Southerners Want A Constitutional Provision Protecting Slavery.

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Another insightful disunion related political letter, 3 1/3pp. 4to., written by JOHN A. ROCKWELL (Aug. 27, 1803- Feb. 10, 1861) Yale educated, former Connecticut Congressman and Constitutional Union Party member who supported the Bell-Everett ticket in the 1860 election, Washington, D. C., Dec. 25, 1860 to his son Alfred, reading, in part: "…in addition to my professional engagements here, I have the vanity to think that I may possibly do some good here…I have prepared the outline of a plan for the settlement of the Territorial question which meets with considerable favor from very important quarters on both sides. Not…from the extreme men of the South, but from the Moderate men in the South and all Northern men with whom I have caucused. It is to this effect-divide all the remaining territory which we have into two states North of 36' 30' and two state South of that line by an act to be proposed at once in Congress as follows. 1. Add Washington Territory to Oregon. 2. Divide Utah and ad the west half to California. 3. Add to Kansas the east of Utah, a part of Nebraska and all of the Indian Territory north of 36' 30' and make it a state. 4. Add to Texas where the Indian Title is extinguished all of the Indian Territory south of 36' 30'. 5. Make Nebraska a state. 6. Make two states out of New Mexico. If this is done the Territorial question will be forever settled in relation to the existing Territory of the U. S. as there will be none left to quarrel about. As to the Territory to be acquired there are two modes of disposing of the question by an amendment of the Constitution, either: 1…provide that no territory shall be acquired without a vote of two thirds of the two houses of Congress. 2…as soon as acquired…provision shall be made for the formation of all acquired territory into states of suitable dimensions having all the powers of states except representation in Congress-for which they must wait until they…have a prescribed number of inhabitants . The trouble is that many Southern men have increased their demands. They want a constitutional provision protecting slavery in the territories and…that slaves shall everywhere be regarded as property. This I have told them…never will be…some settlement will yet be made but highly improbable…my hopes are fast dwindling away…I have so long taken a sober and somewhat despairing view of the condition of things…that I have…become accustomed to it…it is not worthwhile for me to break my heart about that which most of our people…do not appreciate or…care anything about…J. A. Rockewell." VG to near fine.

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