Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-03-25
UNITED STATES SENlTE-Extra Session.
wAsHrSGroS, March :.

The resolution Of Mr. Douglas was taken up and
Mr Bayard continued his remarks. He again con-
tended that under the teatymaking power the Pre7-
den, had the power TO recognize the Southern commits
-iouers and to adjus: questions relating 70 the division
o. common property aud the common liabilities. II maj
,a-s were left IN their present unsettled condt on war
was at any moment likely % policy Of inGc-
ton would be virtual To,cg tion Of the de iacto gov
ergment cf the Confederate States ANY attempt 10 en-
force the laws bT military force would lead to pro,raccd
wlr, which would neccs.ae large standing army and
lead ultimately to a military despousm.
He e1patiatcd at length upon the evils which would
result from the adoption OF coercive policy and show
cd he folly aad upossbiy 0ialy attempt 10 su3jugate
the Southern STATES. As the invaded States the South
would have the advantage, for en- always fight more
rs-0uay for their homes aud hreste than for purpose
OF coaq rest He hoped tie idea Of exciting seryie in
surrecOn towards toe South not entertained, but II
it was it would prove futile.
Mr.. How, Of Wisconsin, said he was opposed to tie
passage Of the resolution uuder considerations ls be-
cause it was unnecessary. The Senator from Illinois, Mr.
Dlugts) TO judge from his speech seemed already to
have the nforma ion sought for He further opposed
to the resouou because the Secretary OF War, having
hut recently entered upon BIS duties might lot be pr
pared to answer Just Another objection was, that
h. did not think proper to give to the country the iu-
formation demanded The country was excited, aud It
was said war was threatened If this So and they
had an enemy cont onng them it hardly wise TO
til intended 10 do. II would be more ldicious for
the administration keep its ccuuses to ITSELF and not
even to communicate them to all its friends.
When the administration Of Mr. Buchanan came into
power this government was respected, lts authority
o5eyed at home, and one dared TO insult its Il &
abroad But il vas now said that rival government
had sprung up at your side and that in that section OF
the country it would require 900 men to enforce the
laws The people asking how this had come about
and began think they had not been fairly dealt BY lie
l.. II tho iut IN fhu ran.
ments by which it had been enforced Particularly he
found himself unable to Gg-ee with the positions assumed
by the Senator from Illinois, Mr.. Douglas
He fel. didance in joining issue with so tried states
nan as the Senator but there was this CHARACTERISTIC at
tending all the epeeches be had heard from him and
Others which was persistent bclitt!ing Of the people
aud the government Of the United States. They
were told they could DO this aud that aud the Sena
tor from Kentucky said they must abandon all the forts
&C. m the seeding States This strange language
coming from representatives, OF the American people
He mad thought the authority Of the United States
tended to It's utermost limits and could be everywhere
enforced within those limits That used to be the idea
of the American people, and he hoped it would be the
idea again
The new administration had indicated its determination
to maintain the authority Of the United States by peace
able means if possible. Such purpose should call for
the aid of every American. He did not think the Sem
ator from Illinois had furnished that assistance, but had
rather confronted the government lie told them they
could collect the revenues OF the country nor block
ade the ports, aud pointed out provision here and
statue there which placed dhcutles In the way OF the
execution of the laws This looked more like aiding
the enemies of the country than anything else though
he would not make the specific charge.
II another revolution to be thrust upon the coun-
try he trusted that the future historian would not be
compelled record that the sembance OF the COW boys
of the Revolution of l776 found in the Senate of
the United States. He denied that the publican party
had any design to invade the rights OF the people of
section and the apprehensions of the South had been
created not by anything the Republicans had SAID or
DONE but by the Misrepresentation oil their magners
The Senator from Illinois had spoken OF the North max
ing war upon the South TO ensave her. The Senator
have known that such purpose has been enter
tanned Why then alarm the country with such state
mentg
All the President proposed to do was to enforce the
laws which he found the statute b0ok-laws placed
there certainly not by Republicans but rather III oppos-
ton them The Senator from Illinois had indicated in
his speech the policy which he thought the President
ought TO pursue He had said that there were but three
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. TO amend the Constitution SO as 10
secure the safety tranquility and equality oil all the
states, or to enter into negotiations Tor peaceful sepa-
ration, to make war upon the seeded States The
Senator said of these alternatives that the first the
best and the last the worst In his Mr.. Howes) opinion,
the first the worst-he would not say that the last
the best.
He objected to the first proposition, because it
tanned the admission that fraternity only could be pre-
served by changing its present Constitution. He was OPP
posed TO any such alterations especially such might
be obtained By operating upon the fears of any part of
the country. He was unwilling to see amendments
adopted under the threats and at the dication OF one
section OF the country That would be an absolute sur
render Of the government ITSELF lie did not think they
could afford 10 have peace on any such terms The pre-
ceieat sought to be established was fraught with
danger to every part of the country That peace which
only to be preserved by the abandonment Of the
opinions and feelings of the majority of the people was
not worth eservng.
1t did not become the people Of the United States to
adopt ndments to the Constitution because demanded
by certain individuals who refused to obey the authority
of the Government Should they yield, new demands
would constantly be made. he did not know what would
be the result Of the other propositions submitted by the
Senator from Illinois, no one could predict the mischief