Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-07-26

| never consent to make this contest with any
! purpose to interfere with the personal rights
| of political communities. He then referred to
| a suggestion in northern paper that a change
/ in the character of the government was con-
| templated, and also to a speech made by the
] present secretary Of war, in which he said the
| Southern States must be subdued, and, at the
| end Of this contest, there would be no Vir-
| ginians as such or CaTolinans, but all Ameri
! cans. | call on senators TO defend the cOnsti-
! tutioBalty, Of these acts, or else admit that
| they carry on this contest without regard to
! the constitution. / content mvself by saying
! that it never was contemplated by the trainers
/ Of the constitution that this government should
| be maintained by military force or by subiu-
eating ffersnt political communities. It was
/ declared by Madison and by Hamilton him
! self that there was no competency IN the
government thus to preserve it. Suppose
! the military subjugation is successful-sup-
/ pose the army marches through Virginia
/ and the gulf States 20 New Orleans-then the
! war is prosecuted unconstltutonaliV. Even il
1 there were warrant of law for it, it would be
/ the overthrow Of the constitution. There is
no warrant in the constitution to conduct the
| contest in that form. In further proof Of hew
/ they in end to conduct tLis contest, refer to
/ the speech of the eloquent senator from Ore
gon, Mr. Baker,) when he declared he vas
| for direct war, and said that for that purpose
/ nobody was so good as a dictator. Is any,
| thing more necessary to show that, so Far as
/ that senator is concerned, he proposed to con-
| duct the contest without regard to the consti-
| tuition? Iheard no rebuke administered to the
eminent senator, bat, on the contrary, | saw
! warm congratulations, and the senator declaT-
/ ed that, unless the people of these States were
willing to obey the federal government, they
must be reduced to the condition. OF territories;
/ and, be added, be would govern them by gov
| eTDors from Massachusetts and Illinois. This
was said seriously, and afterwaTd repeated.
Mr.. Baker, (rep.) Of Oregon, explained.
! He said be was delivering a speech against
giving too much power to the president, and
/ was keeping bis usual constitutional, guarded
| position against an increase of the standing
army, and gave, as an excuse for voting for
/ the bill, the present state of public affairs.
! He did say be would take some risk Of despot-
| ism, and repeated that be would risk little to
save all. He hoped the States would return
! to their allegiance, but If they would not, be
| thought it better for civilization and humanity
| that they should be governed as territories. He
did saw so then, and believed 60 now, and
thought the events of the next six months
would show that It would be better if the SEN
ator believed it too.
Mr.. Breckenridge said the answer Of the
/ senator proved what be said, and contended
! that it vas evident that the constitution was
| to be put aside Il was utterly subversive Of
the constitution and of public liberty to clothe
any one with dictatorial powers He then re-
/ ferred to the speech of Mr.. Dixon, of Conn
who said in substance, that if African slavery
stood in the way it must be abolished.
Mr.. Dixon, Crep.,) Of Connecticut, mad the
secretary to read what be did say on the sub
lact, as published yesterday.
Mr. Breckinridge said it appeared to him
that the most violent Republicans had possess
sion Of the government, and referred to the
bill introduced by Mr.. Pomeroy to suppress
the Shareholders rebellion, and which also
contained a provision for the abolition of
slavery. He cOntended that the very title was
enough TO show that the constitution was to be
put aside.
Mr.. Bingham, (rep,l Of Michigan, asked if
he contended this was not a Shareholders re-
beliion.
Mr.. Brsckinrdge. do, sir; do He then
referred to the refusal of last session to make
any compromise, though the Southern leaders
said they would be satisfied with the Crit en-
den cOmpromise. But all efforts were refused,
and now any offers Of peace are ruled out of
order in the hOusr, and it is vain and idle to
argue for it. He wanted to let the country
know that congress deliberately refused the
last effort TO avert the horrors of an internal
struggle. But why utter words l shall trouble
the senate no longer | know that no argu-
Z l
| ished all my life an attachment to the Union
Of these States under the constitution Of the
United States, and | have always revered that
| instrument as one of the wisest Of human
works, but now it is put aside by the executive
Of the United States, and those acts are about
| to be approved by the senate, and see pro-
| ceedings inaugurated which, in nv opinion,
will lead to the utter subversion OF the consti-
tuition and public liberty. It is vain to op-
D > Ib,t -,
| per of congress, one might as well oppose his
upliftsd hand to the descending waters Of Nj
agara as to resist a IN appeal against these con-
| templated proceedings. The few of US left
can only look with sadness oR the melancholy
! drama being enacted before US. We can only
| hope that this fash of frenzy may not assume
| the form Of chronic madness, but that divine
| providence may preserve for US and for pos
! terity, out of the wreck of a broken Union,
| priceless principles of consti utional liberty
! and self-government.
Mr.. Lane, (ReP.), of Indian, said be
wanted TO know if the president had not saved
| the cOuntrv by prompt action. He sanctioned
all done, and the people sanctioned it; and be
sanctioned all to be done, when our victorious
/ columns shall sweep treason from Old Vir-
! ginis. The president had suspended the writ
Of habsds corpus, and be only regretted the
corpus Of Baltimore treason had not been sus-
pended at the same time. Suppose the senator
/ from Kentucky had been elected president,
would he have refused to defend the capitol
! when he found that armed rebellion vas endeay-
ering to rupture it. He believed not. He pro-
ceeded to sllade to the seizure of telegrsphic
dispatches, severely commented upon az
usurpation of power by the senator from Ken
! lucky. That seizure would be necessary, per-
haps, to implicate certain senators on this
| floor. He had read this day in a paper, that
certain senator had telegraphed that president
| LiuCon's congress would not be allowed to
meet here on the 4th Of JuIy.
Mr.. Breckinrldge said be supposed the sena-
tor alluded to him.
Mr.. Lane replied that he did
Mr.. Breckinridge replied that his personal
relations with the senator precluded him from
believing that be would do ANYTHING of the
| kind; but be had to say that the statement that
he sent such dispatch was totally unfounded.
He would not pretend to deny all the charges
made against him in the papers. He bad at
tempted it once, but found the charge reitera-
ted in the same journal the second daV after
be had expressly denied it. He would say,
however, now, that the statement he bad tele-
graphed Mr.. Jefferson Davis OF writhn him
that Kentucky would furnish him with 1000
armed men, like other charges, totally false
And he had been informed by the governor of
Kentucky that the charge in respect to him
was equally false.
Mr.. Lane then proceeded to defend the sup
preston of certain traitOrous newspapers,
disaTming tie people in rebellion and other
acts which ihe senator from Kentucky deemed
to be unconstitutional. Allusion had been
made to the compromise at last session, but be
I would only say that none was made because
of traitors who occupied the now vacant seats.
All that they asked DOW was the Kentucky
| remedy FOR treason-hemp.
On motion of Mr. Wilson, (rep) Of Mas
sachusetts, the subject was postponed till
/ THURSDAY.
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