The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1861-02-07
Correspondence of Detroit Advertiser.

From Lansing.-..Republican Caucus.
Proposition to Send Commissioners to
Washington Defeated.
LANSING Jan. 80, 1861.
Amongst the Congressional proceed
ings of Monday, the 2sth inst, it is
stated that Mr.. Crittenden submitted
memorials in favor of his resolutions,
from Michigan, and other States" The
inference that would be drawn from
this statement by people abroad who
have not closely watched the proceed
ings of our Legislature is, that it had
passed resolutions in favor of Mr.. Crit
tenden's compromise. 1t lis, of course,
not necessary to inform the people of
Michigan that there is MO ground for
this inference. But those of other
States should be informed that our Leg
islature have taken no such position:
Nor have / ever heard of such reso-
luton being passed by any public meet
ing in this State. If there have been,
it must have been by some small gath
ering of Union-savers or prosslavery
Democrats.
The Republican caucus called to
meet at 8 o'clock this afternoon, for the
purpose of taking into consideration
the sending of Commissioners to Wash
ington at the request of Virginia, and
to consult upon the state of the Union,
was attended by nearly every Republi-
can member of each House. After the
, resolutions of the Virginia Legislature
had been read, Mr.. Howell offered the
following preamble and resolutions for
the consideration Of the caucus:
Whereas, A communication has
been received from the Legislature Of
the Commonwealth of Virginia invit-
ing the Legislature of the State of
Michigan to send commissioners to
Washington on the 4th of February
next, to meet commissioners from 9TH
err States to take into consideration the
State of the Union, and to devise and
recommend measures to adjust existing
difficulties and
Whereas, The said communications
indicates the basis upon which said
measures are to be considered; and
Whereas, The time is insufficient for
deliberative action on the part of the
Legislature of Michigan; therefore,
ResolUed, That we deem it inexpedi-
ent to send commissioners as requested
by the Legislature of Virginia.
Mr.. Ingersol! offered the following
as substitute:
Resolved, That we approve and en-
dorse the following resolution transmit
ted by the Governor of Virginia.
Resolced, That on behalf of the
Commonwealth of Virginia, an invita-
ton is hereby extended to all such
States, whether slave-holding or nom
slaveholding, as are willing to unite
with Virginia in an earnest effort to ad-
just the present unhappy controversies,
in the spirit in which the constitution
was originally formed, and consistently
with its principles, so as to afford the
people of the slaveholding States ade-
quate guarantees for the security of
their rights, to appoint commissioners
to meet on the 4th day of February
next, in the city of Washington, SINH
lar commissioners appointed by Virgin
Ia, to consider, and, if practicable,
agree upon some suitable adjustment.
Mr.. Ingersoll addressed the caucus
at some length in defense of them,
when he withdrew the resolution, and
Mr.. Lockwood offered the following:
Resolced, That this meeting recon-
mend to the Legislature of the State to
appoint five commissioners to attend
the convention called by Virginia, to
meet at Washington, on the 4th of Feb
ruary next.
Messrs. Howell, Childs, and Fallass,
of the House, and Messrs. Brown, De-
land, and Tower, of the Senate adj
dressed the caucus in opposition to the
proposition of Mr.. Lockwood, or to any
other proposition relative to the ap-
pointment of commissioners, under the
present circumstances.
MIR. Brown made very strong and
excellent speech against the PROPOSE.
ton, and so did Mr.: DeLand, Though
he voted for the commissioners as well
as Mr.. Howell.
Mr.. Ingersoll offered the Chicago
platform as an amendment to Mr.. Lock
woods resolution, designed as instruc-
tions to the Commissioners who might
be appointed. But at therequest of Mr..
Speaker Muzzy, he withdrew it that
vote might be taken on the naked prop
osition, whether the caucus was in ia
vor of an appointment of Commission
ers or not.
Mr.. Joy, Mr.. Baekus and Mr.. Bald
win sustained Mr.. Lockwood's resou-
ton.
The vote was taken on Mr.. Lock
woods proposition and it was defeated
as follows:
Yeas-Senators Backus, Baker, Bald
win, Butterfeld, Deland, Ingersoll,
Jones, Stout, Webb, Whitney, (O) Rep
resentatives Bunce, Chapoton, Gregg,
Ira Davis, Gilbert, HARE, Jones, Joy,
Letch, Lockwood, Peters, Shank, Shan
ahan, Woodward, Wright, (l5). Total
yeas 25.
Nays : Senators Bailey, Briggs,
Brown, Carpenter French, Gale, Colo
way, Green, Hazen, Lacy, Lane, Me-
Dermid, Monroe, Near, Owen, Strick-
land, Tower, Wilder Williams, Q99
Representatives Adams, Alexander,
Baker, Beamer, BIakeslee, Chase,