New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-02-01
,,p sVwARD,s SECOND SPEECH.

ysB. AWARDS SECOND SPEECH.
Mr.. Seward yesterday presented petition to
the Senate of the United States, signed by $1,000
inhabitants of this city, praying that Congress
would exercise its wisdom in finding some mode
of adjustment Of our present national dihcultles
The special committee Of the projectors OF this
petition accompanied it with some resolutions in
which they recommend as a basis OF adjustment
the propositions known as the Border State plan,
contemplating certain acts of legislation and
amendments to the Constitution Of o ProSayery
character.
Mr. Seward, after presenting the petition, I'd
dressed the Senate at considerable length. He
remarked that the Committee in charge Of the
memorial are fair representation, almost an
embodiment, of the citizens who direct and WELD
the commerce Of New-YOrk, "the commerce of
ga continent, and commerce which this pres
ent year, owing to the distractions of the times
I" is put for the first time in condition OF prov
{" ing itself to be the controlling commerce OF
90 the world" He remarked also that the me-
mortal presented by this Committee might be re-
garded as q fair expression of the interest which
ia felt by our commercial community in the great
| question Of the Union.
| In this last remark Mr.. Seward evidently only
! meant to say that the memorial fairly presents
| the desire of our business men for peaceful
| adjustment Of the secession question without at
the same time indicating the exact mode in
which an adjustment could be made satisfactorily
to oil the sgners of the petition. There exists
undoubtedly in this city, and in fact in all parts
of the loyal States, a sincere desire for peace
full and at the same time an honorable settle
| nept of the questions at issue between the South
and the Government Of the United States. But
while this wish for q peaceful settl"m""t 80
yt..-. sad universal, on the question OF the de-
tails Of such settlement the widest diversity OF
opinion and feeling exists. Even among the pc
titioners from this city it is certain that not one
| man in ten has yet made up his mind as to how
far he is prepared to go in making concessions or
in refusing concessions. 1t may safely be SAL
that not one in q hundred aas a definite idea
OF what are called the Border States
nropositions and we venture to predict that when
| three propositions come to0be fairly understood
and n lly discussed by the people, there will be
found OF, IN in this city, eager as it naturally and
reasonably h for peace, an overwhelming MAORI
tv a0ainst them. When it is generally known,
"a Il cannot fail so,.1 to be, that these PROPOSE
tiops demand copcesn,'ns tenlold greater than
were ever before made to The shareholders, that
they demand pro-Slayery amenanents to the
| Constitution which no one dreamed Of proposing
when that instrument was formed, and the least
| of which would have secured its instant and ill.,
dgnant rejection by our fathers, it will be found,
| we think, that there is some public spirit, some
| political foresight, and some love of liberty yet
alive among men of all parties. What the course
of the $1,000 Republicans Of the city will be on
such question is sufficiently foreshadOwed by
the recent resolutions of the Republican General
Committee protesting against all further COM
promise with Slavery.
In abiding to the great commercial interest
represented by the New-York memorial, Mr.
Seward remarked, that in other countries, such
demonstration would command obedience from
the Government but significantly added that in
this Republic, such was happily not the case.
Here the commercial interest was but one OF
many-the agricultural, the manufacturing, the
mining, being equally potential, aud entitled to
consideration. 1t is perhaps even more sgniti-
cant, that 1r. Seward, while commencing the
merchants of New.York for their spirit of con-
citation and fraternal kindness, should recon-
mend them as he does in this speech, to mani
fest their devotion for the Union, nOt only by
speaking for it, by voting for it, by giving money
for it, but also by fighting for it, if fighting should
become advisable. Nevertheless, Mr. Seward in
spite Of this significant hint, holds to his expecta
ton Of bloOdless termination Of the crisis, and
to the ultimate safety of " this great fabric of
" constitutional liberty and empire" A Conyen-
ton of the people, called according to the forms
of the Constitution, and acting in the manner
prescribed by it, he thinks will give the coun-
try relief by the prompt adoption o.
measures which will show to the world
how well and wisely great, enlight-
ened, educated, and Christian people can
adjust difficulties apparently insurmountable. Not
withstandiDg these pacific expressions, and the
general moderation and conciliatory tone OF Mr..
Stewards speech, his remark about lighting for