592 



MISSOUEI. 



in an unsettled condition, only forty-one coun- 

 ties out of one hundred and twelve having re- 

 turned tax books for 1861. Of $640,220 due 

 from these not more than $253,386 had been 

 paid in. From the counties not heard from the 

 amount was very large ; but officers were daily 

 finding it more easy to make collections, and in 

 every respect the condition of things was quite 

 as favorable as when the present authorities 

 received control of the government. The 

 bondholders, he thought, could hardly expect 

 the July interest to be paid, but of the ability 

 of the State to pay ultimately he entertained 

 no doubt. In most parts of the State courts of 

 justice were open and the laws properly ad- 

 ministered, but elsewhere disturbance and 

 crime were perpetrated under the name of 

 guerilla warfare. Sufficient force, however, 

 was now ready to compel the cessation of such 

 acts, and "troops hostile to the people and 

 the institutions of the State" had been supplant- 

 ed by home volunteers, who would prove less 

 objectionable. He doubted the expediency of 

 electing members of Congress seventeen months 

 before taking their seats, and, in view of the 

 fact that a large body of the voters of the 

 State were absent as volunteers, suggested the 

 repeal of the ordinance passed in the previous 

 November, which provided for an election of 

 executive officers and for the ratification of the 

 provisional government in August. 



On June 4th the Committee on Elections re- 

 ported bills continuing the present officers of 

 the State until 1864; repealing the ordinance 

 submitting the action of the convention to the 

 people ; and defining the qualifications of voters 

 in the State. The last named bill prohibited all 

 Confederates from holding office or voting ex- 

 cept on condition of taking the oath to support 

 the constitutions of the United States and Mis- 

 souri, and required judges of elections to ad- 

 minister a similar oath to all voters. 



On the 7th Judge Breckenridge of St. Louis 

 introduced a bill for gradual emancipation, 

 framed in accordance with the President's Mes- 

 sage to Congress. 



He argued the merits of the bill at length, 

 claiming that it was the only measure at all 

 likely to quiet the agitation rapidly growing in 

 the State. All men agreed that slavery was 

 doomed in Missouri, that secession had ruined 

 it, and it only remained to determine whether, 

 as wise, careful, and conservative men, they 

 would take hold of the subject as a political 

 question, or leave it to be dealt with by radi- 

 cals. Pass this ordinance, and there would be 

 nothing left to build up radical men and meas- 

 ures; the whole subject could be acted on by the 

 people, after two years of calm reflection, with 

 peace, quiet, and prosperity restored to the 

 country. 



At the conclusion of Mr. Breckenridge's re- 

 marks several members endeavored to gain the 

 floor, and Mr. Hall, of Randolph county, being 

 recognized, moved to lay the bill on the table. 

 In spite of the remonstrances of several mem- 



bers, who wished to speak on the subject, Mr. 

 Hall adhered to his motion, which was carried 

 by yeas 52 to nays 19. He then moved to re- 

 consider the motion to lay on the table, and to 

 lay that motion on the table. This was agreed 

 to, and thus tfie emancipation scheme was 

 thwarted almost at its inception. 



During the 9th and 10th the convention was 

 chiefly occupied in discussing the bill defining 

 the qualifications of voters, which had been re- 

 ported back without the disfranchising clause. 

 An amendment, offered by Judge Breckenridge, 

 " to disfranchise all persons engaged in rebel- 

 lion subsequent to Dec. 17, 1861," was, after a 

 protracted debate, carried by a vote of 35 ayes 

 to 31 noes, and the bill was finally passed by 

 42 yeas to 27 nays. The chief objection urged 

 against the amendment was, that it would dis- 

 courage emigration from the Southern States. 



On the llth, the bill to continue the present 

 provisional government and postpone the elec- 

 tion of State officers until 1864, elicited much 

 discussion, and was finally lost by yeas 31, 

 nays 35. But on the next day the vote was re- 

 considered by yeas 43, nays 15, and the bill 

 was passed by yeas 45, nays 21. A resolution 

 expressing the confidence of the convention in 

 the integrity and patriotism of Governor Gam- 

 ble and the other State officers was also unani- 

 mously adopted. By this action of the con- 

 vention the next election was restricted to the 

 choice of members of the 38th Congress and 

 of the State Legislature. On the 12th also an 

 ordinance was passed enabling citizens of the 

 State in the military service of the United 

 States to vote at all the State elections. 



On the 13th, Governor Gamble submitted a 

 message calling the attention of the members 

 of the convention to the fact that Congress had, 

 in accordance with a message from the Presi- 

 dent adopted a joint resolution declaring its 

 willingness to furnish aid to any State that 

 might think proper to adopt a measure of 

 emancipation. 



On motion of Judge Breckenridge the mes- 

 sage was referred to a special committee of 

 five, consisting of Messrs. Breckenridge, Doug- 

 lass, Doniphan, Orr, and Howell, with instruc- 

 tions to report without delay upon the subject, 

 by resolution or otherwise. The majority of 

 the committee, Messrs. Breckenridge, Douglass, 

 and Orr, accordingly reported on the 14th the 

 following series of resolutions, by Mr. Hitch- 

 cock, of St. Louis, previously referred to the 

 committee, and which were adopted by a vote 

 of 32 to 27 : 



Whereas, The Congress of the United States, on the 

 special recommendation of the President, has adopted 

 a joint resolution in the following words, to wit : 



Resolved, That the United States ought to cooperate 

 with any State which may adopt a gradual emancipa- 

 tion of slavery, giving to such State at its discretion 

 compensation for the inconvenience, public and pri- 

 vate, by such a change of system. 



And whereas, the President of the United States, in 

 his recent proclamation revoking and annulling a cer- 

 tain authorized declaration, assumed to be made by 

 Maj.-Gen. Hunter, of the United States army, has 



