Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-01-01
news BY TELEGRAPH.
REPORTED poR THE RHMoND ENQUIRER,
From, Washi.ton CITY.

Esk
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From, Vashi.ton City,
Especial Despatch TO th&ichmond ENQUIRER
WASHINGTON, Dec. 3l.The city is intensel,
excited to day, in conscience of n thousand
and apparently we'll authticated rumors, auG
blood has been at boilingeat several hours
Faces accustomedto smili, to-day reveal sign:
of vengeance. ln=the 5use, Mr.. Davis, o.
Indiana, offered aepreamb and resolution, set
ting forth, that South Caiina had passed an
ordinance Withdrawing FIN the Union, and
instructing the Committeon the Judiciary to
report what legislation is eccssary in consc.
Quence Of the position Of iuth Carolina.
Mr.. Holman proposed i Institute, DENYING
the right of secession, 81 iestructinr the
same committee to cnquirwhether the laws
in force arc sufficient to cnle the President
to execute all the laws torotect the public
property; il not, then that ICY report what
means are necessary for the irpose, including
the employment Of the armand navy. The
motion was laid on the table a vote of 10 to
to SIS. Pending the subject th,ouse adjourned.
1t is considered certain, tho substitute
should pass on Wednesday, hat nearly the
entire Southern delegation wi resign and re-
turn to their homes.
\ rurnor gained great cinlation to-day
and was te~lesraplied far al wide, that
firing was going on between IT Moultrie and
Fort Sumter, but, up 10 the,rcSent hour,
40 P. NJ it is not confirmed nd is believed
to he 1 hoax.
4 warm personal discussion Mr.. Prvor's
resolution occurred in the Hoe. today, be.
tween Mr.. Baiksdalc and Mr.. M;lernand.
At one moment Il personal ciSiou seemed
inevitable.
Mr.. Beriatni;r's speech tu-dawas the most
thrilling ever known by the oest Senators.
lie said, "in three weeks, or IS, whatever
ruay now be our personal trclin, we part as
friends and Senators to meet lhaps us enc.
mics etc.
The rumnrei appointment fen. Scott, as
Acting Secretary of War, is elently Il mis-
take. Postmaster General llult: now acting
temporarily "r permanently, asiccrctary of
War.
Thirty-sixth Congress---Secot Session.
WASHINGTON, DeGl, 1850.
SExATr.-Mr. Powell, from til Committee
of thirteen, reported that the Couittce had
directed hun 10 report that thehave been
unable to agree. Mr.. Douglas sa he desired
to address the Senate on the subj. on We'd
ncsdav. On mntipn Of Mr.. BIgicr las agreed
that when the Senate NJ jourrs to C, it bc 10
meet on Wednesday next. The aatr thon
postponed Mr. Criltendeu's r~esollnS until
MondaY next. st twelve o'clock. y Wilson
introduced 4 resolution Of inquiry iativc to
the ,,iacrS II ~depusitc aud sales { public
arms, which was laid on the table. he KAN
sas bill WAS postponed till Monday ne.
Mr.. Beri..nin. ct Louisiana, tienook the
floor ard proceeded to address the Suite. He
declared that the crisis in our counuhud not
come without warnings; Yet the Reblicans
scoiled II and neglected them. Now thnsawt the
truth Of the warning. South Carclirhad be.
come independent; Mississippi, Flola and
Alabama would be independent next Nk; and
Georgia, Louisiana, Texas and FIoriG would
soon follow. The question Che sald) " was,
whether their independence should trecog.
nizcd. or civil war begun: South ,rolina
mad only repeated. in 1860, what " done
in lISS. She had the right ID do so, tause
the compact which bound her to il, was CON.
pact broken IN one side; therefore, broln Gu
all sides. The present Union had been tmei
on this principle, By nine States secedintrou
the old confederacy.
Mr.. 3. quoted the debates in the conveion,
Of SO and SO, to show the truth of thi anc
sustained the position by a well conseredI
argument. lie declared that the Statchadl
two classes of remedies; one class agaim thel
power uSurred in the name Of the ConstitGon,
like secession and the other against the ausc
Of Constitutional power, hy a revolution. Mr..
b. DENIED that secession was q rerolutiosry
right, AMI quoted tho Mcleod case TO SOW
that an individual could not be held re-
spopSibie when carrying out his Governments
orders. He showed that civil process inst
preccde the employment Of military force. nd
that no civil process was possible in the &C.
ceding States. He argued the subject at sonc
length. aud after 4 recitation Of the wrongs Ell
dured By The South declared, you may brln
dcsolation upon our homes, but you never ca
subjugate us; never! never. never" ETu
multuous applause. ~
and while the call of the yeas and nays wa
being made, the gcn,lelnen's gallery Va
Cltiltt LIZ SiiRb IL
Enthusiastically Floyd sent 4 commune,
ton to the Speaker, explaining the natur
character and cause of his acceptances in Il
Russell and Bailey case. lie SAID they we
not due nor payable till the service was pc
formed. The communication was referred
the select committee on that subject. Mr.. s.
vcns offered Il resolution Of inquiry in rclatio
to the public property in Charleston, and II
harbor, sarriSons, &c. The House refused
suspend the rules by u vote Of Vi to 81. NJ
Stanton offered 4 resolution, which was adop
ed, that the Committee on Military AtlIlrs r
port, at any time, about the recent sales Of pu'
lie arms TO the States, and Charleston harbt
and arsenal affairs. Mr.. Pryor offered a res
luton, which was tabled, that any attempt
preserve the Union by force is impractical
and destructive of Republican liberty. II
vote stood 9s 20 55. Pending the considerable
Of the resolution, and q substitute denying Il
right of secession and inqniring if the prese1
laws were sufficient TO protect the public pr
perty, and the employment of the army al
navy. the House adjourned to "Wednesday.
From Warrington City.