Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1861-01-18

y but to what he calls creating great debt
.e the existing condition of the country.
It ~
r The XXXVIth Congress.
!; !; Great Union Speech by Senator Sewar
d WASHINGTON, Jan. IL.
l. SENArE.-The proceedings Of the eenat
e were opened with prayer.
Il MIR. Cameron asked whether a vote coul
!. be taken to allow persons on the floor c
the Senate.
Mr.. Toembs objected.
. The President decided that the rule Nigh
i be dispensed with by unanimous consent
Further objections being made, q vast mum
Der of ladies and gentlemen retired to th
lobby rooms.
The diplomatic corps is in attendance.
,, At least 1000 ladies and 1900 gentlemen ar
in the galleries, and it is impossible for any
more to obtain admission.
A motion to fill the vacancy in the Board
of Regents, in the Smithsonian Institute, wa,
laid on the table.
Mr.. Gwin moved that the Senate proceed
to the special order - the consideration o.
the Presidents message.
Mr.. Seward took the floor, and said:
| SVuSA Ooo AO-oooCAUACU tulS WlutcE III Tue
presence Of derang. ment of business and the
disturbance Of public as we'll as private
credit, and in the face of seditious combina-
tions to overthl low the Union. The alarm is
appalling; for the Union is not more the
body than Liberty is the soul of the nation, J."
He avowed his adherence to the Union and
its integrity in all its parts" with my
friends, with my party, with my State, with
my country, or without either, as they may
determine, in every event, whether of peace
or war, with every consequence Of honor or
dishonor, of life or death"
After stating that the Union cannot be
saved by mutual recriminations, or continu-
ance of debate on the constitutional power
of Congress over the subject of slavery in
the Territories, or discussing the right Of
the Federal Government to coerce seeding
States into obedience, he says: off this
Union will 60 in pieces, the latter question
will give way to Il more practical one
| whether many secedfug States have right
| to coerce the remaining members to acqui-
esce in dissolu tion?' He abhorred civil
war; he did not know what the Union
would be worth if saved by the sword yet
said he did not agree with those who, in
order to avert the calamity, advise conven-
tional or uHopposed separation: with view
to what they call Il reconstruction of the
Union. "Ihe Union can be dissolved, not
by secession, but by the voluntary consent
Of the people of the United States Congress
ought not to remain impassive; it ought, if
it can, redress any real grievances to the
offended States, and then ought to supply
the President with all means necessary to
maintain the Union, in the full exhibition
and the discreet exercise of its authority
and with proper activity on the part of the
Executive. The responsibility of saving the
Union belongs to the people, and they are
abundantly competent to discharge it.''
Mr.. Seward argued at length on the
advantages of the Union and the effects of
disunion from all points of view, and pro-
ceeded to ask what is the ground of discon-
| tent +? 1t is that the disunionists do not
accept as conclusive the arguments urged in
behalf of the successful candidate in the late
canvass and deem their own arguments
against him as more satisfactory to his sup
porters. He said the Constitution did not
require the arguments Of one party to be
satisfactory to another; and the constitu-
tional remedy for this inevitable dissatisfac-
ton is In renewed debate and ultimate
rehearsing in a subsequent election. He
denied that the Republicans perverted power
for purposes Of oppression, for they never
held power.
After further remarks, he said he agreed,
that as concerns the bondman, tie laws of
the State within which man is property
are supreme, and that, on his escape into
another State, the Constitution regards him
a bondman, who shall be delivered on claim
to the party to whom his service is due.
While thinking acts of Congress ON the sub
lject should be modified to protect freemen
from being carried into slavery, he agrees
that all the laws of States, free or slave,
relating to this class of persons contraven-
ing the Constitution of the United States
should be repealed; and he was willing to
vote fer an amendment to the Constitution
that Congress should never have the power
to abolish or interfere with slavery within
the States. If Kansas were admitted under
the Wyandotte Constitution, and the organic
laws Of other Territories could be repealed
he could vote to propose the admission Of
two States which should include them
Preserving the right to offer the subdivisions
whenever necessary into several convenient
States, but he did not find that such reserva
ton could be constitutionally made without
that the ulterior embarrassments woule
outweigh all the immediate advantages o.
such o measure. :
II prefer, when the angry excitements o
the House shall have subsidized, one, two o.
three years hence, convention of the people
to decide whether any and what amendment
of the organic law ought to be made" H.
was ready to vote for any properly guaranteed
, laws to prevent mutual invasions of the State
by citizens of other States, and to punisl
} those who shall aid or abet them. Lastly, b
was in favor of the Pacific Railroad.
: Mr.. Seward concluded by saying: 81 shal
/, cheerfully support the government in what
: ever prudent efforts it shall make to preserv
public peace and maintain the Union, advisin
/. only moderation, forbearance and concilatloy
t and by expressing the conviction that th
It hour is yet to come for this great nation
a fall. Woel woe! to the man that would Ii
) his hands against it. 1t shall continue an
Il endure, and men in after times shall declal
i that this generation, which saved tho Unic
from sudden and unlooked-for danger, su
d passed in magniicence even that which la
It its foundation in the eternal principles
20 Liberty, Justice and Humanity
HoUsE.-Mr. CLARK, of Mo-, after readir
e, a telegraphic account that the Post office, ,su
70 Treasury and Custom House at St. Louis b.
" been taken poss ession of by U. S. troops, u
der an order from Gen. Scott, explaire
of lest the account might deceive the conntr
ed that ali those offices are located in the sar
building. As to wiss was the condition
a. things at st. Louis to justify such an aet,