The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1860-01-12
THIRTY,SIXTH CONG EsS,
First Session
Tuesday, January 3, 1860.
SENATE

Tuesday, January 3, 1860.
SENATE.
There was very thin attendance of Senators
at the hour of assembling.
Mr.. Hamlin asked leave to withdraw certain
petitions.
Certain private bills were read and referred.
Mr.. King. have had sent to me the pro
ceedings Of Union meeting held in the city of
Rochester, iii the State of New York, on Tues
day, the 18th day of December last, the last
resolution of which is as follows:
Resotced, That copies o. the proceedings of
this meeting be forwarded 10 each of the Uni
ted States Senators from this State, and also to
the member of Congress from this district, at
Washington, and that they be, and hereby are
respectfully requested to cause the same to be
presented to both houses Of our National Leg
islature."
Although these proceedings appear in news
paper, have a letter from the Secretary of the
meeting stating that they are the official pro-
ceedings, and have been sent to me for the pur-
pose mentioned in that resolution. l ask leave
to present them, and ask that the resolutions
of the meeting may be read.
Mr.. Brown. What paper is that?
Mr.. King. A Rochester paper.
The President pro temapore The resolutions
will be read.
The Secretary read them, as follows:
Whereas recent events occurring in differ
ent portions of our common country have made
prominent the question of the continued union
OF the States composing our Confederacy; and
whereas it has been thought proper for the citi-
zens OF Rochester to assemble in public meet
ing to declare their sentiments on this ques-
ton Therefore,
Resolued, That we affirm and reiterate our
fealty and attachment to the Union of these
States, and that We cordially unite with the
great body of our people in the declaration OF
our firm and determined purpose that this
Union must and shall be preserved
Resotced, That while W., are free citizens
of this great Republic, we fetl jealous of the lib
critics we enjoy under our ow independent SOW
ereignty, and are thereby ad nonished that the
people of other States of this Confederacy have
the same franchises, and should be left free to
enjoy them; that, while we lad an undoubted
right to abolish Slavery in this Commonwealth
they have the same right to aetain that feature
in their domestic institutions, found, as it was
In nearly all the States in th,, original compact
that bound US together, to de.end the palladium
of our common Freedom.
I" ResOlced, That in our relations with the
Southern States, we will, SO far as in our power
cheerfully accord to them what we claim for
ourselves, the free and unmelested exercise oil
sovereign rights and privile. es, and will man
fully and faithfully aid them in their defence
against unhallowed and treato liable designs OF
any combination of men, une Ell whatever guise
whether political, fanatical, n pseudo-religious
I" ResOtred, That we hold in utter disregard
and contempt the cant and snners of all those
disorganizing and seditious fanatics who &c
about the streets of our cities aad towns, claim
10 10 Al - 60
than their neighbors, and hold nutinous public
meetings and secret conclaves, to impress upon
the unsuspecting and peaceable of our fellow
citizens the dangerous and unhely doctrine thai
he who is not an Aboitionist i; thief, rob
Der, and a murderer; and We h I'D him morally
guilty of such crimes who o&nly or covertly
sndeavors to incite the slaves of the South t.
rapine and violence, or encourages fanatica
emissaries to go forth on the Grand of promo
ting such an end. He is emp1stically, in the
judgment of this meeting, a ira tor to the socia
obligations that bind us in glorious Confed
eracy, and should be avoideft by all honest
conservative, and Union-loyinl citizens.
" Resolued, That the late insurrectionary
movement of John Brown, an J those who con
spired in person with him, in his reasonable
and murderous assault upon the peaceable cit
liens of Virginia, at Harper's Ferry, has oul
rebuke and we consider his punishment, anG
that of his confederates, not oi.ly just, but de
manded both by the offended lfws of the coun
try, and by the magnitude md dangerous
tendency of the offence; and 81 ould q like oc
casion arise, we pledge ourselves, if need be
and to the utmost of our powestin person AND
with our fortunes, to protect md defend the
constitutional rights and pri 'ileges of the
South, and maintain those fra ernal relations
which exist between her and The free States
and which must meyer be s'sered, but hello
sacred, and cherished 80 the guaranty to the
onward progress of our counts r
"Resolred, That while we revere the teach
ings from the pulpits of the free States, so ia
church organization, we conss1er all interior
ence from that source with the constitutional
rights of our Southern brethrea touching tn,
institution of Slavery, not only entirely unwar
ranted but calculated to inei.e disloyal anC
reasonable action, to engendtI strife and dis
affection, and repugnant to most of those WHIT
wish the spread of the Christ an religion, ant
desire to maintain intact the sacred compac
which binds together these Sites in one com
mon sovereignty.
"Resolred, That we can. 3t too strongly
Eebuke the sentiment that We election of {
President BY constitutional majority, havins
views of pubic policy with wfish the minority
do not coincide, would furnish just cause fol
the dissolution of our pnicu. We hold sucf
sentiments to be disorganizine and traitorous
odious to all patriotic and Uiion-loving men
| and disgraceful to the civilizs en Of the age
and we hereby give to our fell citizens East
West, North, and South, our niba solemn pledge
thst whoever may be elected President of these
United States, in constitutional way, shall
receive from ", ig the lawful discharge of his
duties, the same wiistns obedience and ener
getic support which we have Ysss1 " each anG
all of his predecessors and we hereby dsols n
our firm and unslterable purpose to sustain
aad protect him, in the laTful discharge o
those dat.es, from all enemies within or with
out, at home or $bsoSd,
"Resolred, That copies ~ tho proceeding
of this meeting be forwarded to eacn If t,le
United States Senator'S from this State, ant
also to the member of Congress from this dis
trict, at Washington and that they be, an6
hereby are, respectfully requested to cause the
| sams to be presented to both Houses of oul
NaEoasi hegislstnre.". -
Mr.. King. Mr.. President in presenting these
resolutions, and bringing tae proceedings q
this meeting Of citizens of the State of Jew
| York to the attention of the Senate, / am graft
fed in being able to say that neither now mol
at any time since the Federal Constitution was
4 adopted, have the people of that State ever fol
oxs zsqmept hesitated or doubted in their at
tachmsnt 10 0W republican form of Govern
ment or in their DEVOTION ~ tks UHien. They
not only do not entertain hostility 70, o. dig
satisfaction with, the Union, bat they love their
country, and their whole country, With oil the
devotion that patriotism inspires. The people
ss the State of New York entertain the senti.
ment eslmon to them alone common, reso-
| lutte determination that "the Union must and