Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1861-01-18
THIRTY-SIXTH CONGRESS.
SECOND SESSION.
Jan. 10.

Mr.. Slidell called up his resolution of yes
terday, relative to the appointment by th'
President of a Secretary Of War.
Mr. Slidell said There has been a gross
violation. The President Of the United
States has not acted right in appointing al
officer to hold office only twelve or II days
! without the fact being made known TO the
Senate, and without its being submitted tC
their approba ton. The power was only IN
! tended to be exercised when the Senate was
! not in session
Mr.. Bgler said great many difficulties
surrounded this case.
Mr.. Green would vote for the resolution
without censuring anybody
Mr.. Salisbury called for the vote on Mr..
Slidell' s resolution.
Absent, Messrs Bayard, Brown, Chestnut,
| Douglas. Durkee, Gwin, Hamlin, Ham
mond, Harlan, Johnson, tArk.) Mason,
/ Pearce, Thompson and Toombs-I4.
Ayes.-Messers. Fessenden, Collamer
Foote, Foster, Dixon, Ten Eyck, Bigler
Fitch, Bright, Rice. Kennedy. Hunter,
Clingman, Bragg, Iyerson, Clay. Fitzpat-
rick, Davis, Mallory. Yulee, Slidell, Benja-
min, lIemphill, Wigfall, Sebastian, Powell,
Crittenden, johnson. Nicholson, Green,
Polk, Latham, Baker, Lane. Pugh-35.
Nays. Messrs. Anthony, Bingham. Cam
cron. Chandler, Clark, DOOlittle, Grimes,
Hale, King, Salisbury, Seward. Summons,
sumner TrumbulI, Wade, Wilkinson, Will
son-l7.
Mr.. Davis addressed the Senate on the
state of the Union. He said, what is the
use to garrison States where there is no use
of defence2 The message had the charac-
teristics Of diplomacy. The Constitution
gave 10 power to coerce a State. IL gave
the Army purely for defence. When Ma
j0r Anderson dismantled the guns and burnt
the gun carriages, lie put South Carolina in
the attitude 0f his enem. The forts were
not built to war on South Carolina, but for
the protection Of Charleston harbor, and to
make that protection complete. The insur-
rectiUn in Pennsylvania, under WashingtOn's
is not like the present in
stance. The Government then assisted the
State in quelling it. Fort Washington, near
where the ashes of Washington repOse, IS
by force sent from the Washing
ton Navy Yard, for fear of a surprise.
vt the conclusion Of the speech of Nj
Davis, Mr.. Trumbull rose and said that the
Senator from Mississippi had assigned the
very reasons for maintaining the COnstitu-
ion and preserving the Union. When the
Senator from Mississippi was secretly in
formed, as it seems he was long ago, that
the public property of the United States at
Charleston was not to be protected, he
:hould have advised at that time, as a mill
-ary man, the President of the United States
10 put the public property at Charleston in
position To be defended. Secession then
would never have progressed SO far. But 1t
Gems that assurances were given that the
J nIted States would not protect itself. lt
Gems that it has been said Goon, you seced-
NJ States and gather strength, the United
'tates will do nothing to protect itself from
our assaults.
Mr.. Davis-I never heard that
Mr.. Trumbull-I understood the Senator
70 say that pledge had been given that the
OrtihcatiOns at Charleston should remain
Is they We're.
Mr.. Davis. Where did you get your in
Mr.. TrumbuH. [ don't know.
Mr.. Davis. In the newspapers?
Mr.. Trumbull.-I take it back if it is not
but | am Just informed by
enatOrs around me that the Senator from
lississippi did say SO in fact
Mr.. Trumbull.-I am informed that Major
anderson viii shell Charleston and burn it
} the ground, II another gun Is fired at the
tar Gt tie West. She was permitted to pass
trough the noble conduct of Major Ander-
IN. He saved the shedding Of blood there
Mr.. G-eCE.-DOes the Senator (TrumbulD
now on what grounds and what cause of
.st apprehension Major Anderson had in
aving Fort Moultrie and going to Fort
lmter?
Mr.. TrumbuH.-I suppose the whole coun-
Mr.. Green-I DO not want suppositions. |
ant facts
Mr.. Trumbull-The Senator Green knows
Fry well that South Carolina pretended to
'sume sovereignty. 1t has been publicly
liked about that she will be compelled, If
r sovereignty is denied, to assert her iuris-
ction.
Mr.. GTeen-Does her secession imply the
sht of jurisdiction over the whole territory?
Mr.. Trumbull-Her secession movement,
my judgment, is nothing QAughter)-
nothing but insurrectiOn. But not only
nth Carolina, where they have pretences
at secession is justifable, which really
l
\, were told that the public property could
seized without secession. Yet the Sena-
: from Mississippi says that the best way
avoid civil war is TO withdraw the forces,
d that the AIg under which he has so Of
q marched, should be taken down and the
llmetto flag run up in its place The
lestion is, can constitutional liberty be
this Government any power
-
Governm, nJ at all? The people of Hi
us believe ne have a Government, and that
e Government has power to maintain itself
not by making a civil war-not by inau-
rating a civil war-NO no We propose
execute the laws Of the Federal Govern
mt. They who commence the war on the
deral Government inaugurate the war.
hen did we ever talk Of cOercing State2
e Senator from Mississippi refers to the
invention which formed the Constitution
the United States, where it was argued
1t the Federal Government could not eoerce
State. agree with him there. Under
2 old Confederation the Government acted
the States.
Mr.. Green replied.-A State had a right
the Territories because the Territories be-
lged to all the States. 4 State had no
INT to 90 TO territory but a cltIzen had.
Tant to know whether all the citizens
d equal rights to enjoy their property un-
r the protection of law
Mr. Trumbull:-l deny that any State
right in the Territories and moro than
county has. For instance, Missouri and
Louis are equal there.
The debate that here ensued called up the
ssouri Compromise.
Mr. Trumbull said that the Missouri Com
mise did not establish Slavery South Of
80, but prohibited it North Of it.
1r, Mason.-The non-execution of the
: in non-slave-holding States shows the
: to be subject of no value.
'1r Mason moved to postpone the subject
til Saturday. Agreed to.