extremely precarious, und ihat too. al a time when our national existence depended upon the immediate reception of money, pro- visions and arms, to carry on the war, your committee are satis- fied that the loans submitted were the best that could have been made under the circumstances. •.\dd to this the great importance of at all times preserving good faith as a nation, your committee are of opinion that :t is due t.> your commissioners, and to yourselves, that the loans should be unhesitatingly ratified. Your committee having also had under consideration the treaty made by your late commissioners, with the small tribes of Indians specified in said treaty, arc 0£ opinion that said treaty is probably as favorable as could have been made at the time under all the circ-umstnnces, and recommends its ratification. . They have also had under consideration the proposition of John T. Lamar, which proposition is herewith submitted as part of this report, and recommend its adoption. JAS. COLLINSWORTH, Chairman, ~Ir. Childress introduced· the following preamble and proviso: Whereas, the .African slave trade being abhorent to the laws of God and the feelings of nil civilized nations, the encouragement of such inhuman traffic shall be made piracy by the laws of the land, and all persons legally convicted, before the legitimate trib- unal~. of being hereafter engaged in it, either directly by captur- ing .Afrir.:ml'l, or purchasing them out of slave ships, or knowingly from those who may have previously bought them, shall suffer the punishment of death, and such captured persons to be dis- posed of in such manner as may be hereafter prescribed by con- gress; Prm.·ided, That this article shall not be construed to pro- hibit emig-rants from bringing their slaves into the country, and that no free p<'ople of color shall ever be admitted to reside in the republic after the ratification of this constitution. On motion of Mr. Rm,k, The reFolntion wns referred to the committee to draft the con- ~titution. On motion of ~fr. Menifee, The Convention adjourned till to-morrow morning at nine o'clock.
340
Powered by FlippingBook