The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-01-23
TIlRTY-SXTN CONGRESS...SECOND SESSION
SENATE.

WASHINGTON, January 22.-Mr. SEWARD pre-
sented the petition of f. G. Delevan, of Albany,
suggesting the appointment of officers in all ports
ofentry to prevent the importation of deleterious
hquors.-Aiso, memorial from seven hundred
and fortvsix citizens of New York city on the state
OF the country. Also another memorial signed bv
eighteen thousand citizens of New York in favor of
compromise and concession; laid on the table,
Mr.. SALISBURY presented the resolutions of the
State of Delaware, directing her Senators and Re-
presentatves to their best efforts for the passage
of the Crittenden resolutions or some other means
of preserving the Union; ordered to be printed
Mr.. BlGLER presented petitions asking the pass
age of Mr.. Crittendens resolutions. Also the pro.
ceedings ofseveral meetings in Pennsylvania.--Mr
FITCH moved that the Vice President be authorized
to fill the vacancies on the several COMMITTEES.
The VICE PRESIDENT said that there was no
record on the journal of the absence of any Sena-
of absence, the of all being still called on the
roll. He would like the Senate to instruct wheth-
er he should recognize their absence.--Mr.
FITCH suggested that there were vacancies on the
Committees, and the Chairman might report the
absence so far as the Committees were concerned.
MIR. HALE thought that would be the proper
way.-Mr. DOUGLAS said there seemed to be
no trouble on this point. We have been notified
that certain Senators have retired and do not in
tend to be here again this session, hence there are
vacancies. Their taking leave had nothing to
do with the question whether the State
out of the Union not.-Mr. TRUM-
BULL thought that his colleague was right
He thought their names should be stricken from
the roll, and be considered Senators no longer-
Sir. SALISBURY contended that retiring Seua-
tors had right at any time to come back and vote
MIR. DOUGLAS could not admit that they had
any such power They could not recall their act
of resignation and could only enter this chamber
by the courtesy of the body.-Mr. BENJAMIN
denied that the seeding States were in the Union
The fact was that they were out, and the Federal
Government had power within their limits.
The official record should show that certain Sen
ators had resigned and left the body, and he Of
fered preliminary motion that the jour
nal be corrected to show that fact.-Mr
FESSENDEN asked if the Senator believed the re-
firing Senators had a right to remain, after their
States had seceded.-Mr. .BENJAMIN-sCleary
not."--Mr. SEWARD was in favor of allowing
the seeding Senators to return in their own good
pleasure. He hoped the day would not be far dis
tsnt.--Mr. FESSENDEN thought the action of
the Secretary vas entirely irregular and of no
legal effect. Their withdrawal, however, was
tantemount to a resignation, though they had not
observed the usual form. If the Legislature of
Mississippi were to elect two Senator's and the
old Senators were to return, which were entitled
to seats, would depend upon the fact whether or
not any resignation had been made-all they said
was, in consequence of the action of their State,
they were no longer members of this Body. This,
however, constituted a resignation as much as
though they had used the precise words.--Mr.
| HUNTER did not understand that the Senators had
resigned, and the Senate should not so treat their
action. They had withdrawn because their States
| had withdrawn the authority by which they sat
| here. If he thought. gentlemen did, that
the States had no right to withdraw then it would
be competent to compel their attendance by the Ser
| geant-at- Arms. He thought, however, the vacan-
| cies on the Committees might be filled.-The VICE
| PRESIDENT saidhe should consider himself in
structed to fill the vacancies upon the Committees
| Mr.. BENJAMlN'S resolution read 1t proposed
to enter upon the journal of Yesterday the fact thai
the Senators from Mississippi, Alabama and Florida
| had withdrawn because their States had assumed
the powers which they had delegated tc
| al art
| LAS offered a substitute, simply stating the
! fact that certain Senators had wthdrawn--Mr
| SEWARD thought the discussion improbable, anC
moved to lay the whole subject on the table,
| Mr.. DOUGLAS thought they had better settle the
question at once. Itmght arise before the close o
the day upon the question of determining wha
| constituted quorum. - Mr.. BAKER did not be
lieve any of the States had a right 20 secede. He
| accepted the withdrawal of the Senators as an ac
| of resignation; he would be unwilling to recev.
the Senators back unless they were reelected HI
did not recognize secession in any way.-Mr
MASON said he thought it would be neces
sary to correct the journal before they
could transact business. The facts of the ast
| should go upon the jOurnal-Mr. BENJAMIN
| said the withdrawal and the ground OF
| it, were facts which they had no right to exclude
| from the journal Whether not the withdr aw a
| was resignation, was conclusion drawn from thu
facts about which there might be a difference o
opinion.-Mr. DOUGLAS agreed that they coult
not exclude facts from their pi ioceedipgs The rea
sons of the retiring Senators were not properl,
| proceedings of the body They should not q
upon the record, for many of their statements wer
not In accordance with the truth of history.--Th
subject, having been debated at some length wa
laid on the table. Yeas 80; nays 90. AS follows:
Yeas-Messrs. Anthony, Baker. Bigler, Bingham
Chandler, Clark Collamer, Critenden Dixon Doolittle
Durkee Fessenden Fitch, Foot, Foster Grimes, Gwi1
Hale, Harlan johnson Of Tennessee, King, Latham
Morrill, Salisbury, Seward Simmons, Sumner Te
Eyek, Thomson, Wade, Wilkinson and wson-S2
| Nays-Messrs. Benjamin. Bragg, Bright, Cngmar
- Green, HemDhjll. Hunter
Arkansas, Kennedy, Lane, Mason Nicholson, Pearc
POLK Lowell Rice, Sebastian, Slidell, Trumbu and Wiz
Mr.. MASON, from the Committee on Foreign A
fairs, reported bill to carry into effect the Cor
Venuon between the United States and New Graz
ada.-Mr. GWIN moved to take up the Pacif
} Railroad bill, but subsequently withdrew it, an
the Crittenden resolutions were taken up.-M
POW ELL, OF Kentucky, made lengthy speech i
support OF the resolutions. He thought our diff
culties arose not from any defect in our instit,
tion but from wild and reckless spirit which DR.
f vailed. For the first forty years of our nation,
existence the rights of all sections were respected
but since lSzo, increasing warfare had been mad
upon the institutions of the South. Mr.. Powe
went into lengthy narrative of the grievances G
the South and in the course of his remarks charge
: that Ohio had in refusing to deliver up a fug
tive from justice violated her constitutional obg
tions.-Mr. WADE denied the statement an
| called for specific alegations.-Mr. powell
said the Senator's colleague had admitted the fac
and the specifications had time and again been fu
nlshed. be proceeded to charge the Presidel
, elect with being in favor of excluding slavery fro
} the Territories and opposed to the admission
more slave States.-Mr TRUMBULL denie
that the latter charge was correct and read fro
; Mr.. Lincoln's speeches in 1858 to show it-M
POWELL said if he had done any iuju
tlce to the President elect he would co
rect the statement But it made very Ii
tie difference, as it not denied that he wishe
to exclude slavery in the territories, and if th
was done, there could be no more slave States
Referring to the doctrine of coercion, he said
was unconstitutional. Coercion was war, and W,
was dissolution. He was opposed to the action
South Carolina as being hasty, and had hoped tn
she would have taken counsel with the other Sout