Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1850-02-23
reported for tie Baltimore .Sun.1
Congressional.
WASHINGTON, Feb. il,

Union. - e
Mr.. Chase advocated the reception of
the petition on the ground that the right
of petition is sacred.
Mr.. Cass said that the ballot box was
the true remedy for grievances, not pcti.
tions. He deprecated the conduct Of the
descendants of Penn who would plunge
the country into the bloodiest civil war
that was ever waged; for dissolution was
war.
Mr.. Webster regretted that the pcti-
tion had been presented. TIE petition
to be consistent with itself ought to be
proceeded by preamble somewhat as
follows: Gentlemen, members of Con-
grcss, whereas at the commencement of
the present session you and each of you
took solemn oath upon the Holy Evan
gely of almighty God, that you would
support the Constitution and the Govern
ment of the United States: Now, there
fore, we ask you to take immediate steps
to break up this Union, and destroy the
Constitution as soon as you can.
Mr.. Cooper spoke against the petition,
and in support of the Union, alluding to
the evils which would follow diss ,lution.
He would vote against all petitions, from
the North or South, looking to disso1u-
tion of the Union.
Mr.. Clemens said there had heen no
aggression by the South. The North
alone was responsible for the danger of
dissolution.
After some remarks by Messrs Foote,
pcward, Wales and Hale, the petition
was rejected, only three voting FORTS
reception--Messrs. Seward, Hale, and
Chase. aH
The Senate resumed the consideration
OF MIR. Clays resolutions on The subject
of the territories, slavery, &c.
MFR. Berrien said he desired, from the
Importance Of the various questions In
volved in this subject, to detain the SEN
ate short while. He wished to utter
no word of menace; he could not do so
without violating his own self-respect,
and without wounding the feelings of lis
associates. But the feeling now aroused
South, of opposition to any further ag-
gression on their rights and institutions,
was an universal feeling. He did not
judge this by the declamations of public
men, by the tone of the press, or the
speeches and resolutions of legislative as
semblies, but from the saddencd feelings
of danger and alarm which pervaded the
social circle and the domestic Greside. 1t
was feeling felt by every one, and by
all with the same sorrow and determine
tion. AT first he had regarded the at
tacks upon the South, coming as they
did from q small party of agitators, as
too trifing to merit even resistance, but
the events of the last two years had
shown that they were to be disregarded
no longer. At first the two parties, feel
ing the Importance of the support of this
body OF Aboiitiosists, had sought their
aid, until at last q very large portion of
one of these pmties seeded from their
old associates and raised new standard
-Free-soilism; and this was followed by
ageneral movement Mt the North, not
only by the remainder OF this divided
party, but by the whole of their oppo-
nents, all trying to show their greater
zeal in the general crusade against the
South. He had, in common with some
friends from the free States, opposed this
crusade, but unfortunately those friends
from the free States have been Obliged to
bend to the storm which RACES at their
homes, and are now unable to aid him,
He was willing to do anything to settle
the difficulties OF the day. he was will
ling to sacrifice all his hopes of populari-
ty, of station and of place, and come for
ward tomeet upon any proposition that
was fair and consistent with the constitu-
tional rights of tho Soutis.
The view of the future was a dark and
gloomy one. and he at times feared that
all that had been predicted Of rum and
disorder would come to pass. But the
country had on several occc csions been in
a condition of danger and alarm; had
several times been on the edge of that
precipices one step beyond the border of
which wonid plunge all into the fathoni-
less abyss Of anarchy and It's consequent
horrors. And each time It has so hap
pence that in the darkest hour of the
danger the lightof truth had penetrated
the gloom. and presented our glorious
charter still unscathed and uniriured by
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