Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1861-01-24
Proceedings of Congress.

In the United States Senate on W ed
nesday, Mr. Crittendens resolutions were
taken up after the morning hour. Sena-
tor Powells amendment, to the first pro-
posed amendment to the Constitution, SO
as to make it read, " in all the Territ ries
no,o held or hereafter acquired south of
said line of latitude slavery of the African
race is hereby recognized as existing &c,
was adopted, yeas %, nays a, all the Re-
publcans voting in the negative. The
Compromise having been burthened with
this unwise and needless amendment was
abandoned, and after some debate Senator
Clark's resolutions were adopted as a sub
stitute by a vote of yeas %, nays %
This substitute declares that the provisions
of the present Constitution are ample, that
it needs to be obeyed rather than amended,
that all attempts to dissolve the Union with
an idea to its reconstruction are illusory
and destructive, and that therefore the en-
ergies of the Government and the efforts
of GOOD citizens should be directed to the
preservation of the existing Union and
Constitution. Mr. Cameron then moved "a
reconsideration of the vote.
In the Senate on Thursday Mr.. Cameron's =
motion for the reconsideration of the vote by
which The resolutions of Mr.. Clark were sub
situted for the Crittepden Compromise was
4aken up. The motion to reconsider prevail.
cd-ayes q, nays IS. On the call of the roll
Messrs. Cameron and Dixon, Republicans,
voted for the reconsideration, but afterwards
changed their votes. Mr. Wigfall, of Texas,
voted with the Republicans against the recon
sleraton. Mr. Crittenden's resolutions were
then postponed until Monday next The bill
for the admission Of Kansas was next taken
up. Mr. Green proposed an amendment
which would have sent the bill back to the
House, but the Senate rejected it-ayes %,
nays 81. The bill will probably pass by
about the same vote After an executive ses
sion, lasting three hours, the Sepate adjourn
ed, having confirmed the nomination Of Mr.
Holt as Secretary Of War.
The debate on Federal affairs YVES eontinu
ed in the House. The important feature of
the debate was a speech fFom Mr.. Sherman,
the Republican leader Of the House. lie ex
pressed willingness to settle the Territorial
question by the admission of New Mexico as
Slave State, but could not consent 20 the
,Crittenden amendment because slavery was
to be protected in all territory hereafter &C
quired south of $50 30\. He was willing to
vote for an amendment of the Constitution
prohibiting interference with slavery in the
States where it exists, and also for Mr.. Sew
ards proposition to guard against the inyas-
ion of States. The Army bill was amended
so as to increase the appropriation for Gov
ernment armories from $500 900 to S4O0, 900,
and passed.
The Senate remained in session until
late hour on Saturday afternoon, discussing
the House bill, admitting Kansas into the
family of States All the amendments
were rejected, and it was not doubted that
on Monday we should have new sister at
the fireside of our Confederacy. Strange
y enough, the very men who are CON-
planning that the Northern States refused
to make any concessions, and who affect to
deplore the excited feeling now peryading
and controlling the people of the South,
are most active in resisting the admission
Of Kansas, when they know that she is not
only entitled to it by populatiop-by the
TACT that she has adopted her Constitution,
elected her member of Congress, Mr. Con
way, and is prepared to assume .ail the OBJ
-Satlons eff sovereignty-but that the peo-
PIE OF the free States have been wrought
up TO great exasperation by the persistent
1eIusal to allow her to enter the Union
s'p' have these considerations operated at