The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1861-04-17
WHOLE NO. 235.

these things in his inaugural. He did no
mean to be understood as saving that h.
was going to do that which the law did no
authorize him to do, and which it forbatl
his doing without the authority of Con
gress; and which Congress might neye
authorize to be done.
now take great pleasure in giving tht
assurance which the Senator from Wiecon
sin so beseechingly i'm, lorcd me to Civ
just at the close of his speech, that, in nv
opinion, this Administration does not in
tend to make war on the Southern States
certainly so long as Congress withholds th,
means to do it. | think, therefore, thai
those States are entirely safe and secure ir
their rights of person and property under
the Constitution and laws, and that the Ad
miniStration will not invade those rights
and do not intend to do so. Nor do think
they intend, when Congress assemblies, &c
recommend war policy. IF they follow
the policy indicated by the Senator from
New Hampshire, there can be no war, fol
he thinks that the laws should be enforced
| IN the States which have seeded so soon As
they, by the votes of majority of their
people, shall determine to come back into
the Union. The inference is, that he is no.
| going to enforce the laws until that hapncns.
and if they never come back, he will never
enforce the laws. IF they DO come back.
then there will be no objection to enforcing
the laws. So | suppose we are to under
stand that when gentlemen talk so much
about enforcing the laws, they mean that il
the southern coniederacy shall dissolve, and
each of the States shall resume it's position
in this Union under the Constitution, and
send Senator's and Representatives here to
help US pass laws, then they will enforce
them in those States for the protection of
the people. II that is what is meant by the
enforcement of the laws, | think there will
not be much controversy, upon that sub
ject. If they are going to wait until tha:
contingency shall happen, no friend of
peace will complain of their line Of policy.
But if they are going to use military force
TO execute the laws IN the States which
have sccccded, with the vicw Of coerc.
ing obedience to this Government, that will
lead directly to war. Why? We cannot
enforce laws in country that is not in our
possession. We have been expelled from
the possession Of that country. The only
possible mode by which we can enforce th,
laws there is, if they will not come back
voluntarily. to send an army and reduce
them to submission, and hold them by mil
tary occupation until they shall be willing
to yield obedience, and thus enable US
to enforce the laws on them. But since
the war policy has been so generally disa
vowed by Senator's on that side of the
| Chamber, and peace has been declared to b.
the policy of the Administration, it seems
that was not ar wrong when | incurrt d
| the disp'eaSure Of so many ,nators on nc
count OF my Interpretation Of the inaugural
For it seems to be generally concelcd now
that no revenue is to be collected unless
Congress makes it the duty Of the Presi-
pent to do 1t; no ports are to be blockaled
unless Congress makes it the duty of the
| President to blockade them; no military
force is to he used unless Congress shall re-
quire it to be DONE and provide the means .
and that nothing is to BE- done that leads to
war. That is very good policy-a much
wiser and better policy than had expected
or hoped for from a Republican Admins
tration. do not know that should have
made as great efforts to defeat them if |
thought they would have acted with as
much wisdom and patriotism.
Mr.. CLARK. You did not defeat them.
Mr.. DoUGLAs. No; nor would | have
| made as great efforts to defeat them.
Mr.. CLARK. You did us no harm
| Laughter.
Mr.. DOUGLAS IF did not defeat YOU
it was not my fault. used my best effort
| to do it,
Mr.. CLARK. You could not quite come it,
Mr.. DOUGLAS. 4 could not ,nte com. it,
| and you see the consequences. Seven States
| are out Of the Union, civil war impending.
over you, commerce is interrupted, conf
dence destroyed, the country going to
pieces, just because was unable to defeat
you. No man in America believes thcs.
consequences would have resulted If had
been successful in my efforts to defea. you
You can boast that YOU have defeated me,
tut you have defeated your country with
me. You can boast that you have triumph
ed over me, but you have triumphcd over
the unity of these States. Your triumph
has brought disunion; anil God only knows
what cons 'qaences may grow out of it.
Mr. HOWE. Do | understand the Sena-
tor that it is the election of President Lin
| coin instead of some one of the other can
didat"s, that has caused the dissolution Of
the Union?
Mr. DoUGLAs. The Senator from Wis
| consin can understand me just as say. If
| had succeeded in Debating your party at
the presidential election, thereby rendering
1T certain that the policy Of that party was
not to be carried into eject, the people of
the southern States would have re ,ted in
security that they were safe, and the Union
| never would have been dissolved.
Mr.. HOWE. What policy is that?
Mr.. DouGLAs. The policy of sectional
party, that makes war upon the institution
OF slavery as it EXISTS in the States Of the
Union; and wishes to use the power of the
Federal Government to cripple it wherever
the Constitution, according to your con
struction, does not forbid
Mr.. Howe. That is the very point upon
which | want the Senator's testimony.
Mr. DoUGLAs. Well, you have got it.
Mr.. HOWE. That the Republican party
is not in favor of any sectional party. 1t
is in favor of maintaining the authority OF
the whole people of the Union over all ques
tons within their jurisdiction.
Mr. DOUGLAS. That, suppose. depends
| upon what is meant by the words section
al party presume there will be no con-
troversy about the proposition that the Re
publican party rests upon the basis of hos
tility to the institution of slavery, wherever
it exists, to the extent thai the Constitution
of the United States does not forbid your
interference. Under that construction of
the Constitution, you claim the right to pro-
hibit slavery in all the Territories of the
United States by act Of Congress. Not
only that, but you assert that Congress is
| clothed with the power and duty thus to
prohibit, and that you are going to,use the
authority of this Federal Government to the
extent of the powers conferred by the Con-
sttution. according to your construction of
it, to cripple, restrain. and destroy what
| you call the "save power in this country,