Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-12-25
Thirty-sixth Congressional Session.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1850.
GEN ATE

Mr.. Hunter, from the Committee on Finance,
rcported back the Tariff bill, and recommend
ed that it be postponed until the 4th oil March
next. Ordered to lie on the table.
Mr.. ClarNdcsircd to take up his resolutions
calling for information regarding Fort Moul-
trie.
Mr., Lane desired to offer the substitute for
them rendered by him q few days since.
Mr., Trumbull thought that the resolutions
called simply for information from the PresI-
dent if not incompatible with the public intc-
rest. 1t was usual to call for such information
by the Senate, and he saw nothing in it obJec-
tiOnablc. -.
Mr.. Hunter hoped that all Of these exciting
subjects would be postponed until it could be
demonstrated if any concession or compromise
could be made. These resolutions involved
the question of coercion. in which fifteen
States of the Union felt so deep an interest
lie hoped that the resolutions would not be Ia
ken up.
Mr.. Mason said tina, Congress would soon
deal with subjects 50 practical III their nature
that they would relate to the very question con-
tanned in these resolutions. No one entertain
ed 4 doubt but that the question would be pre-
scented in n practical form, and if brought up
now it would only lead to intlaming the public
mind, and produce an angry feeling. Tie knew,
unollicially, Of the condition oil the !or!S, and
the Senate doubtless knew them.
Mr.. Clark disclaiImed any idea to keep up an
angry feeling. lie had seen many rusiorS re.
gardins the condition Of these forts, but he dc,
Sired To- have some information which lie coulu
rely on. lie desired to know II these ior's
were sufficiently protected. There was no
harm in asccrtaininS that. lie thought that
the resolutions were more OF Il peaceful IMAM Il
hostile character.
Mr.. Trumbull said that something had been
said about cocrcing Il State III tins debate. NO"
he had never heard of any one III the Senate,
or in this country, who believed in cocrclnS 4
State. No one believed in any power %! the
United States to declare war against II etalc;;
but the Federal Government could enforce It's
laws, for its officers were sworn TO see that they
were faithfully executed.
Before Il vote was taken on taking up there
solutions
The special hour arrived, and the rrSo-
lutionS of Mr.. Clark were laid over informally.
Those of Mr.. Johnson, for amending the Con
s~titution, were taken M, and Mr.. Pugh aa-
dressed the Senate.
In commencing, he said that NJ the close OF
the Convention which formed the Constitution,
Franklin remarked that during It's session he
had observed the sun painted IN Ia" pal!ei III
the rear Of the Presidents chair, but could not
tell whether it was il setting or Il rising sun;
and so it WAS IL this time. The thirty millions
of people of the republic, and the Civilized
world were looking HOW to this government TO
see whether it was a rising Or declining sun.
lie proceeded to review the sentiments ut
tered by the Senator from New hampshire (Mr.
Hale and his colleague (Mr. Wade when they
declared that the Republican party had not yet
administered the government, anu that, there
fore, there was no reason to complain; anu mat
they had charged that Northern Democrats
were traitors, and had misrcprcscntcd the views
Of the Republican party. lie thought, IN the
first place, that the fact that the Republican
party had not been tried was a cause Tor SiSpi-
cion and prejudice and, in the second, that
the Southcrners had heard too much Of 1t
There was no Misrepresentation, for the people
of the South had heard the speeches delivered
ty Republican Senators on this floor, and seen
their newspapers which represented t'leIr
views.
His colleague had stated that when lie left
his home in Ohio all was peace and quictneSS,
but he would say that a portion Of his ~constil-
! ucntS were in q different condition. Their hl-
! siuess WAS injured. their interests FRUSTRATED and
ruin was prevalent. lie did not regard the Per
sonal Liberty bills ofany practical value, utthelr
objects were hostile to the South. In Vermont
! the Senator from thut Stale had stated that they
had not seen u fugitive slave in forty years.
vet they had passed y Personal Liberty BILL
What was the object Of such m act: II was
an insult to the people CT the South, and all
OF these liberty bills should be swept from the
statute books, although they were not rract''
chi.
Il vas the duty Of The Republicans To pro.
nose compromises, and why did they not come
forward and support the propositions OF The
Senator from Kentucky? Cir. CrIltcndcI'.J-
lis collcamllc had said that no one had any
rip}t TO doubt Mr.. Lincoln-that he had Il Fair
record and WAS an honest man. lie (Mr. ~
would reply that OF all The Presidents VINO had
; been elected, Mr.. Lincoln was the most obscure
one. that OF the million who voted for him, not
| ninctv.uinc out of Il hundred had ever heard
! or him before he was nominated. They Hid
not know his character.
Mr.. Wadc.-l ask the Senator whether he
studied Mr.. Buchanan's character before he
voted for him: Laughter:
Mr.. Pngh replied that he had, and under
stood his record clearly. lie read from the
snecch made by Mr.. Lincoln at Il State Con-
vrn,ion which nominated him for Senator,
wherein he said it was his CLincoln's) opinion
that this strife would not cease until the crl-
sis had come and passed by; that this country
could not endure half slave and halt tree; Il
house divided against Itself cannot stand. lie
did not expect the house To tall. but that II
would cease to be dividcd.' Mr.. j. commended
that in this remark Mr.. Lincoln foreshadowed
the nulicy Of his opposition 10 slavery IN rEe
States. and that he looked forward to emanGl-
ration. The South did not fear the present,
but it was that yet 10 cone
The Republicans had the power to make the
adjustment of the present dl!Iicuit!eS, ana rs
the dominant party, it was their DUTY to come
forward and make some proposition: Ills COT
Icorue CMr. Watlc.) had said that the day Tor
COMPROMISE was past bit he would say tlat
he who assumed that aycrrcd that the dlssolti-
ton of the Union mad taken place, The mon
wos formed bv comprniniSe-it was 4 compro-
misc-and they who denic'l it uttered uncol-
s,itutional sentiments. The Union could BIZ
ncrnctuated by Compromise and he hoped
that all ~partirs, and all fragments 0l parties.
/ would unite in adopting the measure proposed
bv the Senator from kentucky, (Mr. Crlltcn'
DEM that Of making the Missouri Compromise
line a part of the Constitution
This would settle The question, and satisfy
all parties; the Republicans. who wanted the
Territories for free labor; the South, who dc,
sired slavery in them, and those who advocated
popular sovereignty; for in the latter case the
pcoplc were satisfied. New Mexico desire!
Slavery, and had got it. Kansas had desired
freedom, and had got it. This would keep
the question out Of Congress, and allow 1t to
be confined to the executive and Legislative
branches Of the Territories, so far as slavery
was to he locally regulated. But if the Re-
publican party intended to live in the agitation
of slavery, it was at an end.
The next dispatch which might he received
may inform us that one Of the States has placed
herself out Of the corIcdcracy. alX States
haze made prcparatiuns to follow. 1t is MI