Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-03-21


Mr. Douglas' resolutions were taken up.
Mr. Clarke suggested an amendment to strike on
all after the words sUrifed States, as follows
"And by what number Of meE each is garrIsone
and held: and whether reinforcements are necesra
~ 10 retain the same; and if so, whether the Gov
erpment has the power and means, under exisfin
laws TO supply such reinforcements within snc
time as the exigencies and nereRsitles of the cas-
may demand; and whether the defense and profee
tor Of the United States and their interest,".
necessary and wise to retain military possession 3
such forts, places and other property avcey,t !
Key West and Tortugas, and to recaptnre and nc
occupy such others as the United States have bsa
deprived Of by seizure or surrender for anv othp
purpose and with view to any other end than n
suoJugauon and occupation Of those States whicl
have assumed the right to secede from the ITnior
and within whose limits such forts and other ,,bI;
property are situated; and, if such be the motive
Tor recapturing and holding the forts and ote, M
lie property, what military force. including reg lar
and volunteers, would be necessary to enable th
United states 70 reduce the States aforesaid. AM
s ss osners IS are supposed to sympathize witt
snem. 10 subgection and obedience to the laws n
she Union, and TO protect the Federal CaDitalu
Mr. Douglas said he could not accede tn N,
amendment IL was important to the peace of tn,
country that the resolution should be answered. a,
IN octn sections the inaugural is construed as indi
catlve OF war policy. If the apprehenslon h
allowed to ripen into conviction that the Admins
tration medtated war policy to reduce the seceef
states TO military force he feared we wonld ha =.
the issue precpitated upon us ir a shorter finn
than we imagine. He did not believe the policy q
tbs Administration was war. This construction i,
disputed on the Democratic side, while the Republ;
cans remain mute, silent neither asserting nor Iis
senting from his Interpretation.
In this state OF the case, for the burmese a.
quieting the apprehenslons of the country thar thF
Administration dees not mediate war and secondly
that there is no means of prosecuting war. even !;
p r. n
brought in his resolution for the purpose Of obtain
ing information important to be known, but an AZ
tempt was made to prevent its consideration I,
was suggested that discussion, if not irnnroner
would be injurious. But what bad effects conld
result it was necessary to have the information
desired?
If the policy of the Administration be peace il
will relieve existing apprehensions restore conf
dence and cause rejoicings throughout the length
and breadth of the land. If, on the contrary the
policy be wsr, it is due to the people of the country
that the fact should be known. He repeated that
Mr.. Lincoln does not mediate war Certain he was
that under existing laws the President can not con-
slstenty with his oath do any thing to produce a
collision between seeding States and the Federal
Government in the first place, he has no power
under the existing laws to collect the revenue on
shipboard, as suggested by partisan newspapers.
The law stands just as II did when Jackson called
on Congress for additional legislation to collect the
revenues at the port of Charleston He had no
power to order the collection anywhere else than in
those places designated by law. Congress passed
the actwell known to the country as the force bill
1t was passed in March 1888 and expired at the end
of the nextsession by express limitation What was
and is true as TO Charleston, true to all the other
ports of the seeded States. There was therefore.
danger CT q collision unless as Senators suppose
the President is going to violate the laws, and do
that which is forbidden.
With regard to blockading, there was no mere
authority to blockade New Orleans, Charleston or
any other of the ports in the seeded States than
New York or Chicago. They had been told that the
President was going to enforce the laws in the Sc
ceded States. How? BY calling out the militia and
and the army and navy? But the President could
not employ them without authority of law These
and the preceding points Mr.. Douglas proceeded to
argue, saying: Then what cause was Tiers for an
prehension that the President is going to pursue
war policy, unless he shall call Congress together
for that durposel
war; or to collect the revenue, to retake and pos
the FORTS enforce the laws within the seed
ing States, will not be conferred by Congress. He
came to this conclusion from the fact that while the
Presidents political friends had the power to cothe
him with those means for the last six weeks th,y
declined doing SO.
Mr.. Fessenden inquired-Was there a single day
during the last Congress when the Republicans had
a majority?
Mr.. Douglas replied that he chose to answer the
question In his own way, and repeated that the Re-
publlcans had the power TO pass such measures
through both Houses He believed they had a ma
jority in consequences Of the absence of Messrs
Pugh and Salisbury, and the two Senators from
Texas would not have voted against them-one of
them so stated. The House had power to pass the
Force Bill, but postponed It from time to time till
the President elect reached here and then put il TO
sleep at once, aid never allowed it to breathe the
breath of life.
The Senate found no difficulty in passing law
authorizing the Postmaster-General to suspend tho
mails when obstructed in the seeding States II il
be the peicy of the Administration to use the war
power TO collect the revenue, blockade ports and
recApture forces and execute the laws in the seced
ing why not say SO He (Mr. Douglas had taken
his position as Union man and friend of peace
and If he had given wrong Interpretation TO the
Inaugural why not let US have, the Presidents an
Iwer?
Why were the Republicans thus sensitive, if he
Ind not give correct Interpretation of the Inaupu-
ALI No Senator had Ventured to deny his interpre-
alton. No one had yentured to say the Presidents
'elicy was not peace. He ventured to say that no
Dne was authosiZed to contradict him on these
points. Why did the Republicans remain silent?
business is partially suspended, commerce is des-
royed, and bankruptcy staring US in the face One
word from the White House would save many from
un
One word from the White House would gladden.
very part of the land. Let that word be spoken. |
nd let the word be peace and there will be such
bout of JOY resounding through this country as has
lot been heard since the Declaration of .Indepen-
ence. There were other reasons why this in1por- /
ant word should be spoken and in this connection
mentioned the fact that the elections are coming
n, and in choosing members of Congress the peo- |
lie have right to know whether the policy is peace
T war. The States in whose limits the forts are |
ocated entitled to holdsthem, unless there is /
omething peculiar which requires them to be pos
essed for National purposes. 1t SO happens as to |
fort ar
ssential, without reference to the seeded States
1t was idle to endeavOr to arrive at the question
is longer to the collection of the revenue or
aking care OF public property, The question is,
Thether we are going to reduce the Southern Con-
sderacy to subsection or not He presumed Senators
re convinced by this time that that means war We
annot deny that there is a Southern Confederacy
fdetO in existence, with its capital at Montgomery
Ie might regret it. He did most profoundly; but
e could not deny the fact painfully Notifying as
is. But II the Republicans, after meeing in eau
US, could not silence Others they kept silent them
lives, as they were divided into compromisers and
on compromises, dsuniou and Union Republicans
war and peace Republicans.
Mr.. Fessenden inquired whether the Senator
cant that the Republicans had in caucus resolved
keep silent.
Mr.. Douglas replied that he did not mean to In
mate. He said frankly he heard it ramored and
opposed it to be true.
Mr.. Fessenden said it was untrue from beginning
end.
Mr.. Douglas-But it comes from your side of the
1use. At any rate, you silent over there-si-
mt when the country may be wrecked on a mis-
,prehension as to the policy of the Admlnistra-
On.
He desired to know whether the Administration
cant peace or war. If war was designed it would
,quire large army. Rumor says that estimates
I'VE already been made that too hundred and Jifty
o1iSand men would be required, which will require
expenditure of S3i6,000,0 900 annually. Remem-
II, the men to be called for in the eighteen free
ates are to fight those in the fifteen slave States
re we prepared for this line of policy? II
Silence is criminal when we are on the eve of
ents like these. His opinion was we must choose
'omptly one of three lines of policy. First, the {
storation and preservation Of the Union by such
to the Constitution as wiIAinsure doS | S
este tranquility safety and the equality of all the
ates and thus restore peace, unity and fraternity
the whole country. IL
peaceful dissolution of the Union by
cognizng the independence Of these States as they
fuse to pemain In the Union without such Consti-
tional amendments as viii secure their rights and
E establishment of liberal system Of commerce 2
social intercourse with them by treaties of COM
cree and amiy.
Thirdly-War, with view to their suhjugaton, ?
military occupation Of those States which have Q
=