free States;
to prohibit representation in Congress to any State passing laws
impairing the Fugitive-Slave Act; giving slave States a negative
upon all acts relating to slavery, and making such amendment
unalterable.

Mr. Florence of Pennsylvania and Mr. Kellogg of Illinois each
proposed to amend the Constitution "granting the right to hold
slaves in all territory south of 36 deg. 30', and prohibiting slavery
in territory north of this line," etc.

Mr. Vallandigham of Ohio proposed a long amendment to the Constitution,
the central idea of which was a division of the Union into four
sections, with a complicated and necessarily impracticable plan of
voting in Congress, and of voting for the election of President
and Vice-President.

These are only samples of the many propositions to amend the
Constitution, but they will suffice for all. None of them had the
approval of both Houses of Congress.

There were many patriotic propositions offered looking to the
preservation of the Union as it was. They too failed.

The great committee reported (January 14, 1861) five propositions.
The first a series of resolutions declaratory of the duty of Congress
and the government to the States, and in relation to slavery; the
second an amendment to the Constitution relating to slavery; the
third a bill for the admission of New Mexico, including therein
Arizona, as a State; the fourth a bill amending and making more
efficient the Fugitive-Slave Law, among other things giving the
United States Commissioner _ten dollars_ whether he remanded or
discharged the alleged fugitive; and the fifth a bill for the
rendition of fugitives from justice. These several propositions
(save the fifth, which was rejected) passed the House, the proposed
constitutional amendment of the committee being amended on motion
of Mr. Corwin before its passage.

None of the propositions were considered in the Senate save the
second, and even this one did not receive the support of the
secessionists still lingering in Congress.

The proposition to amend the Constitution passed both Houses by
the requisite two thirds vote. It read:

"Art. XIII. No amendment shall be made to the Constitution which
will authorize or give to Congress the power to abolish or interfere,
within any State, with the domestic institutions thereof, including
that of persons held to labor or service by the laws of any State."

_Two_ States _only_--Maryland and _Ohio_ (114)--ratified