Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1860-12-20

vote Mr.. Corwin voted with the majority. Mr..
Davis Of this State, voted for the resolution and
, against the amendments throughout. Tire adop-
ton of this resolution by so large vote must
be regarded as forming good basis for an agree
ment upon some satisfactory plan for the settle
ment of the pending difficulties.
nT General Cass has resigned the office Of
! Secretary of State, which he has held since the
; commencement of the present Administration,
and that within less than three months of it's
termination. He will doubtless give his reasons
for the course he has adopted. 1t refers, in all
probability, to the present unhappy condition
of the country, and contrariety of views with
regard to the measures to be adopted by the
Executive.
CONGRESS.
! Tho proceedings of both Houses of Congress
on Monday was Of the most exciting interest.
In the Senate Mr.. Wade, of Ohio, made the first
speech Of the session from the extreme Repub-
lcan side He denied the right of secession, and
declared it to be the imperative duty of the
President to enforce the laws protect the pub
lie property, and collect the revenue. There
was no evading of this duty, and, if necessary,
all the power of the Government must be used
for its accomplishment He denied that the
Southern Senators had presented any schedule
of grievances, and proclaimed that the Republi-
cans would hold the City of Washington as the
capital of the United States against all opposi-
ton. His speech was very irritating, but was
not of that violent character which distinguished
his speeches of the last session. resolution of
inquiry was also introduced, but not acted upon.
by Mr. Clark, calling on the President to inform
the Senate what arrangements he has made for
protecting the Forts and public property at
Charleston, and also for any correspondence that
may have taken place between General Scott
and the commanders Of said forts with reference
to supplying them with the means of protection.
In the House of Representatives the whole
day was consumed in the presentation and con-
si(leration of plans for the preservation of the
Union. resolution was offered 'oy Mr.. Adrian,
of New Jersey, declaring the Constitution the
supreme law OF the laid and its ready and faith
ful obedience TIE duty of all good citizens
deprecatlng the spirit of disobedience to the
constitution wherever manifested, and recon-
eiendng the repeal of all statutes in conflict
in violation of that sacred instrument, and the
laws of Congress passed in pursuance thereof,
including Personal Liberty bills. This resolu-
ton was passed by vote of ayes Isl, nays H.
the Secessionists refusing to vote. The Union
resolutions of Mr. Morris, of Illinois, embracing
) the words of General Washington's Farewell
Address, declaring immovable attachment to the
Constitution and the Union, and determina-
ton to ''frown down any ate npt to ALLEVIATE
one part of the country from the other" were
also passed by a vote of ayes lis, nays A.
The proceedings throughout the day exhibited
little or no sectional rancor, and on the whole
may, perhaps, be regarded as exhibiting a spir
it of compromise and concession on the part Of
large majority Of the members Of the House.
DAY OF HUMILIATION, FASTING AND
PRAYER.
The President of the United States has issued
the following as "a Recommendation
TO THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES.
Numerous appeals have been made to me by
pious and patriotic associations and citizens, in
view of the present distracted and dangssous
condition of our country, to recommend that
day be set apart for humiliation, fasting and
prayer throughout the Union.
In compliance with their request and my own
sense Of duty, designate Friday, the 4th day
of January, 1861, for this purpose, and recon-
mend that the people assemble on that day, &C
cording to their several forms of worship, to
keep 1t as solemn Fast.
The Union of the States is at the present mo-
ment threatened with alarming and immediate
danger; panic and distress of fearful charac-
ter prevail throughout the land; our laboring
population are without employment, and con-
sequently deprived of the means Of earning
their bread. Indeed, hope seems to have de-
serted the minds of men. All classes are in
state of confusion and dsmay, and the wisest
counsels of our best and purest men are wholly
dsregarded.
In this the hour of our calamity and peril, to
whom shall we resort for relief but to the God
of our fathers? His omnipotent arm only can
save us from the awful effects of our own crimes
and foies-our own ingratitude and guilt to-
wards our Heavenly Father.
Let us, then, with deep contrition and peni-
tent sorrow. unite in humbling ourselves before
the Most High, in confessing our individual and
national sins, and in acknowledging the justice
of our punishment. Let us mplore Him to re-
move from our hearts that false pride of opinion
which would impel us to persevere in wrong for
the sake of consistency, rather than yield just
submission to the unforeseen exigencies by which
we are now surrounded. Let us with deep
reverence beseech him to restore the friendship
and good will which prevailed in former days
among the people of the several States; and,
above all, to save us from the horrors of civil
war and :'blood outlines" Let our fervent
prayers ascend to His Throne that He would
not desert us in this hour of extreme peril. but
remember us as He did our fathers in the dark
est days of the Revolution, and preserve our
Constitution and our Union, the work of their
hands, for ages yet to come. -.
An Omnipotent Providence may override ex-
listing evils for permanent good. He can make
the wrath of man to praise Him, and the re-
noainder of wrath he can restrain Let me in
woke every individual, in whatever sphere of
life he may be placed, to feel personal respon-
sibility to God and his country for keeping this
day holy, and for contributing all in his power
to remove our actual and impending calamities.
| JAMES BUCHANAN
Washington Dec. 14tb, 1850.
REMARKS OF Mr. REvERDY JoHNsoN-At
tho cor,clusion of his aroument In an imnnrtant