Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-12-21
rhlrty-Firth Congro..--second session.

and great excitment prevails. The military are OF
lHp'omptu, and speeches being made
Thirty-Fifth COngress--SecOnd Session.
Wednesdays Proceedings.
| WASHINGTON, Dec I9.-SENATE-Mr Toom5s mad
| his appearance in the Senate.
Mr.. Clark moved to take up the resolutions of il
| quiry offered by him relative to the Forts q
Charleston.
Mr.. Green suggested that the Senator from Ore
gon, who was not.present, wished to amend the res
olutiOn.
Mr.. Clark withdrew his motion
Mr.. Slidell said that dispatch of the Associate
Press from New Orleans of the It'll said that Sens
tor Slidell in a speech, charged President Buchanan
with imbeciity and being the author of the presen
crisis. He said there was no kind of truth in such
dispatch-he never intended anything of the kind
and never felt such sentiment. Who sent such
dispatch? Was it the reporter of the Associate,
Press in the galleries? If explanation was offered
he should move tomorrow his expulsion from tn,
gallery He charged the Associated Press will
sending dispatches from the South intended to d,
harm. This dispatch was a base fabrication
Mr. Gwin said his name had been associated witt
that of the Senator from Louisiana, as using hare
words to the President, and advising him to resign
There was not word of truth in such story
The bill to carry out the existing treaty with Mex
leo was then taken up, but postponed to allow
Mr.. Hunter to report bill
Mr.. uunter from the Committee on Finances, re
ported the House bill making an appropriation fol
the payment of invalid and other pensions for the
year ending June, 1862. Also the bill making ap
preparations for the support of the military acad
envy. Both bills were passed.
The consideration of the bill to carry out tht
treaty with Mexico was resumed.
Mr.. Johnsons amendments to the Constitution
was taken up.
Mr.. johnson, of Tennessee. resumed. and sale
vyhn he b.
Northern laws conflicting with the Fugitive Slave
Law. He proceeded to argue that such laws were
unconstitutional and nulifying. The Government
should execute its laws in the States and the laws
Of the United States should not be considered al
variance with them. He argued that State could
not go out of the Union of its votion. He read
extracts from Madison tc show that such was the
opinion of the founders of the Government. JEFF
ferson held that it was not necessary to give the
Government power to enforce its laws in the State
as it had it by the law of the nation He JOhnson)
claimed the power to enforce the laws upon matters
expressly delegated by the States to the General
Government. If any State puts itself in opposition
to this power it is aggression aud rebellion. If the
Government fail TO perform its duty in rhiS respect
it is at end. He called attention TO Jackson and
Webster's views on this subject The government
called into existence by all the States ard sin
gle States could not break it. The Constitution was
intended as perpetual.
Mr.. Johnson then referred to the law passed IT
Congress in 1893 taxing distilleres A part Of the
people of Pennsylvania resisted. Congress then en-
forced the laws, but there was no talk of coercion
There is difference between that and the resist
ance of the whole people of a State He read a
proclamation of Washington to show that he con
Sidered that the laws must be enforced, and that
the Union was irrepealable. Gen. Washington sent
100000 men to put down rebellion. He enforced
the laws. Suppose the whole of Pennsylvania had
rebeled. Would it not have been just as constitu-
tiOnal to have enforced the laws as though a part
had rebelled?
Mr. Johnson paid high eulogy to Jackson. lie
was President in 1882. when rebellion broke out.
He said that Jackson took the same views of rebel
lion that Washington did, and it was put down. and
the Government went on. Now, how is it? The du-
ties are the same, but the consequences belong to
God. He intended to discharge his duty. Have we
not the power to enforce the laws in South Carolina
well in Vermont? He argued that if South
Carolina refused to permit the Federal Courts to sit
or the carrying of mails, the collection of reve-
nue., the Government has right to enforce the laws
If South Carolina secedes and undertakes to drive
the Government from Its property it is levyng
and that is treason nothing less Washington Jefer-
son. and Madison denied the right of secession, yet
we are told that State can 20 out of the Union
regardless of the consequences to the other States.
HOUsE.-Mr. Washburn, of Illino S, offered reso-
luton the Senate concurring, that when they adjourn
tomorrow, it be until the 9TH of January.
Mr.. Etheridge moved to lay it on the table 1t was
tabled by three majority.
The consideration of the Territorial business was
postponed
Mr.. Sherman, from the Committee on WAYS and
Means, reported bill making an appropriation for
Legislative, Executive and Judicial expenditures for
the year ending June LIST, 1862. He also offered
resolution. which adopted, instructing the Com
mittee on Public Lands to inquire whether anyofcers
connected with the Surveyor Generals Department
can be dispensed with.
House went into Committee on the Deficiency
Appropriation bill.
Mr.. Sherman offered an amendment appropriating
$4,000 900 to carry out the law for the suppression
of the African Slave trade
Mr.. Phelps was willing to vote for this appropria-
ton for the reason that Congress ought to make
other provisions than exists for taking of
re-captured Africans in Liberia instead of appro-
priating about Onesixtheenth of the yearly
of the Government for that purpose
Mr. Sherman said the question was not as to the
propriety of the law, but as to its execution. The
Secretary of the Interior has previously asked for
the appropriation. Mr.. Sherman caused letter to
be read from the Secretary of the American Colon
ization Society, stating that the Government of Lii
IBERIA has in charge nearly $500 recaptured Afri
cans and has only received $4,000, and unless a
speedy provision be made in Liberia, he would be
compelled to protest against any more being landed
on that coast. Mr.. Sherman said that whatever
may be the defect in this law, this appropriation
is required to meet the contract
Mr. Jones remarked that, pay ing Liberia literally
for recaptured Africans has the effect of increasing
the number, for the more captured, the more money
the Government gets therefor The Secretary of the
Colonization Society does not care how many are
Mr.. Maynard said the slave trade was not carried
on between this country and the coast of Africa
He was not aware that single cargo of slaves, ex
cept by the Wanderer, ever landed in the United
States The trade was between Africa and or two
provinces in Spain. England, by her treaty with
SPAIN can if she choose, close those ports tO-mor
row. or as early as her inclinations prompt England
also has treaties extended all along the coast closing
that part the world to the slave trade but by her
connivance not to say participation, this traffic is
which the United States by treaty is mace
from time time to play police on the to cap
ture slaves at an expense of nearly a million of dol
lars per year. This is attitude in which the Gov
eminent ought not to be placed and Congress should
prevent IT,
Mr.. Price would refuse to pay any more apprOpri
atoms until there was a system providing for the
maintenance of recaptured Africans. The Republic
of Liberia is being nearly swamped by these shirt
less Cannibals. He for giving Liberia an oppor-
tunity of illustrating her capacity for self govern
ment He approved of the plan of taking recaptured
Africans into quasi apprenticeship.
Mr.. Sherman explained. The appropriation asked
for to carry out existing laws and contracts It
was not compulsory on Liberia to take care of re-
Al1iSoLo. II SIe uOtS not wish 10 De so
burdened she can refuse such Africans and the
President can make contract with any other party
Mr.. Burnett said that the law passed last session
was not only inhuman but brutal. 1t required re-
captured Africans to be carried Immediately back
to africa, and their mortality on shipboard was
about fifty per cent He was willing to vote money
that we actually owe and were pledged to pay. The
only course our Government can pursue is to ap-
prentice such Africans Great Britain does. The
Of the negroes would thus be elevated
and an opportunity given to christianlze and Tor
philanthropists to civilize them.
Mr.. Crawford said there was not word IN the
act of 1919 which could be tortured into eOnstruc
ton for the support and maintenance Of recaptured
Africans for year thereafter. If they were land
ed on our shores then there might be some pro
priety in sending them back. He did not believe
there were hundred men IN Georgia in favor of re-
opening the African slave trade. He would never
vote for the support of Africans abroad, but would
vote for their support and return to their own
country.