The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1861-01-14
SPEECH OF SENATOR SEWARD.
House adjourned.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 12.-Mr. Seward said
Congress re-assembled this winter in the
presence of the arrangement of business and
the disturbance of public rs we'll as private
credit, and threats against the Union and
its integrity in all its parts. | am with my
friends, with my party, with my State, and
with my country, or without either as they
may determine, in every event, whether
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 IN debate on the con-
stitutional power OF Congress over the sub
iect OF slavery in the territories or discussing
the right of the Federal Government to CO.
cree seeding States into obedience, he says:
If this Union is to go on, this latter ques-
ton will give way to matter more prac-
ticable-one whether majority of seced-
ing States have a right-to coerce the re-
naming States into an acquieseence of dis
solution He abhored civil war did not
know what the Union would be worth If
saved by the sword yet be did not agree
with those who desire to avert the calamity,
or advise conventional or unopposed sepa-
ration with view to what they call a re-
construction of the Union. The Union can
be dissolved-not by secession, but by the
voluntary consent of the people. The I.
S. Congress ought not to remain impassive.
1t ought if it can redress any real griev-
ances to the offended States, and then ought
to supply the President with all means nee
essary to maintain the Union, in the full
exhibition and discreet exercise of its au-
thority. Beyond this, and the proper au-
thority on the part Of the Executive, the
responsibility of saving the Union belongs
to the people, and they are abunlantly
competent to discharge it.
Mr. Seward argued at length the advan-
tages of the Union, the effects Of disunion
from all points of views, and proceeded
What is the ground of discomfort? 1t is
that the disunionists did not accept as con-
elusive the arguments urged in behalf OF the
successful candidate in the late canvass, and
deemed their own arguments against him
far more satisfactory to his supporters He
said the Constitution did not.require the ar
guments OF one party to be satisfactory
to another. He said the constitutional rem
edy for this is in renewed debate and in an
other election.
He said he believed that the laws of a
State in which a man is property are su-
preme, and that on bis escape the Constitu-
ton regards him as bondsman, who shall
be delivered on the claim of the party 70
whom his services are due. While thinking
the laws of Congress on the subject should
be modified to protect freemen from being
carried into slavery, he agrees that all the
laws Of States, FREQ o!avo, relative to this
class of persons contravening the Constitu-
ton Of the United States ought to be re-
paaled and he was willing to vote for an
amendment to the Constitution that Con
gress should never have the power to abol-
sh slavery in the State
He could vote for the admission of two new
States, reserving the right to divide the sub
divisions, whenever necessary, into conve-
nient States but he did not find that such
reservation could be constitntionally made,
| prefer, when the angry eXcitements of the
hour have subsided-one, two, or three
years hence-a convention of the people to
decide whether any, or what, amendments
of the original law ought to be made. He
was ready to vote for any properly guaran
teed laws to prevent any future invasiOns of
the States by citizens of other States, and
to punish those who shall aid or abet them.
Lastly, he was in favor Of Pacific rail-
road.
Mr.. Seward concluded by saying; I shall
cheerfully support the Government in what
ever prudent and energetic efforts it shall
make to preserve public peace and maintain
the Union, advising only moderation, for
bearance, and Cancellation, and by express
ing the conviction that the hour was not
vet come for this great Union to fall