The national Republican., 1861-01-12
THIRTY-S SIXTH CONGRESS,
SECOND SESSION.
Friday, January IL, 1861.
SENATE

Ifsouyt v"'s"Vy iOOis
SENATE
Mr. Bieer presented several memorials from
Pennsylvania, praying the preservation Of the
Union on compromise basis.
Mr.. Cameron presented several Union me.
MORALS.
Mr.. Bigler moved to take up Mr.. Crttenden's
resolutions.
After some debate as to proceeding with the
morning hour business,
Mr.. Bigler demanded the yeas and nays upon
the motion when the motion was lost-yeas
Is, nays 81.
The Senate, after some private business, took
up Mr.. Hunters resolution providing for the
retrocession of forts and arsensls in seeding
States.
Mr.. Trumbull moved as substitute, House
resolution Of thanks to Major Anderson.
Mr.. Hunter said that there was no hope Of
preserving the Union. You could not restore
the dead. The great hope now was, to be ready
to form new Union, which might be, would
be, stronger than the present Government.
Many difficulties were in the way Of this project
he well knew, but the love of empire on the
American mind might accomplish the result.
He reviewed the history of the agitation Of the
slavery question, which he contended had in.
duced the Southern States to believe that their
social system was not safe in the Union, with.
out additional constitutional guarantees for pro-
lection. The loss of social system was the
loss of moral status, the reduction Of State to
anarchy. He stated in form the demands Of
the South, and declared that to these should be
annexed a veto by the South upon all matters
affecting slavery. He favored q dual Execu.
tive, founded on a plan somewhat different
from that Of Mr.. Calhoun, providing for nom.
ination, by electors chosen by the States, Of can.
didotao from xuhnv,, tho ponpla oh0uld alact ho
President. He suggested other vital reforms
in the construction of the Executive branch of
the Government.
He also favored reconstruction of the Su.
preme Court, upon a basis of equal numbers
to each section. He did not believe coercion
was proper, even if it was possible and not
possible, even if it was proper.
He argued this position at length, and sus.
tanned it by able argument, and illustrated it
by numerous examples drawn from the nature
Of the Federal Government. He depicted elo-
quently the evils which would follow in the
train of civil war, and urged that it should be,
if possible, avoided, in order to secure q recon-
struction of the Government.
He thought that the recession Of the forts
and srsenals in the seeding States, to those
States, would do much to promote this object.
If the Government did not intend to coerce, it
did not need them; if it did intend to coerce,
it should not have them. He declared the
Union gone, but favored the assembling of
National Convention of each section, to recon.
struct the Government. He declared that Vir.
ginia would not submit to the coercion of any
seeding State.
In conclusion, he appealed most eloquently
for peace and closed with lively picture Of
the reconstruction of the Union.
Mr.. Baker asked Mr.. Hunter, if Convention
assembled to remodel the Constitution, would
he use his influence in Virginia to maintain
the present Constitution and laws until the
amendments were decided upon2
Mr.. Hunter said that he had voted for Mr..
Crittenden's resolution, and he could do no
more.
Mr.. Baker only desired to know if the Sena.
tor would use his influence.
Mr.. Hunter said, if he had not satisfied the
Senator, he despaired of his power to do so.
Mr.. Harlan addressed the Senate, attacking
certain provisions Of the fugitive slave law, and
defended the Republican position. He said
that the Republicans would not yield an inch
before Lincoln's Inauguration. He did not be.
lieve the war of coercion would be long; it
might be terrible, but it would be short and it
would cost less than the merchants Of New
York had already lost by the Southern section
al agitation.
HOUSE.
Mr.. Lovejoy, Of Illinois, asked leave to offer
the following resolution:
Resolped, That in the judgment of this House,
in the present state of the country, it would be
wise and patriotic for the President of the
United States to confer, temporarily, the power
of commander in.chief of the army and navy
on Lieutenant General Winfield Scott, and
charge him to see that the Republic receives
no detriment.
Mr.. Jones, of Georgia, and others, objected.
Mr.. Curtis said that the President has no
such right, under the Constitution, to delegate
his powers.
Mr.. Branch, of North Carolina, hoped that
a vote would be taken on the resolution, by
yeas and nays.
No further action was taken on the subject.
Mr.. Hickman asked, and was excused from
serving as a member Of the select committee
to whom was referred the late special message
of the President.
Several private bills were passed.
The House went into Committee on the civil
and miscellaneous appropriation bill, (making
appropriations for the Coast Survey, light house
establishment &c. and afterward passed it.
The navy appropriation bill was read only,
and the House adjourned.