The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1861-03-15
Senator Dougims on the Ioaururnl.

day, Mr.. Douglas. in reply TO MIR. Clinsman
expressed his views on the Inaugural as fol
~ lows: -
vel Mf. Douglas could not consent that th
,. senator 8 remarks should 60 out unanswered
y He had read the Inaugural carefully, with
view OF understanding what the policy o
y the administration is TO be, as therein ind,
/. cated. IL as characterized by great abilit
and with great directness on certain points
!. critical analysis is necessary to arrive a
IS the true construction. He had PARTIAL
made an analysis, and had come TO the con
ciusion That II was peace rather than W a
message. lie had examined il canGidly an,
d cIitically, and thought there was no found
alton ior different opinion. On the con
trary, there is a distinct pledge that tn,
policy Of the administration shall be con
Quoted exclusively with reference 20 peace
iul solution OF our National difficulties. |
Is rue, the President indicated a Certain
line OF policy, to be conducted as 10 lead I,
q peaceful solution, but it was not as expli
cit as he (Douglas) desired. He then quotet
iIVm the Inaugural IN support Of his pos;
tion. saying, unless the means be furnished
the President cannot execute the laws. IL,
thought The PIeSldeCt in his remarks on thu
4 SUBJECT was referring TO the future action o
congress giVing him power TO enforce obedi
lence TO them. The President must hay,
. been aware that in 1882 law passed 10 en-
! able President Jackson to enforce the reve
\ nue laws in the port OF Charleston. The ac
, expired in two years. Was il 10 be supposed
that Mr. Lincoln thought he ha more pow
er without than Gen. Jackson had with The
aid OF leglslationf He repeated, when the
I, Pfesident pledges himself TO collect the
revenue aud enloice the laws. unless Con.
7 gress withholds the requisite means, is he
, not TO be understood that his act is depend.
ent on the future course Of Congressf He
: thought that was the proper construction oil
the inaugural. for the President says:--"He
SHAH perform his duty as far as practicable,
unless his rightful masters, the American
people, shall withhold the requisite means,
or In some authoritative manner direct the
contrary" The President further soys:--
The power confided 10 me will be used to
hold, occupy and possess the property aud
places belonging to the government, aud to
collect The duties and imposts; but beyond
what may be necessary for these objects
there Will be no invasion, no using OF force
aeainst or among the people anywhere." -
Inc President does not say lie will take pos.
session OF the forts, but that he will hold,
occupy and possess them. This was equiv
oca' language, but he dld not condemn the
PRESIDENT Tor II. beyond what may be ne
ceSsary Tor these objects, there will be no
invasion, no using OF force among the peo.
pie anywhere. II ii Is the duty Of the pre-.
sidept 10 enforce the revenue laws, il is his
duty to enforce The OTHER laws. 1t cannot
be justified that the revenue laws shall be
enforced. and all other laws which afford
protection as u compensation Tor lakes shall
not be enforced. He thought there were two
points IN which they could find q solution
OF these doubts. The President saws -
u IN N. -.
interior locality shall be so great aud So
universal as TO prevent competent resident
citizens from hOldIng the federal Offices,
there will be no attempt to force oLnox ious
stfansers among the people loT that beet"
Inc PRESIDENT draws distinction between
TIE eN!enor and the interior. II he has
power IN one case, h. has power in the other.
u IL is his ANY IN one case 10 enforce the
laws, II rs hiS duty IA the other. There was
no provision OF law which authorizes a
distinction IN this respect between places IN
the interior and on the seaboard. Tn
Orought him TO the construction OF another
clause = HE most important OF all aud the
Key his entire policy. Buth was rrjo.urd
when he read II. He invited attention to II
as showing concluslvcly that the President
Is pledged to policy which looks to q
peaceful solution of our difficulties aud
against oil Others. lie says "the course here
indicated Will be followed, unless the cur
rent OF events and experience shnll show a
modihcation OF chance 10 be propeI; aud IN
every case of eXgency my best discretion
VIII be exercised, according to the circum.
stances usually existing, aud with u view
and hope oI a peaceful solution Of the
national troubles and tue restoration OF ira .
ternal sympathies and affections" la 9TH
Ell words, the President says II the collection
OF the ieyenue Will lead to q peaceful soIu
t;on. then it viii be col lected. II the aban.
donment OF that collection has that eject,
then II wall he ablndoLed. SO Of the forts
and ayenals IN the seeding states. lie
Will recapture them or not recantutr them,
and VIII reinforce or not reinforce Forts
sumter and Pickens-pledged IN either case
10 peaceful policy. and acting with ths
view. II this is not the true construction,
why was there not inserted pledge to use
coercion. retake the forts, recap,ute the ar.
senals, collect the revenue and enforce the
laws, unless there was attached 10 each one
condition on which the pledge was TO
be carried OUT But the pledge is only TO do
II IN order TO peaceful solution, and for no
other cause. He submitted whether or not
the friends OF peace have not much TO re.
joice at. The Inaugural was much more
conservative than he had anticipated. II
was more pacific and conciIistory than he
had predicted. He repeated, after q careful
examination and analysis, he was clearly Of
The opinion that the administration stands
pledged to peaceful solution, and will do
no act that will lead to war, and make no
change Of policy unless necessary 10 pI eseIye
peace. He thought the President had stated
the cause OF the troubles clearly aud ind,.
Gated iemedy. The President, in a man
ner peculiar to himself, proceeds TO show
what did not produce the troubles. Mr..
Douglas heie quoted from the Inaugural,
adding that, according 10 this, it was the
attempt Ia prohibit slavery or protect slavery
IN The territories IN the absence OF an express
constitutional provision for either purpose,
IL the President has truly stated the cause,
what is the remedyl 1t isto adopt consti.
sutional provision on the subject, The Pre-.
sident speaks OF such amendments as 10 de
hne the power OF Congress over the sub.
liect. He gives us to understand there never
can be peace until the question is settled,
and that II cannot be settled except by an
amendment TO the Constitution. The Pre-.
sident stands pledged TO let the people de-
eide on the mode OF amendment. He will
, not interferei he will not oppose it. II the
people say that Congress should protect
slavery everywhere, the President is pledged
not to oppose II; and so. il the people say
slavery shall not be protected everywhere
II they shall incorporate the Crittenden pro
position, he will not oppose it. He is in
favor OF such amendments as will settle the
question forever by express provisions of the
IConslitntlon, leaving the people to decide
what amendme nts shall be made, and will
accept them cheerfully. Taking this TO be
the meaning OF the proposition, ne doug
las) found in II much cause for encourage.
ment' In the first place, it was peaceful,
not aggressive. The President will do nc
act OF aggression. but all his conduct will
be with a view Of peaceful solution. In the
second place. as the difficulty is owing to
the absence of an express provision on The
slavery question in the territories, he will
advocate that the people change that instIu
ment by express provisions. Whatever de.
parture Mr.. Lincoln has made from his part,
platform should be taken as an act of patri