.

The motion to lay on the table passed in the affirmative by a _viva
voce_ vote.

The PRESIDENT:--Is the General Committee upon Propositions prepared to
report? If it is, their report is now in order.

Mr. GUTHRIE:--That committee has given earnest and careful
consideration to the subjects and propositions which have from time to
time been presented to it. It has held numerous and protracted
sessions, and the differences of opinion naturally existing between
the members have been discussed in a spirit of candor and
conciliation. The committee have not been so fortunate as to arrive at
an unanimous conclusion. A majority of its members, however, have
agreed upon a report which we think ought to be satisfactory to all
sections of the Union, one which if adopted will, we believe,
accomplish the purpose so much desired by every patriotic citizen. We
think it will give peace to the country. In their behalf I have now
the honor to submit, for the consideration of the Conference, the
following:

PROPOSALS OF AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED
STATES.

ARTICLE 1. In all the territory of the United States not
embraced within the limits of the Cherokee treaty grant,
north of a line from east to west on the parallel of 36
degrees 30 minutes north latitude, involuntary servitude,
except in punishment of crime, is prohibited whilst it shall
be under a Territorial government; and in all the territory
south of said line, the status of persons owing service or
labor, as it now exists, shall not be changed by law while
such territory shall be under a Territorial government; and
neither Congress nor the Territorial government shall have
power to hinder or prevent the taking to said territory of
persons held to labor or involuntary service, within the
United States, according to the laws or usages of the State
from which such persons may be taken, nor to impair the
rights arising out of said relations, which shall be subject
to judicial cognizance in the federal courts, according to
the common law; and when any territory north or south of
said line, within such boundary as Congress may prescribe,
shall contain a population required for a member of
Congress, according to the then federal ratio of
representation, it shall, if its form of government be
republican, be admitted into the Union on an equal f