The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1861-02-12
IMPORTANT DEBATE IN THE IT. S.
SENATE

State OF New Ork, and SAID that although the
Senate Chamber was the largest legislative cham
bei ever erected since the beginning of the world
except the House of Representatives, this memo
rial would cover space hirtyeight times as large
as this chamber. He had already presented a
sfusilar memorial, with $4,000 names, all urging
Cancellation. The committee who brought this
memorial were the representatives of the largest
commerce in the world-a commerce which in
any other country would be paramount to all
other interests. Happily, here it not He
had been requested to support the views of this
memorial and regretted that he had seen dis
position the part of the seeding States and
their friends to meet any practical effort at COM
promise on the part of the adherng States. He,
however, held himself open to propositions and
was rejoice1 at the fraternal feeling manifested by
the people of his State in these memorials. He
did not fear for the Union, nor did he believe
these difficulties would certainly be settled in
thirty, sixty ninety days; but, nevertheless, he
believed they would be settled All platforms or
men that stood in the way of the preservation of
the Union would be swept away. The question
of freedom or slavery in the Territories had been
the greatest in 1850 The admission of Kansas,
California and Oregon had reduced the question
to very narrow compass. In that part which re-
mained, all being slave territory, over which slave
code extended, there were but "a slaves-but
one for every A 600 square miles. He did not
fear slave aggression which had only carried twen-
ty-four slaves to all that territory. Why then,
should he despair of the Union? Why could he
believe that 3O,000,0O0 of people would reduce
themselves to the scorn of mankind by the disso-
luton of the Union for this question? This
a confederation, not an imperial Government Sub
NIT the question to convention to be called ac-
cording to the forms of the Constitution, and the
world would see how thirty four States could peace
ably adjust this difficulty. He urged a last re-
sort, if other means failed, the calling of a Ma
tional Convention, according to the Constitutional
forms. He concluded by saying that he had ad-
vised the gentlemen composing the committee
who had brought on the memorial to go home and
speak for the Union, vote for the Union. to con-
tribute their money to preserve the Union, and
when all other expedents failed, to fight for the
Union.
Mr. Mason moved that the memorial be printed.
He understood it to be a memorial praying for
the adoption of the Crittenden amendments. He
did not think that at this time, when six States
had seeded. and others were arming, the Premier
of the new Administration had proposed any prac-
tical measures. All knew, by his votes his opin-
ion on the Crittenden amendments, anG by his
vote for Cark's resolution that the Constitution
needed no amendments, but that the Constitution
and laws should be enforced. He (Mr Seward)
had urged his constituents to contribute money to
ing of that.
Mr. Seward said he meant that the people should
advance to the Union the funds by which the
credit of the Government should now be sustained.
Mr. Mason said that he had not done him the in
justice to suppose that he meant the money to sub
sidize or demoralize any portion OF the South. He
meant to pay the army to conduct the fight.
Mr. Seward said that he meant to advise that if,
after all Congressional compromises, the assemb-
ling of Convention of all the people of the United
States had failed, then for all to stand, as he
should do himself, in the breach for the Union.
Mr. Mason said he now understood the Senator.
He meant, if negotiations failed, to and
bloodshed to preserve the Union. The Union was
gone, and no attempt at subjugation could restore
it, Me wanted his people, who meditating
to restore broken Union, to understand these
things.
Mr. Seward said he meant nothing that at
tributed to him by the.Senator from Virginia. He
did not believe hloodshed would be necessary. He
believed the people would settle it. The Union
was not gone, for the Senator here to sustain
Mr. Mason said the remark in favor of coercion
would undeceive Virginia and show her that all this
talk about compromise and concession amounted to
nothing. Money and war was the thing the North
looked to. He would speak without angry emo
tiOn. Men on the of measuring swords
should comport themselves as gentlemen. He
trusted that they might avoid the ultima ratio,
and that the advice of The Senator of New YorE
would be rejected If there was to be a confedera-
tion of Southern States, he trusted that they might
be permitted to separate in peace. He hoped
that the good sense, humanity, civilization, and a
regard for unborn postertY, would lead the people
of both sections to repudiate the counses OF the
Senator from New York The first efforts ofthose
desiring peace should be to prevent collision,
which was now imminent. The counsel OF the
Senator from New York was, that the people of
the North should speak for the Union, contribute
their money for the preservation of the Union.
and fight for the Union. Now, for the first time,
it was shadowed forth that the cry of the Republ-
can leaders would be ''force, force, forse." He
hoped this would open the eyes of the South to
what she had to expect. IF the North did not
repudiate these counsels and civil war ensued, af
ter years of devastation military despotism would
be the result.
Mr. Seward was astonished at the selfdeiusion
of Virginia. who had made out of speech pacific
and fraternal. declaration of He wished
the Union saved by the pacific and constitutional
action of the people, and bad spoken of force as
the last resort when every other expedient
had been exhausted. He had been willing to hear
and consider all propositions, and was still willing
so to do. New York stood ready to do likewise,
and settle the question peaceably, without resort
to the sword When all efforts failed to satisfy
the intense secessionists, in whose interests the
Senator from Virginia seemed to speak, he would
appeal to the States to say whether for twenty