of his rights secured by this Constitution."

Mr. GUTHRIE:--I am opposed to this amendment upon the general
principles I have so often stated. I oppose it for another reason. I
am not in favor of an amendment which encourages mobs and riots at the
North, and I will not consent to one which, like this, encourages
seditious speeches at the South.

Mr. WILMOT:--Such is not the effect of my amendment. It does not
protect a man in making seditious speeches in the slave States. It
only secures to the citizen his rights without regard to the State to
which he belongs. We have a provision of the Constitution on that
subject now, but it is not effective.

Mr. COALTER:--I am in favor of the amendment. There is great necessity
for it.

Mr. SEDDON:--I think gentlemen entirely misconstrue the intent and
purpose of the present provision of the Constitution on that subject.
It grows out of and rests upon that provision which requires the
return of fugitive slaves. It imposes an obligation upon Congress to
secure to the owner, when he pursues his slave into a free State, the
right which he enjoys as a citizen of his own State. In all other
respects it is unnecessary. If a man is injured in his person or his
property, he has his redress in the State courts; or if he is a
foreigner or a citizen of another State, he may go into the Federal
courts and get his redress there. In this respect the citizens of both
sections are amply protected.

Mr. STEPHENS:--I earnestly hope this amendment may be rejected. We
have come here to arrange old difficulties, not to make new ones.
Adopt this, and you lay the foundation stone of disunion. It is an
encouragement to seditious speeches and purposes. The clause is well
enough as it is. We do not wish to encourage men to come among us and
excite discontent among our slaves. We will not permit them to do it.
Our safety requires that we should not. Our own citizens do not
connive at the escape of slaves. None do it who have any business in
our States. We are here for peace. When half a dozen States are out,
whose return we wish to secure, shall we put such a clause as this
into the Constitution? Do it, and a half dozen others will follow. I
am not at all sure that the report of the majority, if adopted, will
satisfy my State. It certainly will not if it is mangled and frittered
away. I have not occupied time in making speeches here. I say to you
gentlemen, beware! If I thought the spirit of the North