nd moved to limit it to _present_ territory,
which proposition was adopted. Surely this was an important surrender
to Northern sentiment that should not have been forgotten.

The majority say, that by the first of the proposed amendments,
slavery is constitutionally established in all the territory south of
the line of 36 deg. 30', as if such recognition of slavery there was now
for the first time to be established by the proposed amendment. The
majority of these Commissioners are counsellors of eminent ability,
and yet, for some reason not easily comprehended, they have seen fit
to ignore a decision of the Supreme Court of the United States, which
declares that slavery can be carried into all the Territories of the
United States, whether south or north of the line of 36 deg. 30'. The
famous Dred Scott decision, to which reference is here made, was often
referred to in the debates of the Convention, and was insisted upon by
many gentlemen, holding views and opinions similar to those of a
majority of the New York Commissioners, as affording all the
protection that the South could require, and claiming that the
proposed amendment was unnecessary, by reason of such protection.

The Territory of New Mexico was declared open to slavery by the
compromise act of 1850. The public mind of the North was deeply
agitated upon that subject. A distinguished statesman, who was removed
from earth before his eyes were forced "to rest upon a dismembered
Confederacy," was violently assailed for declaring that slavery could
work no practical evil in New Mexico; and yet the recent census has
vindicated that assertion, showing that in the ten years that have
passed since that compromise, only twenty-four slaves were to be found
in what the majority of the committee are pleased to call the "immense
region" of New Mexico; more than half of whom were servants of army
officers, to be removed when they should be ordered to other stations.

The Territorial Legislature of New Mexico has declared the existence
and passed laws for the protection of slavery throughout that entire
Territory, while the proposed amendment of the Constitution would
exclude it from all that portion of said Territory north of 36 deg. 30'.

The undersigned are not only ready to vindicate their votes for that
proposed amendment, but claim that such an amendment to the
Constitution would be a great gain to the cause of freedom; taking
from the action of the Dred Scott decis