The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-08-24


the Republicans were in u majority in
this body?
Mr.. Douglas-I understand the ques.
ton, and choose to answer It in my
own way. say they knew they had
the power TO pass these measures IN both
Houses Of Congress. They consulted and
cOnversed about some Of these mea Sures
approached this side Of the chamber. -
They knew that they had the power to
pass the bills, if they brought them in.
but, sir, believe they had even major
ity for Il considerable portion OF the time,
in consequence Of the absence OF Mr..
Pugh. Mr.. Salisbury, md perhaps other
Senators on this side But | an not go
ing to allow the gentleman 10 evadc this
well known truth by any such question.
In addition Ia the absence Of Mr.. Pugh
and Mr.. Salisbury, it was well known
that the two Senators from Texas would
not vote against such measures.
Mr.. ColaIner was more than We
knew.
Mr.. Douglas Not more than you knew,
because one Of them certainly, iinot both,
told u| so from his seat in the Senate.
But, Mr.. President, let us look at this,
! il the excuse is going 70 be want of pow
cr. They got up force bill in the House.
and had the power To pas it at any m.
mrnt there, but postponed it from time
20 time until the President elect got here,
aud then it was put to s!cep~at once,
Strangled, and never allowed 10 zee the
! light or breathe the breath Of life. Why
soy What is the inference? Why did
! they not pass it in the House, and send it
up hercY They sent 10 us bill to au'
thorize the Postmaster General To suS.
pend the mails. There was no difficulty
in passing it here. They talked about
passing n law authorizing the abolition Of
the ports Of entry. There was no diff
Guilty in the passage of it. Why not pro-
pose it then? The ouly inference is,
that they did not want them. Did they
not know that they had no such nuthori'
tyY Did not the chairman Of the Com.
mittee Of Ways and Means know that he
could not collect revenue except at the
port? VIII the Senator's on that side Of
the Chamber tell Us TINT they were igno.
rant Of the state Of the laws on these
great GucS;ionsY Will the chairman Of
the Committee on Military Affairs, with
all his experience and ability md vigi
lance, tell us that he did not know of this
absence Of authority? VIII the chairman
Of the Naval Committee, one Of the Oldest
members of the body, who has served
here for twelve or fifteen years on the
committee, tell US that he did not know
the Pr, Sident had no power to blockade
ports Of the United States without the
authority Of Congress- 1t will not do
for that side ofthe Chamber, distinguished
MS il justly is for IFS great ability and
learning, to plead that they did not know
anything about the Government they
were about to take possession Of They
did know it; and knowing 1t, they did
not put any bill on lis passage, nor propose
to do il.
But, sir, if it be their policy to use the
war power to collect revenue, to blockade
the ports and recapture these forts and to
execute the laws Of the United States in
the Confederate States, why not say suy
If it be the policy Of Mr.. Lincoln to carry
out that line Of conduct, why not allow
him the opportunity Of saying so? They
know that | have thrust myself in be.
tween the secession movement Of the
South and the war construction of the
Presidents message. to allay the "ppre
tensions Of the Union mrn Of the South.
crn States. have taken this position as
II Union man. ms a friend If peace, from
the conscientious conviction that Justly
and correctly interpret the President 5
inaugural If do not interpret it cor
rectly, if | am giving it II meaning he did
not intend, why do they not allow this
resolution to pass, aud obtain an answer
which will correct the error into which |
hive been lei by the inaugural, if it be
an error? Senators have no right to
leave me under the conviction that | in
tcrprct the message correctly, and remain
silent if do not, and deprive me Of the
means Of getting at the truth 10y the prop
er inquiry. Why this scnsitivrncss on
the subject, if do not interpret the
President correctly No Republican has
yet vcnturcd to deny the correctness OF
my Interpretation. No Senator from that
side has ventured to affirm that the Pres.
idents policy is not peace. No one has
venturcd to assert that he means what is
called the coercive policy; and l nppre-
bend that no one of them is authorized tu
say so. No one being authorized to con.
tradict me on these points; and no one
being able TO deny from the language Of
the inaugural, that put the correct in
depreciation upon it, find no other res.
pOnSt than silence. Why not let the PEG.
pie know what the policy i>Y The coun'
try now is overwhelmed with doubt and
anxiety; business is suspended; public
confidence is destroyed commerce is dis
tnrbcd bankruptcy is staring your orSt
merchants in the face One word from
the White House will save them from
ruin; one word will gladden. the heart OF
every patriot in the land. Let that word
be spoken. 1t will be, if Senator's allow
this resolution to be passed Let that
word be spoken, and let that word be
"peace," and there will be such shout
ofjoy resoumding through this land rs
has not been witnessed since the &C.
acknowledgement Of our Independence
Why not allow this to he done?
Again: there are other reasons why
it is important that the word should br
spoken, that the policy should be known
There are elections pending for member,
Of Congress in large number of the
States. The people have right to know
whether the policy is peace or war. They
!, haven right to know whether they are tC
) send members here in favor OF peace OF
in favor of war. Is it dealing fairly with
} the people, to keep them in the dark on
) this question until the members of Con
gress are elected, and then to precipitat,
} the country into war, without giving the
people an opportunity to vote upon it
The amendment proposed by the Sen
ator from New Hampshire shows where
) the tender point is in regard to this reSo
luton. lie wishes to strike out so mucl
as inquiries whether there is any other mo
tive or reason for holding on to forts in thu
: seeded States, Except Tortugns and Key
: West,) and recapturing the others, thai
purpose to reduce those States into sub