Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-03-30
not entertain. take his explanation

not entertain. I take his explanation We
all voted for the Crttcnden propositions.
Now, Mr. President, let Us sec for what VIC
all voted and for what the n,aior;y Of the
Commissioners voted. I have already des.
canted upon the first section. You see that
it is all wrapped up in ambiguity. 1t leads to
doubt, at least as 10 its true import. Instead
Of healing up the discontcnts OF the country
it widens them. Now take Mr. Crittendcn $
! first section. Let 'is see low The fair and
manly proposition ofmy honorable friend from
Kentucky, aged now, q Student at William
| and Mary College when was there as a
Grammar-boy, in approval Of whose patriotism
voted With the greatest pleas ure yesterday,
and will repeat that vote just as often Us YOU
ask me, for know how interchangeable nc has
been in his efforts to secure tee adoption of
measures which would settle the pending diff.
cultcs and restore peace 10 the country. Nv
friend (Ir. SrMMERs) apolosized for Congress
for not recommending the Peace Conference
plan because there were only three days left
to Congress Of its session.
wish him to remember that Mr.. Crittenden
had struggled and struggled, for months, by
night and by day, to carry out this plan; that
he was in all sorts Of association, soliciting
here, and urging there, taking into his counsel,
as we were told Mr.. Seward, and aided by Mr.
Douglas-tsking everybody whom lie could
get into his cDuLscl, and using all the means
he could employ, likely ot ell to accelerate and
forward his purpose aui yet it could not be
effected. No sir, lis hopes led him on until
all hope was wrecked. My honorable friend,
Mr. SrMMEEs, If understood him, said this
Peace Conference proposition was better than
Mr.. Crittcndcn's projet; that it was more full,
more comprehensive, more complete that you
obtained more in it than in Mr.. Crit;endenS-
at all events, that it was quite cqla TO il. Did
/ understand you So sir:
Mr. SuMaEgs-My position was, that taken
as whole it was an equivalent 20 the Crilten-
den proposition, and in several particulars, in
my judgment, in advance OF it.
Ex-PREsuESr rTYLEl-Then sir, you perceive
that the argument which | advance is correct,
that this projet was equivalent TO Critten.
denis !; but there were only three days in
which it could struggle before Congress. The
Crittenden proposition was its prototype-lhis,
the Jupiter oAt Of whose head Minerva sprung,
had long been under consideration, had been
urged in all its forms, had been pressed in every
imaginable manner by ny honorable friend
from Kentucky, (Mr. Cril!cndcn,) with whom
| had the honor Of serving in the Senate Of the
United States, and elsewhere who was for
short time in my Cabinet, anu whose loss
upon his voluntary reirement-and
there never has been any interruption Of Our
at least, on my part, and will not
be until death shall take away either him or
me. Now, Mr.. President, put this projct of
Mr. Crittenden beside that Of the Peace Con-
ference. Look at them placed sids by side,
and judge which is the more just, clear, com.
preheusive and patriotic of the Two. Here are
the first section OF the Peace Conference pro-
position, and the first article of the Crltterdcn