Answer: In an effort to discourage Southern states from seceding, the Corwin Amendment was proposed in 1861. This proposed Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution stated that Congress could not abolish slavery in states where it already existed. The amendment was named after its sponsor, Representative Thomas Corwin of Ohio, and was passed by both houses of Congress on March 2, 1861 1. However, it was never ratified by the required number of states and therefore never became part of the Constitution.