24

of 1798, drafted by Jefferson, except the words "and being
void can derive no validity from mere judicial interpreta-
tion," which were doubtless inserted to meet the decision of
the Supreme Court of the United States, in the Dred Scott
case.

Your committee submit whether iu view of the forgoing,
and other well known historical reminiscencies, there is not
some reasonable ground for believing that the seceding States
were honest and sincere in their convictions, although they
led them to such disastrous results. At least, it is but just to
"let facts be submitted to a candid world."

The 4th section of the proposed amendment declares that
the validity of the public debt of the United States author-
ized by law shall not be questioned.

Your Committee are not aware of any necessity for this
declaration. The authority of the Government of the United
States to create the debt, and the purpose of the Government
and people to keep their faith inviolate, cannot be questioned.
The public debt cannot be made more secure by Congres-
sional declarations, or Constitutional amendment. In truth,
your Committee are of opinion that the agitation of such a
question is calculated rather to create apprehensions than to
prevent or allay them. The best security in the world for
the public debt is the spirit of justice pervading the adminis-
tration of affairs in all the departments of the Government;
a strict regard to the limitations of the Constitution; a due
regard to economy in the expenditures of the Government ;
and a scrupulous performance of every engagement and ful-
filment of every pledge. A government, to command public
confidence, must win the affections of all of its citizens by
just conciliation and by a generous forbearance.

Your Committee regret to see coupled with the declaration
relating to the validity of the public debt a proposal, by Con-
stitutional amendment, to declare that neither the United
States nor any State shall assume or pay any claim for the
loss or emanciation of any slave, but that all such claims
shall be held illegal and void.

Your Committee have already ;eported resolutions reciting
the acts and pledges of the Government upon the subject of
slaves taken into the service of the United States or emanci-
pated for the benefit of the Government, during the civil
war, and asserting the claim of this State, on behalf of her
citizens, upun the Government of the United States, for com-
peusation. Of course this Legislature could not be expected
to ratify a Constitutional amendment repudiating that
claim.

And it is respectfully submitted whether a formal propo-
sition, by Constitutional amendment to repudiate the faith
of the Government, pledged to a portion of its citizens, is
calculated to inspire confidence and a sense of security, in