The weekly Butte record., 1861-08-24

the Pacific, to the Government in any ca
pacity. The issue is simply whether you will
have a Government at all +; and not by what
political principles it is to be kept in existence
after IFS vitality is restored. 1t is not whether
this party or that party shall be dominant in
your country, but whether you will maintain
the position which, as Government, you
have heretofore occupied in the eyes of the
civilized world.
Mr. President, have said, that in common
with several gentlemen upon this floor, who
have always been ardent advocates lf the
principles of the Democratic party, and who
have not changed their views, we do condemn
every single act of these Southern States, in
arraying themselves in hostility to your Gov
ernment. assert, further, that when the
truthful pen of history comes to record all of
the events so rapidly occurring in our midst, it
will inscribe that no revolution, no act of rebel
lion, was ever so unjustifable, so inexcusable,
so unwarrantable.
Has any legal wrong been done to these
States? Can any gentleman who advocates
their cause point to law upon your statute
book, showing that any outrage has been COM
mitted upon them or upon their rights. Not
one, sir. Was there anything in the mere
election of MIR. Lincoln to the Presidency
which should have caused them to throw off
their allegiance and array themselves in hos
tility to your Government? Nothing; moth
ing whatever Was it because he was a
sectional President? We had sectional
President and Vice President as far back as
1928, when Mr.. jackson and Mr.. Calhoun
filled the respective positions of President and
/ Vice President. Was it because the Govern
ment of the United States had failed TO do Jus.
tice to them? Not so, sir. They were, when
Mr.. Lincoln was elected President, if they had
held their seats 10 this body and in the House
of Representatives, in just as full and complete
possession of your Government as they ever
were. BY the returns of the elections they
held last year, they would have had over twen-
|
and majority of four upon this floor. Their
fifteen States gave them thirty Senators
There was a Democratic Senator here from
Oregon, two from California, one from Indi-
ana, one from Minnesota, one from Illinois and
one from New Jersey making twenty-seven
That gave them majority as against the
dominant party of the country, of six The
death of Mr.. Douglas reduced the majority tc
four. There was working majority in this
body of four in antagonism to the principles o
the party whose elevation to power they com.
planned of, and majority of over twenty in
the House of Representatives. They had the
control of the President of the United State.
so far that be could not have Cabinet officer
minister, nay, sir, not single appropriation
without their sanction and consent. More
than this !; in this particular body-and | dc
not speak of it complainingly, because re
spect the men who occupied the several posi-
tions here-they had the supreme and absolute
control of all your Committees. Every I'M
portant Committee IA majority of the Senate
electing them) was in the hands of Chair
man representing these States now in rebel
lion, ard they could have moulded and con-
trolled your policy just as completely as at any
former period.
Now, sir. what is the fact in regard to the
Committees Virginia had the Chairmanship
of the Committee on Foreign Relations, which
was held by Mr.. Mason. The Chairmanship
of the Committee on Military Affairs was held
by Mr.. Davis on Finance, Mr. Hunter, OF
Virginia; on Naval Affairs Mr.. Mallory, ol
Florida; Oh Commerce, Mr. Clay, of Ala
bama on the Judiciary, Mr.. Bayard, of Della.
ware; on Post Offices and Post Roads, Mr.
Yulee, of Florida. The little State of Fori-
da, which has not as many votes as one of the
counties of the State which represent, had
the Chairmanship of two of the most import
ant Committees in this body, and every Sena-
tor here knows how much influence the Chair
men of these respective Committees have ia
controlling the legislation and action of your
Government. Mr.. Crittenden was Chairman
of the Committee on Revolutionary Claims
Mr. johnson, of Arkansas, of the Committee
on Public Lands; Mr.. Iverson, of Georgia, OF
the Committee on Claims Mr. BENJAMIN, OF
Louisiana, of the Committee on Private Land
Claims Mr.. Brown, of Mississippi of the
Committee on the District of Columbia Mr.
Sebastian, OF Arkansas, of the Committee Oh
Indian Affairs Mr. Green, of Missouri, OF
the Committee on Territories Mr.. johnson,
of Tennessee, of the Committee to Audit and
Control the Contingent Expenses of the Sep-
ale Mr.. Salisbury, of Delaware, Of the Com
mittee on Enrolled Bills and Mr.. Pearce. Of
Maryland, Of the Committee on the Library.
The only positions allowed to gentlemen on
this floor representing the Northern Democ-
racy, or Northern constituency, consisted oi
Mr.. Thomson, of New jersey, as Chairman
of the Committee on Pensions Mr. Bigler
of Pennsylvania, as Chairman OF the Commit
tee on Patents aud the Patent Office; Mr.
Bright, of Indiana, as Chairman Ct the Com
mittee on Public Buildings and Grounds Mr..
Lane, of Oregon, as Chairman of the Commit
tee on Eugrossed Bills and Mr.. Fitch, of In