The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1861-01-22
Congress.

Congress.
~ Mr., SEWARD on the 18th. made q
speech. ii: which, speaking of current
events. he said the alarm is appall-
ing, because the Union is not more
Tic body than Liberty is the soul Of the
nation. He ayowed his adherence to the
Onion in lis integrity, in all its parts,
with his friends, with his party, with his
State, with his country, or without eth
TT, as they may determine. in every event,
whether OF peace or war, with every con
sequence of honor or disbonor, Of life or
death. He abhorred civil war, did not
know what The Union would be worth il
saved by the sword, yet he said he did
rot agree with those who desire to avert
the calamity or advise conventional or
~nrpposed separation WITH Z view to what
they call reconstruction of the Uni
on" Congress he thought ought to re-
dress real grievances TO the offended
States, and then ought to supply the
President with all means necessary to
maintain the Union. Beyond this, with
proper activity on the part of the Execu-
tive, the responsibility of saving the Un-
ion belongs to the people, and they are
abundantly competent to discharge it,
Mr. SEWARD said he agreed that the laws
Of the States within which man is prop
erly are supreme, and that on the es-
cape Of the bondsman 70 another State,
the Constitution requires him to be de-
livered up on claim Of the party to
whom his services are due. While he
though. tie acts Of Congress on the sub
ject should be modified to prevent free
men from being carried into slavery, he
agrees that all the laws Of States, free or
slave, relating 10 this class of persons,
con,ravening the Constitution, ought to
be repealed, and was willing to vote for
M amendment to The Constitution that
Congress should never have the power
70 abolish or interfere with slavery in the
States. He WAS also ready to vote for
my properly guaranteed laws to pre-
vent mutual inyasions of the States by
other States, and to punish those who
shall aid Or abet them. He preferred,
when the angry excitement Of the hour
had subsided, one, two or three years
hence, a convention Of the people to de-
eide whether any or what amendments
Of the Organic National Law ought to
be made. In conclusion lie said 81
shall cheerfully support the Government
in whatever prudent yet energetic efforts
il shall make to preserve the public peace
ard maintain the Union, advising only
moderation, forbearance and conciIalion,
and by expressing the conviction that Tie
hour has not ye! come for this great ma
.on to fall. Woe, woe to the man that
madiy lifts lis hand against it. L. shall
continue and endure, and men in after
times shall declare that this generation.
which saved the Uaion from sudden and
unlocked for danger, surpassed in mag
uieccuce even that one which laid its
foundation in the eternal principles Of
Liberty, Justice aud Humanity."
On the 18th, the Senate, in executive
session, confirmed Mr. Holt as Secretary
Of War By SO against 10. Ir. Criuen-
denis resolutions were again postponed.
The Kansas bill was taken up and dis
cussed. Messrs. Douglas. Seward and
Collamer favoring admission. Green's
amendment changing The boundaries
was lest.
In the House, Mr.. Moore, Of Ken
lucky, made Union speech. Pend!e-
ten. Democrat, Of Ohio, favored Mr.
Crittenden's Compromise, and opposed
coercion. Mr. Sherman replied and said
That the acts OF oOutn Carolina were
declaration Of war, and lie appealed to
The border Slave States to arres, the pro-
g-ess of existing wrongs. He wanted
10 see If there was 10 hope for concilia
lion, and If ne canno. agree he wanted
to fight. lie did no. believe that tie
South would listen to cancellation, but
was bent on dissolution. The army bill
passed, after an amendmen. by Burnett,
tha, no force should be employed agains,
seeding States. was REJECTED.
The steamship North Bar, from Asp-
inwsll, with 81 ,s2l, 943 in gold, arrived
4 -. Oh