The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1861-03-16
Douglas on the inaugural.

) preiacing it with tho remarks Of Mr.. Cling
man, to which Judge D. spoke in re
: sponse:
5 Mr.. Clingman said, in voting for the re-
) solution, he did not wish to be understood
, as endorsing the position Of the inaugural,
if he understood it correctly, for all in it
, was dark The purpose which seemed to
. stand out clearly and directly, if carried
out, would lead 10 war against the Con-
, federats State. The policy indicated was
. therefore unwise and should be avoided
The President expressly declares that he
intends to treat the States as If they were
all ia the Union. and regards the acts of
secession as mere nullities Certain States
claim to be independent and if the Presi-
dent acts as he enunciates, there can be
no result except collision between them
and the federal government. 1t is plain
and unmistaks ble that he intends TO aold,
occupy and possess the forts, arsenals, &c,
! IN those seeding States, when we know
this can be done only by dispossessing tho
State authorities. The collection OF the
| revenue therein must also lead to a coli
sion Of arms After we declared our indie
pendence Of Great Britain nobody supros-
ed the colonies would pay taxes. In fact
they refused to pay before their Declara-
! ton OF Independence. He repeated, if
| the Presidents policy be carried out, there
must inevitably be war.
Mr.. Douglas, (opp) Of Illinois, could
| not consent that the Senator's remarks
| should 90 out unanswered lie had read
! the inaugural carefully, with n view Of un-
! derstanding what the policy OF the admin
| -tratiOn IL to De- as therein indicated IL !
IS characterized by great ability and with
great directness Oh certain points. A crit
/ zeal 9nllF'-'- i -, H.
true construction. He had partially made
an analysis, and had come to the conclu-
SION tho.t IL was a peace rather than war
message He had examined 1t caud.liy
and critically, and thought there was no
foundation for a different opinion. On
the contrary, there j. 4 distinct pledge /
that the policy o. the administration shall !
be conducted exclusively with reference !
TO p peaceful solution Of oar national diff /.
cuities. i j. true the President i1di-..tyd .
certain Inc OF policy, so 10 be conduct ,
cd - 70 lead 10 peaceful solution, bgt il ,
vs. not as eEi ..citas he Douglas desired /
He then quoted from the Eaugaga! in
support OF hl7 Ta-.t.0n, saying unless the
means be t,.r.. he'd the President cannot
execute the laws. lie thought the Fgesi-
dent III lis remarks on this subject WAS
referring TO the future action Of Congress
giving him power 10 enforce obedience 10
them The President must have been
aware chat IA lsy- . law passed 10 enable
President Jackson u enforce the revenue
laws IL the PO.t O! Charleston he act
expired in two years. Was il to be sup
posed that .Ir. Lincoln thought lie had
more power without than Gen Jackson
had with the al f legislation: lie Ie-
peatei, when the President u.ei ,es him
self 70 collect tAe revenue and enforce the
-.. 9 F Z
site means, j. ne not - Je understood that
his act l. dependent on tbs future course
os Congr,ss2 lie thought that was the
proper construction Of the inaugural, for
lhe President SAYS: d" Ee shall perform
lis duty 50 i.r 49, practicable. unless ii,
..-s..t!..4 .os-., t1s -tl-1s.-sa I,sCP!e,
shall withhold tie requisite means, or IN
some authoritative manner direct tie con
trary" The President ill-..L..s says: The
power confded TO ne VIII be used to hold.
occupy and possess the property, and
places belonging TO the government, and
70 collect the duties and iInposts; but be-
yoH4 what may he Necessary for these OBJ
jects there viii he no invasion, 40 using Of
force against or among ;Ae people any :
where" The President does not say he ,
Will take possession OF the ior,a, but that j
he will hold, occupy and possess tAem.
This was equiyocsl language, but he did
not U.~.ae the President tor il. Beyond
what may be necessary for these objects,
there viii be 10 invasion, no using OF force
among the people anywhere. II il Is the
duty of the President 10 enforce the reve-
nue. laws. il Is his duty to enforce the 9th
cr laws.
1t cannot be justified that the revenue
laws shall be enforced, and all other laws
which afford protection rs a compensation
for taxes shall not be enforced II thought
there were Two points III which they could
find solution OF these doubts The Pre-
-ident says: Where TO hostility the United
States in any interior locality shall be SO
great and 20 universal as to prevent com
pcteut resident citizens from holding the
federal Offices, there will be no attempt TO ,
force obnoxious strangers among the peo-
pie for that object" The President draws i
Il distinction between the exterior and the
interior. II he has power in one case Lc
has power III the other II Il Is his duty
in one case to enforce the laws It is his
duty in The other There was no provi-
sion Of law which authorizes a distinction
in this respect between places in the inte
Ilor and on the sea6oard. This brought
him 10 the construction of another clause,
the most important Of all and the key to
the entire policy. But he was rejoiced
when he read it. He invited attention 10
it as showing conclusiyely that the Presi-
dent is pledged to a policy which looks to
a peaceful solution of our difficulties and
against ali others lie says the course
here indicated VIII be followed, unless tie .
current Of events and experience shall ,
show modification or change 10 be pro- ,,
per- and in every case OF eXi gency my :
best discretion will be exercised according ,
TO the circumstances usually existing, and
with "A view aud hope of peaceful solu-
ton OF the national troubles and the re- ,
storation of fraternal sympathies and at !
fections In other words, the President :
says if the collection Of the revenues vii. :
lead to peaceful solution, then it will be
collected. If the abandonment of that
collection has that effect, thea IL Will be
abandoned. So Of the forts and arsenals
in tha seeding States. He viii re-capture , ,
them or not re-capture them and will re-
inforce or not reinforce Forts SUmp:er and y
in either case to a peace J
full policy, and acting with this view. If d
this is not the true construction, why was l
there not inserted a pledge to use coercion, |
collect the revenue and enforce the laws,
unless there was attached to each one {
on which the pledge is oaly to {
do it in order TO peaceful solution, and I
for no other cause. lie submitted wlieth- !
er or not the friends OF peace have $
not much to rejoice at. The inaugural l
was much more conservative than he !
had anticipated. 1t was mora pacific I
and conciliatory than he had predicted
He repeated, after careful examination
and analysis, he was clearly Of the opinion c
that the administration was pledged to a q
peaceful solution, and viii do no act that I
will lead to war and make no change of G
policy unless necessary TO preserve peace /
He thought the President had stated the 1
caIIse of the trnllllas clearly nd inli,.a ted c