Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-03-23

Mr.. Breckenridge rose ana addressed the 9eisaks
He said that twas not his purpose to trespass long
upon the time of the Senate. and in the present
anxious and distracted condition Of the country TINS
body should not adjourn without his expressing an
opinion on the existing state of affair, and giving
some advice tending TO allay public apprehension.
Heretofore in the official position as Presiding Off
GER he had Of necessity, been silent spectator OF
| the scenes before him. Since Congress met, the
| Confederacy had been dismembered AT an early
period of the sessian he, with others, had made
strenuous efforts IA order to sonsnmmatea satstac
| tory adjustment, but unhappily ali these efforts
have failed. He thought he foresaw soon after
that they would all fail and accordingly more than
| awO months ago, he wrote TO the Governor of Ken
lucky to that effect No man regretted this failure
| more than he did, and now. the other branch OF
Congress having adjourned, he should regret this
body to separate without giving their opinion or
advice in order to allay the apprehension in the
public mind Then the immediate question was one
| peace or war. Soitwas to-day. Whatever was the
possibility OF an ultimate adjustment to unite ali the
States 1t was one Of peace or war. Opinion seemed
to be divided as to the meaning of Mr.. Lincolns In
| augural. The Senator from Illinois had construed
It to mean peace and Cancellation. The Senator from
Maine also said So The President himself certainly
used general terms of Cancellation, but then 1t was
| proper TO inquire what kind of peace, and on what
terms it can be maintained The country, however,
should not be ulled bya general assurance OF peace
unless he prepared to give It he regretted that
he had not been able to construe the Inaugural adj
senator's.
and he was gratifed to do so, that the general ex-
pressions are for harmony and the prevention of
bIeodshed But the policy which the President says
he deems it his duty to pursue must result it blood
shed unless essentially modified. He then proceed
ed to read from the Inaugural that part which
ed to him to be the key this important point and
then said the leading idea was therein very clearly
put forth that the President does not recognize in
any sense the existense Of another Confederacy of
States but that he regards al the proceedings and
III
revolutionary and that it is his purpose, to the ex-
tent of the power confded in KIM and the forces at
his command to enforce the laws in all the States,
including those which have withdrawn; beyond this
power there will be no invasion, no war. The in
ference was irresistible, to whatever extent force
or invasion is necessary to collect the duties on
ports and to maintain, possess and occupy the
forts force will be employed, by constituting 1t to
be his Constitutional duty. 1t is trpe that the
President has qualified his declaration by saying
'tke course here indicated viii be followed, unless
current events and experience shall show modifi-
cation or change to be proper; and in every case
and exigency, my best discretion will be exer-
cised according to circumstances actually ex>
isti5g and with the view aid hope of peaceful So
luton of the national troubles, and the restoration
of fraternal sympathies and affections" He (Mr.
Breckinridge) took this qualification to mean that
he will not undertake to Iexecute the laws or to
hold the forts and other places within the withdraw
ing States, excepting where circumstances show
his ability to do so; and If be will not undertake to
exercise those functions because it would be iris
tstng and makes the hope of 8 peaceful solution
more doubtful then the policy would be that which
would prevent irritation and hloodshed. The
President conceived his duty to hold, possess and
occupy the forts and collect duties on imports to be
modified according to the necessities of the case,
which may surround him; otherwise his policy
would be simple and easy. Looking at Fort Sum-
ter what were the reasons for the rumored evaeu.
alton? Not political but military reasons not be-
cause in the opinion Of the Administration the hold
ING of the fort would iFritate the public mind and
reader Cancellation and harmony doubtful, but be-
cause the military and naval power does not exist
to penetrate to that point Unless the purpose of
the President was to use force as far was neces-
sary he would, if his object was purely concilia-
ton, withdraw the troops for political and not mill
tary reasons. This was the only reason why an
evacuation was to be excused by the dominant
party and the Republican press. Then he thought
he was justified in constituting the Inaugural, to
mean that the President will hold the forts and
other places within the Confederate States and col
lect the duties imports to the extent of his power
and if there is any modification, it viii he because
of his inability, and not because he would be ilng
to withdraw the troops for the purpose oprodueing
Cancellation and peace in the public mind. 1t was
avowed the other day when the bill passed making
an appropriation for certain number of steamers
of light draft and heavy armament, that it was for
no other 'purposey than to invade the shallow
waters of Southern States. Should this become
necessary the public gave but little ground
Of hope that this policy if pursued would
avoid bloodshed The character OF the Osbi-
net was not such Gs to induce the be-
lief that force will not be used. Although Mr.,
Seward breathed general words of Cancellation, he
said "he would not only speak good many words
for the Union, but would work for the Union" If
this gentleman had modified his views he (Rreckin-
ride) did not know It The Secretary of the Treas
ury, Postmaster-General and Attorney General,
perhaps every other member of the Cabinet, one
excepted, are understood by the country to favor
the policy of coercion if it becomes necessary to
reduce the South to subjugAtion. The very organ
zation of the Senate and the opinions continually
expressed by Republicans here. show their purpose
to maintain the authority of Federal Government
over the Withdrawn States by force, If necessary.
In the formation of the standing committees there
was scarcely a chairman of any one of them whose
known opinion was not in favor of this policy. The
country should not be deceived. What was meant
by peace and Cancellation? How was 1t to be main
tanned? He desired to know it sincerely as he
desired the union of all the States He had no
measure of practical policy which tends to produce
the result We are in constant danger of collision
and bloodshed. Perhaps In other country on the
globe than our own could such eVentG long exist
without producing bloody consequences. We are,
he repeated liable at any time to hear of collision
of arms. For the sake of the political and maternal
interests of the country, the support of credit and
the general prosperity, let US establish some lead
ing principle.
Should the authority of the Federal Government
be maintained over the withdrawn States, by force
of arms? This exhausts the entire question. If
yes it is proper for it to be known. But there is
no adequate preparation There, in those States, |
the possession of the scattered forts was the only
cause of irritation. If they to be maintained
by arms, let us get ready for the conflict. If not
then the policy is clear. II the Union is not to be
maintained DO arms, then the only policy is to with
draw the troops from the limits of the Confederate
States There not he repeated, troops there to
the people If you would avail yourself of the last
chance of reunitng the States withdraw the troops.
Their presence there could do good, but incalcu
liable harm Nay more. 1t could not be disguised |
that while sevep States have withdrawn, the eight
other States remaining in the Union are discourag
ed, gloomy and threatening. Their course will in |
all probability be determined by the policy of this
Administration. In his opinion, II halting policy |
be pursued and the forts are abandoned, and the
s9uadrons withdrawn under the pressure of cIrcum
stances necessity merely, at the time setting
up the claim of coercion without the power to ex-
ercise it, if blood should be shed, you will have
destroyed the last hope of reuniting the States and
la their integrity what is left of the
Union. 1t might be presumptuoQs in him, but he
thought the Senate representing the States and an
advisory council ought to advise the President by
resolution to withdraw the troops, not to take any
'teps looking like menace, but Ia throw the ohances
IN aalicahle negotiation The seven States which
have gone out may be considered protest against
force. The eight remaining States also protest.
Tennessee, Kentucky and Virginia, by Overwhelming
najorities, have declared that if coercion were
used they would consider the cause of the seeded
States their own. Even Maryland like . |gte
moved to utterapee, has raised her yoica in the
'ame direction. If the President, under advice of
The Senate, Withdrew the scattered and impotent
forces, he would give the country an assurance
hat the Administration means peace The material
interests of the country would revive, and there
would be realized the truth that the greatest bless
ngs are to be found in Constitutional Union, tie
would vote for the resolution introduced by the
Senator from illinois, because its purpose looked in
hat direction; but it seemed to him that it would
be more direct and effective if some Senator
would move q resolution expressing the Eense
If the Senate thar it is the duty Of the President
o withdraw all the federal troops from the CONF
edeFate States. He had spaken of the fort but
aid nothing about the revenue. He believed the
ate administration had looked into this question,
md reached the conclusion that il was not possible
o collect t under the existing laws. He thought
his fact was demonstrated by the Senator from IL
inois If collected it must be by force, which the
resident does not possess, nor has the power to
blockade. Then there could be no question as to
until Conoroos iavv hal ha