Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1861-01-14
HIRTY-sIxTH CONGRESS.
TRIRI -SIAIh CONNIsLS0'
rnrpoRTFD FOR TIE ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE.
IN Senate, Saturday, Jan. 12.

IN Senate, Saturday, san' 1@'
4 few private bills were taken up and dis
posed OF. ..,
.+Iaast thousand ladies and twelve hun
Ira1 gentlemen we're in the galleries, and it
r.os impossible for any mure to obtain admls-
sion After routine business,
Mr. Gv1S moved that the Senate proceed
- tho snacia order, the consideration of the
Pras;dents message. Agreed to.
Wr SEWARD being entitled to the floor,
uose and said:-Mr. President, Congress ad-
;onrned last Summer amid auspices of na-
tional abundance, contentmcnt, tranquility,
and hanpiness. 1t was assembled this winter
:, tho nresence OF arrangement OF business
and disturbance of public as we'll as private
crodit and in the face Of seditious combina-
,ions 10 overthrow the Union. The alarm is
.nnallino. for Union is H,t more the body
than liberty is the soul OF the nation. The
American citizen has been accustomed 10
believe the Republic immortal. he shraks
from the sight of nyulsions Indicative OF
is sudden death. The report OF our condl-
lion has gone over the seas, and we who have
en- long aud with such complacency studied
the endless agitations Of society in the Old
World. believing ourselves exempt from such
disturbances. now, in our turn, seem to be
falling into momentous and disastrous re-
Yolullon.
know how difficult it is to decide, amid
ca many and so various counsels, what ought
- be and even what can be done. Certainly,
hnwever, it is time for every Senator TO de-
clare himself. | therefore, following the
example OF the noble Senator from Tennes-
see. (Mr. Johnsou,) avow my adherence to
the Union in its integrity and with ali It's
parts, with my friends, with my party, with
INV state. with my country, or without either,
as they may determine, IN every event, Whetn-
er OF peace or of war, with every conse-
ouepce of honor or dishonor of life or death.
Although lament the occasion, | hail with
cheerfuness the duty of lifting up my voice
among distracted debates, for my whole
country and its iuestimable Union.
Hitherto the exhibitions Of spirit and re-
solution here, IS elsewhere, have been chiefly
made on the side of disuniou. | do not re-
gret this. Dsunon is so unexpected and
Unnatural that it must plainly reveal itself
before its prescnce can be realized. l like
hest. also. the courage that rises slowly under
the pressure of severe provocation. 1t 1t be
9 Christian duty to forgive to the stranger
even seventy times seven otfenses, 1t is the
hirhest patriotism to endure without COM
plaint the passionate waywardness Of political
brethren 50 long as there is hope that they
NAV come to better mind
! think it is easy TO pronounce what mea-
sure or conduct will not save the Urion. |
aoree with the honorable Senator fron North
Carolina Mr.. Clingman that mere eulo-
giums will not save it. Yet think that as
Drayer brings US nearer to God, though it
cannot move Him towards US, so there is
healing and saving virtue in every word OF
devotion TO the Univa that is spoken, and 10
every sigh that it's danger draws forth. l
know, at least, that, like virtue, it derives its
strength from every irreverent act that IS
committed and every basphemous phrase
that is uttered against it.
The Union cannot be saved by mutual
ordinations concerning our respective share
of responsi billy Cor the present evils. lie
whose conscience a3qults him vii! naturally
be slow to accuse others whose cooperation
he needs History only can adjust the great
account
4 cuntinuance Of the debate on the con
stitutional power OF Congress over the sub
iect Of slavery in the territories will not save
the Union The opinions Of parties and
sections on that question have become dog
matcal and it is this circumstance that has
produced the existing alienation. A truce,
at least during the debate en- the Unlcn, is
eSseptia! to reconciliation.
The Eniou cannot be saved by proving
that secession is illegal or unconstItut tlonal
Persons bent on that fearful step will not
stand long enough on forms Of law to be
dislodgel; and loyal men do not need such
narrow ground IT, stand upon.
fear that little more will be gained from
discussing the right Of the federal govern
ment to coerce seeding states into obedi-
cnce. If diSunion is to go on, this question
will give place to the more practical one,
whether many seeding states have right
TO coerce the remaining members to acqul-
esca in dissolution.
| dread, as in my nnermost soul | abhor,
civil war do not know what the Union
would be worth if saved by the use OF the
sword. Yet for all this do not agree with
those who. with a desire TO avert that great
calamity, advised conventional or unoppos-
ed separation, with view to what they call
4 reconstruction. Its enough tor me, hrst,
that in this plan. destruction goes before re-
construction; and secondly, that the strength
OF the YaSe.in WhlGhthe hopes OF the nallon
gre held consists chiefly in its remaining I'M
broken.
Congressional compromises are not likely
TO save the Union. | know, indeed, that
tradition fay0rS this form Of remedy. Rnt
it is essential to its success, in any case, that
there be found preponderating mass OF
citizens. 81 far neutral on the issue which
separates parties, that they can intervene,
strike down clasping weapons, and compel
an accommodation Moderate concessions
are not customarily asked by force with its
guns in battery; nor are liberal concessions
apt to be given oy en- opposing force not
less confident Of It's own right and its own
strength. ! thiuk, also, that there is o pre-,
vailiug conviction that Legislative compro-
misses which sacrificed honestly cherished
principles, while they anticipate future ext
gcnces, even if they do not assume extra
consti utona! powers, are less sure to avert
imminent evils than they are certain to pro-
duce ultimately even greater dangers.
Indeed, Mr.. President, | think it will be
wise to discard two prevalent ideas or pre-
iudices, namely: first, that the Union is to be
saved By somebody in partlcular; and sec
opdly. that it is tobe saved by some cumming