The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1859-12-21
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XXXVI C0NGRESS-FIRST SESSION.
WAsHINGToN, Dec. 20, M.-HousE+N Mr..
Taylor, OF La, stated that his colleague,
Mr.. Landrum, was still confined to his
room. He could not be brought here except
at the risk of his health, and he asked some
gentleman from the other side to pair off
with him.
Mr.. Grow, of Pa, said they had heard
that appeal every day. Was it quite fair to
ask 20 gentleman present 10 pair off with
him? Pairs were usually made by individ-
uals themselves, and in cases where both
parties had to be absent. sa
|. Mr.. Taylor reported that the question was
one of courtesy, and under the eircumstan-
ces, he considered that it was proper to make
2 pair. ii his appeal was not responded to,
nc suggested 20 the gentleman on the Demo-
cratic side, that they have a resource to
those methods familiar to all, which would
have the effect of preventing a vote.
Mr.. Gwin thought it was q bad practice.
One side coming ilto the House, and asking
the other to Offset tho absentees of the other
side. Elet.
Mr.. Clemens, of Virginia. said be had a
right to know what policy the Republican
side intended to pursue. Whether they in
tended to take advantage of the absentees.
ing among his party on that point. He re-
peated what he before said. The converse
ton was ended by some gentleman,s saying
that when the proper time comes, there
would be no difficulty in finding a pair for
Mr.. Landrum.
Mr.. Hickman made an intellectual! appeal
to act on his resolution proposing adopting
the plurality rule.
MIR. Holman, of Indiana, said the question
OF slavery had not yet been settled. Although
there seemed an approximation to that end,
different and conflicting views arc enter
tanned on the subject. He was of the num-
Der who hold that Congress has no iurisdfc-
ton under any circumstances whatever
over slavery in the Territories, because it is
q domestic Institution. The Kansas Nebras-
ka act gave the people the right to control
their domestic institutions IN their own way.
The position OF a portion Of the South was,
that slavery, by the Constitution, goes into
the Territories, and when there, it is the
duty of Congress to protect it by direct
legislation, but this is as unsupported by
the Constitution as the other Doctrine held
by the Republicans, VIZ: that Congress
possesses the power to exclude slavery from
all our Territories.
WheneyergentleneR talk about dissolvinc
this nation. There never could be ne
cessity for the discussion of this question
in the absence of tie proPTiety and feasibility
of'such measure. He presented the views
Of Pickney, of South Carolina, Patrick
Henry, Jackson and Others against the as
sumed right of State to secede from the
Union, which being the act of the whole
people, could not be disraembered, except by
their explicit act. lie looked upon this
doctrine of secession as an assertion of higher
law doctrine. Extreme views come from
the extreme North aud South, while the
central portion of this country is conserve
tive. Indiana was one Of the most conserv-
alive States in the Union, as shown in all
her past history, and she would never Goa
sent that the Ohio river which washes her
southern border should be the boundary
line between two confederscies. He closed
with a glowing eulogy on the Union
john Cochran addressed the House. lie
denied that Union meetings were of no ac-
count as had been asserted. They prepare