The national Republican., 1861-02-06
THIRTY SIXTH CONGRESS,
SECOND SESSION.
Tuesday, February s, 1861.
SEN ATE.


Mr.. Fitch, from the Committee on Printing,
reported bill providing for printing $4,000
extrc copies of the Patent Office report, me.
chanical division, which passed.
Mr.. Wade presented petition, numerously
signed, from Ohio, urging Congress to stand
firm for the Constitution as it is.
Mr. Dixon presented several petitions from
Connecticut, requesting Congress to adopt
something similar to the border State resolutions
Mr.. Ten Eyck presented petition from New
Jersey, requesting Congress to stand by the
Constitution Of the United States as it is.
Mr.. Bigler presented memorial, asking an
extension of the limits of the collection district
at Philadelphia, from the Board of Trade of
that city. Also, a memorial from citizens of
Pennsylvania, asking the adoption Of the Crit.
tenden resolutions.
Mr.. Cameron presented memorials, urging
Congress to stand by the Constitution as it is.
Mr.. Wigfal offered a resolution of inquiry,
requesting the President to inform the Senate
how many United States troops are now in this
cisy, where they came from, and what their
destination.
All the above petitions were laid over.
Mr.. Trumbull presented resolution, pro.
viding for the usual assembling of the two
Houses, for the purpose Of counting the electo.
raj votes for President and Vice President, &C.
cording 10 constitutional provisions, which was
agreed to.
Mr.. Polk presented memorial from citizens
of Missouri, urging the adoption of the Critten.
den resolutions.
Mr.. Bigler desired to call up the resolutions
which he offered yesterday, during the pending
of which the special order-the $25,000,000
debate,
Mr.. Pearce offered an amendment, which re-
pealed so much of the loan bill of last year as
had not been expended, ($l4,OOO, O,OOO,) which
passed.
Mr.. Johnson took the floor on printing extra
copies of the Presidents message. He re.
viewed some Of the many attacks upon him
since his last speech in the Senate, by those
whom he considered traitors to the Govern.
ment. He said that secession was great po.
litical heresy, the prolific mother of political
sins, the production of anarchy, the next step
to despotism. He said he always had denied
the right of secession. He reviewed at some
length the speech Of the retiring Senator Of
yesterday, Mr.. Benjamin, and most eloquently
vindicated the policy, of civil government, as
adopted, and thus far maintained, by this great
nation, in contradistinction to the principles of
disorganization and its necessary calamities.
He showed clearly that their pretended griev.
cause.
He reviewed the history of the treaties and
ratifcations which were made at the formation
Of our Government showing conclusively that
South Carolina had an aversion to this system
Of Government from the beginning, and she,
with others, have precipitated themselves into
a revolution on false issue, hoping to estab
lish another theory of Government upon the
ruins of this.
In reply to the severe attack of Mr.. Lane
upon his late speech, he was most felicitous,
maintaining the dignity of the gentleman and
patriot.
He showed the vote of the present secession.
lists at the last session of Congress, upon the
necessity Of asking greater protection for slave
property in the Territories, decided that no
further guarantees were necessary even Ma
son of Virginia, and Lane of Oregon, recorded
their vote in the affirmative.
Pending this general debate, on motion Of
Mr.. Hemphill, the Senate adjourned.
HOUSE.
Mr. Taylor sent to the Clerks desk, which
was read, the Louisiana ordinance of secession.
He obtained the unanimous consent of the
House to make few remarks in explanation.
He gave as his opinion that there could be no
satisfactory adjustment Of the present dificul.
ties, except by amendments to the Constitution;
and that, even if the measures proposed by the
committee of thirty three should be unanimous
ly adopted by both branches of Congress- no
good in that direction, of peace would be the
result. He justified the right of revolution, and
held that it was the duty of sovereign States,
asserting their independence, to seize the forts
in their territories, which were designed not for
their coercion, but protection. He showed that,
outside of the South, cotton could not be pro.
cured to the extent of what could be raised in
a single county of Arkansas. He deprecated
civil war, which seemed to be inevitable. Why
should we not, rather than permit such calam-
tiles, peaceably separate? He gave warning,
that any use of the army and navy to coerce
Southern State would be met by resistance from
the whole Southern people.
Mr. Boulgny, of Louisiana, said he was in a
position similar to his colleague. He had not
received copy Of the ordinance Of secession.
In this, he had been treated discourteously. He
would remain here until called home by his con-
stituents He would then not withdraw from
the House, but resign his seat When l came
here, he said, took an oath to maintain the
Constitution. What does this mean? Does it
not mean the Union of the States? By that
oath l shall stand. In resigning my position,
] shall still be Union man, and stand by the
flag of that country that gave me birth. Ap.
plause on the floor and in the galleries.
The House took up the deficiency appropri-
alton bill, and agreed in the action of the Com
mittee of the Whole on the state of the Union
disagreeing 43, nays l3l-to the Senate's
amendment approprating $500, 900 for carry.
ing into effect the contract between the Navy
Department and A. W. Thompson, for certain
coal, harbor, and road privileges, in the isthmus
of Chiriqui.
The House agreed to the Senate's amend
ment-yeas 8S, nays 67-approprating the sum
of $l35,00O for the purchase OF Wendell's estab-
lishment for a Government Printing Office.
Mr. Coltax called up his bill to suspend the
operation of the postal laws in cases where it
may be obstructed.
Mr.. Branch, of North Carolina, opposed it, on
the ground that the laws are still in operation