Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-03-20

WAsHISGToN March 1s.-The credentials of David
Wilmot were presented. He was afterwards sworn
| in and took his seat
The Joint resolution of Indiana requesting Con
gress to call Convention for amendments to the
Constitution laid upon the table and ordered to
| be printed.
| Douglas resolution was taken up, and Mr.. Breck-
| inridge spoke upon il.
| MI. Breckinridge said-In the present anxious
Aad disturbed condition Of the country the Senate
should not adjourn without expressing an opinion
on the existing state of affairs, and give some ad-
vice tending to alsy public apprehension. Opinions
seemed divided as 70 the meaning of the Inaugural.
He was free to confess, and gratied to do that
! Its general expressions are for harmony and the
prevention of bloodshed, but the policy winch the
President says he deems it his duty to pursue must
result in bloodshed, unless essentially modified.
The leading idea of the Inaugural, very clear
l " put forth is, tAat the President does not
recognize in any sense the existence OF another
Confederacy, but that he regards al proceedings
! in the seeding States either insurrecuonary or
revolutionary and that his purpose, to the ex-
! tent of his power, to enforce the laws in all the
States, including those which nave Withdrawn.
| The inference is irresstible-to whatever extent
force or invasion Is necessary to collect duties on
imuorts and to maintain possession of and occupy
the forts force is to be emplcyed-by constituting 1t
to be his constitutional duty. It ia true thst the
President has qualified his declaration, by saying
sfbe course here indicated will be followed unless
current events and experience shall show modifca-
tion or change to be proper, and in every and
exigency my best discretion will be exercised &C
cordne to circumstances actually existing and with
view 70 the peaceful solution OF our national troubles
and the restoration of fraternal sympathy and aec
ton"
that he will not undertake to execute the laws to
hold the forts and other places, when within the
withdrawing States, excepting where circumstan~
ees show his ability TO do So and that he viii not
undertake to force those functions, because it would
he IRRITATING and make the hopes Of peaceful sou
ton more doubtful Then the policy would be that
which would prevent irritation and bloodshed. The
President conceived it his duty to hold possess and
occupy the forts and collect the duties on imports
to be modified by the necessities of the which
may surround him-otherwise his policy would be
simple and easy.
Looking at Fort Sumter, what were the reasons
for the rumored evaeuation-not pslitical but mill
tary reasons Not because in the opinion Of the
Administration the fort would irritate the public
mind and render Cancellation and hamOny doubtful
but because the naval power does not exist 70 PEN
citrate TO that point. Unless the purpose Of the
President was to use FORCE so far as was necesss>
ry, he would if his object was purely csncillation
withdraw the troops for political and not military
reasons
Thus. he thought ne was justified in constituting
the Inaugural to mean that the presidents VIII noo
the forts and other places within the Confederate
States and collect the duties imports TO the ex
tent of his power and if there is any modification,
it will be because of bis inability, and not because he
would be willing TO withdraw the troops Tor the
purpose of producing Cancellation and peace in the
public mind.
The character Of the Cabinet was not sTchas to
induce the belief that force would net be used
Every member, except one, is understood to favor
coercion if it becomes necessary TO reduce the Sonth
to subiugsticn. The very organization Of the Sem
ate and opinions cautiously expressed by Repubh-
cans here, show that their purpose is 10 maintain
the authority of the Federal Government over the
withdrawn States by force, # necessary.
In the formation Of the Standing Committees
there was scarcely Chairman of any of them
whose known opinion was not in favor of this po-
LEV. The country should not be deceived What
was meant BY peace and coneiliatioRs How was it
TO be maintainedg He desired to know IL As sin
cerely as he desired the upian Of all the States he
had seen measure 81 practical policy which tends
to produce the result
We are IN constant danger Of collision and blood
shed. For the sake Of the political azd materel in
gerestsof the country the support Of The credit snd
the general prosperity lest " establish some lead.
ing principle.