The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-01-04
PROCEEDINGS on THE THIRTT,SIyTH CONGRESS
SEN hTE

attendance of Senators at the hour of assembling
Mr.. HAMLTN asked leave to withdraw certain pc
titions.
Certain private bills were read and referred.
Mr.. PRESTON KING stated that the resolutions
adopted alta Union meeting at Rochester n Y
had been forwarded to the United States Senators
from that State, and he would request that they be
read. The Secretary read them accordingly.
Mr.. KING desired to say few words on these
resolutions. In presenting them he was gratifed
to say that the people of New York never wavered
in their attachment to Republican institutions and
the present form OF government. Ill parties there
entertained the sentiment that the "Union must
and shall be preserved" That sentiment could not
be turned to party account.
Union meetings held had proved the strength of
that sentiment; and the resolutions adopted sneak
for the whole people of the State. He called at
tention to Democratic Senators who had expressed
disunon sentiments
The resolutions were laid on the table,
Mr.. SLIDELL moved to refer thepapers on the sub
Ject to Honmas Land Claim to the Committee on the
Judiciary 1t belonged properly to the Committee on
Private Land Claims, but as the motives of himself
and colleague on that subject had been impugned
and as dr.. Benjamin was Chairman of the commit
tee, he desired to change its reference
Mr.. CoLLAMER called attention to the fact that
Mr.. Benjamin was also on that Committee
The subject was laid over till tomorrow
large number ofpetitions of no general interest
were presented.
Mr.. MALLORY introduced bill to increase and
regulate the pay of the Navy; also bill to modify
were read twice and referred to the Committee on
Naval Affairs
On motion by Mr. BRowN, the Senate proceeded
to the consideration of the motion to print the
Presidents message. Mr.. b. said he was sorry to
have seen in some of the papers statement that it
was his purpose to attack the message Nothing
was further from his intention. He had no attack
to make upon the President or the message unless
1t be assumed that to express respectful dissent
from some portions of the message was to make an
attack upon it. He entertained for the President
now, as ever heretofore the most profound regard;
and had his feelings been otherwise the Presidents
age, position and length of public service would
shield him from any attack. But every citizen has
right to express the honest convictions of his
heart even if he should differ with the President
In his message, the President says he cordially con-
graduates Congress upon the final settlement, bv
the Supreme Court of the United States of the
question of slavery in the territories He did not
think the President was accurate in his statement
of facts; for while he was ready to admit that the
Supreme Court had ione rything in its power to
settle the question of slavery he did not think it
was true that twas settled. Differences of opinion
still exist, and daily give rise to controversies be-
tween different sections of the country.
He cordially agreed with the President that nei-
ther Congress territorial legislature nor anv
human power has any authority to annul or impair
the vested right OF every citizen to take his proper
ty of any kind including slaves, into the terrific
rles, and to have 1t protected there under the fed
eral Constitution But he could not give his assent
to the statement of the President that the property
in slaves has never been disturbed in any of the
territories. He regarded the whole struggle in
Kansas disturbance of the rights of the mas ter
When Lane, Redpath and others banded themselves
together to hunt shareholders as man would hunt
beasts OF prey, was that no Interference with the
rights OF the master? But the President saws that
if the judiciary should hereafter fail to provide an
adequate remedy for infringements of this right it
will then be time enough to strengthen their hands
by further legislation.
Mr.. B. differed from the President in this opin-
ion. He thought it would not be time enough then
1t is never time enough to strengthen the arm of
the judiciary after it has been struck down in the
ruitless effort to uphold theConsttution and rights
OF the people 1t is never time enough to pass ad-
ditional laws after the mischief has been DONE He
believed the law as it stood was utterly INSULT
clent for the protection of slave property and the
time had already arrived Congress was this very
day imperiously called upon to pass additional laws
In another part of the message the President re-
commends to Congress the7Saasage of law author
iZing him to employ the Naval force at his COM
mand, for the purpose of protecting the lives and
property of American citizens, passing in transit
across the Panama, Nicaragua and Tehuantepec
routes, against sudden and lawless outbreaks and
depredatlons. And the very language which the
President used on this subject, Mr.. B. would adopt
IN reference to the protection of slave property.
Can Congress only act after hefact-after the mis-
chief has been done? Have they power to con-
fer upon the President the authority in advance to
furnish instant redress shouIdsuch case afterwards
occur? Must they wait until the mischief has been
done, and can they apply the remedy only when it
Is too late? lie might be asked if he wanted a
''slave CODE
He would say frankly, that he wanted a code of
laws which should be adequate to the protection of
property. There was no more propriety in speak
ing of a slave code than of horse code, or COW
code, or dry goods code, in reference to laws pro-
tecting that kind of property. Without that pro-
lection we can never have slave territories, and
without slave territories there would be no more
slave States. He alluded to the great age of the
| 1nC CnrAS Nf thn
that, in few years, most of them would be taken
away by death; and if their places shall be supplied
| by men holding sentiments such as are held BY the
Republican party, where will be the security of the
South? How long will the Dred Scott decision be
protection to their rights? Slavery could only
be maintained by positive legislation.
Mr.. DooLITTLE replied at some length calling at
tention to the great change which has taken place
within the last ten years at the South in reference
to the power and duty of Congress to legislate in
behalf of slavery. the mind of the President has
undergone similar change, as appears by his re
| cent message.
Mr.. PUGH replied to the arguments of Mr.. Doc
little, and controyerted his views in relation to the
! question OF popular sovereignty. On the conclu-
sion of his remarks the Senate adjourned
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
| The House met at noon.
Mr.. BoYCE resumed his remarks from Friday
saying he had showed tha in eight Northern States
| where the Republicans are in the majority obstruc-
tions had been thrown in the way of the execution
OF the fugitive slave law. He took it for granted
that in spite of the disclaimers of the Republican
party, In sentiment and practice they are at war
! with that part OF the Constitution which provides
for the rendition of fugitive slaves. 1t then fol-
lows that they are so at with every clause re-
| feriing to slavery, for they all rest on the
basis. Besides, they are at war with the Con-
stitution, when they make, as a peculiar issue the
question decided by the Supreme Court of the Uni
ted States, relative to slavery in the territories
That same philosophy compelled them to make war
on slavery in the District of Columbia and every
where in the States. Only one of the motives can in
duce them to carry this crusade; hatred to the
slaves or to their masters. 1t could not be the for
mer, because between them and emancipation lies a
sea of blood. The only result is to do harm to the
| people of the South, against whom their venom
! and hatred are directed. He condemned what he
termed the miserable panderers to the worst pas
sions of the people. Was it raternal, he asked, to
appeal to the fanatics to take sword in hand for the
| liberation OF the slaves?
Mr.. HICKMAN who had been referred to by Mr..
Boyce, explained his former remarks, saving that
he meant that If at any future period of time, the
South shall determine to destroy the Union for any
cause which now exists, the North is resolved to
| prevent it. If war, then, should be the conse-
quence, the South will rest the responsibility.
Mr.: BoYcE understood that if the South should
| take her destnes into their own hands, the North
| will interfere to prevent them. Depend upon it. if
| the North should interfere with the South in the
maintenance of their rights, depend upon it t ere
would be war to the knife. He had no apprehen
sions, however; for the majority of the people of
the North are loyal, and tell you Republicans to
| pause in your fatrcidal career. The South desire
peace, harmony and concord. Will you give it to
| them?
Mr.. ENGLISH proceeded to reply to remarks of Mr..
Haskin, heretofore delivered, and, at some length,
| defended the compromise bill which he had intro
duced; saying that it realized all that its friends
claimed for it, and was the best that they could
| get under the cIcumStances-for the provisional
admission of Kansas into the Union.
He earnestly denied that the Conference bill con-
| tanned bribe. greater piece of humbuggery
was never before attempted to be palmed on the
mise bill substantially provided way to enable
the people of Kansas to do the very thing which
| the Republicans said they would do if the oppor-
tunity afforded. There was no discriminative
in favor of either section; but both sections were
placed in position of perfect equality His opin-
ion was, and he would be so governed, that it wouo
become settled policy not to admit new State
unless she had sufficient population, according tn
the federal ratio to entite her to a representative
in Congress. He would as soon vote for the admis
sion of State with without slavery. 1t was
enough for him to know that the will of the people
was fairly and legally expressed He would not
interfere with it-he for perfect equality be
tween the States, and for true popular sovereignty.
The object of the Republicans be said, to keep
up agitation in order to obtain political power.
| Mr.. ANDERSON, of Missouri, caused to be read
the memorial of the mail contractors, in which
they that while they have for the last year car
ried the mails sthey have received no compensation
and that the Government owes them two millions
of dollars. Without immediate relief, they must
cease their business operations He made an ear
nest appeal that sacrifices be made in order to or
ganize and afford the proper relief He was ready
to vote for any man, except Republican, in rela