'S amendment resulted as follows:

AYES.--Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York,
Indiana, and Iowa--7.

NOES.--New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania. Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina,
Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, Illinois, and
Kansas--14.

So the amendment was not agreed to.

Mr. CLAY:--I have already stated that the State of Kentucky is
prepared to adopt the CRITTENDEN amendment; that amendment will be
satisfactory to the Border States. The longer we remain here the more
I become satisfied that the CRITTENDEN amendment will meet with more
general favor than any other; therefore I ask the consent of the
Conference to introduce the CRITTENDEN amendment as a substitute for
the committee's report.

The consent of the Conference was not given to Mr. CLAY'S proposition.

Mr. GROESBECK:--I move to amend the third section by inserting after
the words "in case of distress shall exist," the words "but not the
right of transit in any other State or Territory without its consent."

We must certainly do something to cover this difficulty; if we omit
the subject entirely, we shall leave much opportunity for cavil on
this question when the question goes to the people.

Mr. RUFFIN:--I move to amend the amendment by substituting in place of
the words "without its consent," the words "against its dissent."

Mr. GROESBECK:--I will accept the amendment.

The amendment of Mr. GROESBECK was agreed to by the following vote:

AYES.--Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode
Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania,
and Ohio--10.

NOES.--Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina,
Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, and Illinois--8.

Mr. ALEXANDER, of New Jersey, dissented from the vote of that State.

Mr. GRANGER moved that when the Conf