The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-12-21
THlRTY-SIXTH COgGRESS,-,SEC0yD SESSION

Cll, ana recommended that It he pDSEpuna unt
the 4th of March next. Ordered to liz on the table
: Mr.. CLARK desired to take un hi. resolution
| calling for information regarding Fort Moultrie
f Mr.. Ian desired to OFF, the substitute 70
them rendered by him few days snce--Mr
SALISBURY did not desire TO have either "a
resolutions Of the Senator from Oregon, or thog
OF the Senator irom New Hampshire, takel
up, as they tend to irritate and endange
the peace Of the countrv.--Mr. CLARE
thought it best that the country shouit
know facts, and not be agitated as it i
now from mere suspicion.-Mr. TRUMBULI
thought that the resolutions called simply for in
formation from the President, if not incompatible
with the public interest. 1t was usual to call fol
such information by the Senate, and he saw moth,
ing in it bjectiOnable.-Mr. HUNTER hoppC
thatal these exciting subjects would be postponed
until 1t could be demonstrated if anv concession OF
| compromise could be made. These resolutions in.
! volveG the question of coercion, in which fifteen
| States of the Union felt so deep an interest He
hoped that the resolutions would not be taken
/ Mr.. MASON said that Congress would soon
deal with subjects practical in their nature that
they would relate to the very question contained in
| these resolutions. No entertained doubt but
that the question would be presented ia practical
form, and il brought up now it would onlv lead to
nfaming the public mind, and to produce an
angry feeling. He knew, unoficially, of the con-
dition of the forts, and the Senate doubtless knew
them.-Mr. CLARK diseaimed any idea to keep
up an angry feeling. lie had seen many rumors
regarding the condition of these forts but he de-
sired to have some information which he could re-
rely on. lie desired to know if these forts we're
sufficiently protected. There harm in as
certeining that. He thought that the resou-
Ons were more of peaceful than a hostile charac.
ter.--Mr. DAVIS opposed the adoption of the reso-
lutons, and thought that the Executive was solely
responsible for the state of the forts, and that it
was impracticable in this particular case, where
delicate rights were concerned, to make these in
qqiries-Mr. CLARK & d"sisSd to vote on the re-
Tne President need not send anything in reply to
the resolutions if incompatible with the public in
terest.-Mr. TRUMBULL said that something
had beens said about coercfng State in this debate
Now he had never heard OF any one in the Senate,
or IN this country, who believed in coercinp n
State. No one believed in any power of the United
States to declare against State:
but the Federal Government could enforce its
laws, for its officers were sworn to see that they
were faithfully executed. Before vote was taken
on taking up the resolutions Mr.. SLIDELL said
that he had received no satisfactory explanation of
the dispatch by the Associated Press misrepre-
senting him, although the agent at Washington
had written him a note stating that he never sent
it. Other agents, however, were guilty, and he
therefore offered resolution requesting the Vic
President to expel any reporter who reported the
proceedings in whole or in part of the Associated
Press. He asked that it might lie on the table for
or days.--Mr TRUMBULL said that he held in
his hand a letter from the Washington agent of the
Associated Press stating that he never sent the
despatch alluded to, nor had he any knowledge of
it.-Mr SLlDELL-He gave me the same infOr-
mation.-The special hour here arrived and the
resolutions of Mr.. Clark were laid over informally.
Those Of Mr.. johnson, for amending the Constitu-
ton, were taken up, and Mr.. PUGH addressed the
Senate. In CONNIE cling, he said, that at the close
of the Convention which formed the Constitution
Franklin remarked that during its session he had
observed the painted in the panel in the rear
OF the Presidents chair, but could tell whether
it was a setting or rising sun; and so it was at
this time. The thirty millions of people |
of the republic, and the civilized world |
were looking now to this government |
to see whether it was rising setting sun
He proceeded to review the sentiments ut
tered by the Senator from New Hampshire, (Mr. |
llale), and his colleague, (Mr. Wade) when thew |
declared that the Republican party had not yet ad
mnistered the government, and that, therefore,
there was no reason to complain; and that thew had
charged that northern Democrats were traitors,
and had msrepresented the views of the Repubi-
can party. lie thought, in the first place, that the
TACT that the Republican party had not been tried
was for suspicion and prejudice: and in the
second, that the southerners had heard too much of
It.. There was no Misrepresentation, for the peo-
pie of the South had heard the speeches deliv-
cred by Republican Senators this floor, and
'een their newspapers which represented their |
!iews. His colleague had stated that when he left
MS home in Ohio all was peace and quietness, but
le would say that a portion Of his constituents
we're in different condition. Their business was
INJURED, their interests Frustrated and ruin was
PREVALENT. lie did not regard the personal liberty
bills of any practical value, but their objects were
hostile to the South. In Vermont, the Senator
rom that State had stated that they had not
cen fugitive slave in forty years vet they had
passed personal liberty bill. What was the OBJ
ect of such an act? 1t was an insult to the pe0
re Of the South, and all ofhose liberty bills should
'e swept from the statute books although they were
lOt practical. itwas the duty of the republicans to
propose compromise, and why did they not come
onward and support the proposition of the Senator
rom Kentucky? (Mr. Crittenden.) II is colleague
lad said that no one had any right to doubt Mr..
4incoln-that be had a fair record and was an hon
: p rpni rnslr- hat, ,f tla
Presidents who bad been elected Mr. Lincoln was
he most obscure one; that of the million who
oted for him, not ninety-nine out of hundred
lad ever heard OF him before he nominated |
hey did not know his character.-Mr. WADE. /
i ask the Senator whether he studied Mr. Bu-
hanan's character before he voted for him. Laugh
er. Mr.. PUGH replied that he had, and under
TODD his record clearly. lie read from the speech
made by Mr.. Lincoln at a State convention
which nominated him for Senator, wherein he said
was his tLincon) opinion that "this strife would
ot cease until the crisis had come and passed by;
hat this country could not endure half slave and
alf free; a house divided against itself cannot
tand He did not expect the house to fall, but
hat it would cease to be divided" Mr.. p. CON
ended that in this remark Mr.. Lincoln foreshadow-
d the policy of his opposition to slavery in the
states, and that he looked forward to emancipation
he South did not fear the present bu. it was that
ct to come. The Republicans had the power
0 make the adjustment OF the present difficulties,
nd as the dominant party, it was their duty to |
ONE forward and make proposition. His
olleague (Mr. Wade) had said that the day for
compromises was past; but he would say that he
Gho assumed that, averred that the dissolution of
he Union had taken place. This Union was formed
Y cOmpromise-it a cOmpromise--and they
lno denied it uttered unconstitutional sentiments
he Union could be perpetuated by compromise;
nd he hoped that all parties, and all irag-
nents of parties, would unite in adopting the
neasures proposed by the Sena tor from KeEtucky,
Mr.. Crittenden), that OF making the Missouri
compromise Line a part Of the Constitution
his would settle the question and satisfy all par
les; the Republicans, who wanted the Territories |
or free labor; the South, who desired slavery in
hem, and those who advocated popular sovereign
Y; for in the latter case the people satisfied.
New Mexico desired slavery and had got it. Kan
as had desired freedom and had got it. This
rould keep the question out of Congress, and
low it to be confined to the Executive and Le-
islative branches of the Territories, so far as
avery was to be locally regulated. But if the
republican party intended to live in the agitation
slavery, it was at an end. The next des-
atch which might be received may inform us
hat one of the States has placed herself out of
he Contederacy. Six States have made prepaTa-
ions to follow. 1t is eminently the duty of the
arty now coming into power to do something to
vert the consequences. No one intends to alter |
he Constitution, only as to amend it to carry
nto effect the true spirit of the Constitution. He
houd not discuss the abstract right of secession,
ut read letters from Washington, James McIn- |
osh, Alexander Hamilton and the message of John
}. Adams, to show that no conflict could arise be-
Ween state ana the Federal Government. lie also |
cad from Jackson's message that the Union could
ot be perpetuated by force Of the General Govern
lent, by raternal feeling of the States. He also
cad the debate between SenatorToombs and his col
eague (Mr. Wade,) in 1858, when the latter said
hat he was as good nuilifer as Toombs. In con- |
lusi0n he said be was for peace and cOnciliation,
nd therefore would stand by the proposition of
be Senator from Kentucky (Mr. Crittenden). He
liuded to the consequences which would follow
issoiutiOn, and described the sad condition of the
ountry in that event. As he said in his speech
year ago yesterday separate cOntederacies had no
harm for him. If discord and coercion and civil
var are to be the consequence, be had no desire
o see the day, when, instead of harmony and
n undivided country, carved on the capital,
nd craven the columns of this gori-
Us palace, we should see blazoned forth, as
Y some horrible eDchantment, the CORY eyes
f the demon of discord-when instead of the gor-
eous inscriptions to the Union displayed on every
de, above, below, beneath and around, we should
ee only the fingers of q mans hand writing over
gainst the candlestick on the plaster on the wall
uch dreadful words as pronounced the doom of
Sabylon: "The days of the number of thy kingdom
finished, for thou has been weighed in the balances
nd found wanting; thy kingdom is divided and
.lyen over to the Medes and Persians." 1t may be
or a season that the sunshine and refreshing show
rs will continue and will remain, and that art and
cience and the comforts of civilization will con-
inue to bless the people as now; but
ver all, the destroying angel that has
urned so many realms into desolatioD, slowly but
iienty, will inevitably extend his pinions
he faded cities OF Imperial Republics in the old
Iorld.--Mr. Pugh having concluded, Mr.. MICH
)LSON moved to postpone the resolutions, which
ras agreed to--Mr KENNEDY desired to call