The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-02-05
THlRTY,SIyTH C0yGgESS---S .c0yD sGSSI0,
SENATE.

resoutious-Mr. WILSON offered a resolution
ofinquiry, asking the President to communicate tC
! the Senate whether any forts, arsenals, arms OF
/ munitions of war belonging to the United States
i have been seized by any persons in the
! State of Louisiana, and especially whether
| the Mint of the United States at New Orleans
! has been taken possession of unlawfullr by any
/ persons, and if anv money Of the United States
! and how much, has been unawlully appropr
! ated by any persons, and by whom. Laid OVER
/ Mr.. CHANDLER presented the petition Of certain
/ citizens of Michigan, demonstrating against any
! change OF the C0nstjtutiOn.--Mr BlGLER pre-
sented petitions in favor of the Critenden resou-
| tions.-Mr. FOSTER presented the memorial OF
certain citizens of Connecticut, asking the passage
of the Border State resolutions. s.--Mr. FESSEN-
! DEN presented a petition in favor of restor-
ing peace to the country, aud preserving
the bond of fathers.-Mr. SLlDELL sent
up to the clerks table to be read the Ordinance of
Secession passed by the State OF LOuisiana.-
Mr.. SLlDEiL said the occasion called for some re
marks in parting from those who were about to
leave to form a rev Confederacy. In doing so,
they would not attempt to improve the Constitu
tion of the United States, and would recognize eX-
istng treaties, including that for the suppression
of the Afr lean slave trade. He would be willing
to assume the payment of their Just proportion OF
the public debt, and to account for all public pro-
perty seized in seiEdeenca. lie would also recog-
niZe the free navigation Of the Mississippi river.
The South wished for peace, but that de-
pended upon the North lie thought if the
separation peaceful, reconstruction
was possible. Coercion was impracticable, and if
blockade of Southern ports attempted, for
eign nations would be compelled to raise it. He
concluded BY thanking Senators for the cOurtesies
received at their hands.-Mr. BENJAMIN en-
dorsed the action of Louisiana eminently wise
and proper. 1t had been said that his State occu-
pied an exceptional position, because she had been
purchased. If this were true they could sell for q
price that which was bought for price, and free
white men could be transferred chattes. lie
denied that Louisiana ceded to the
United States to be bought or sold at will. The
archives Of the State Department would demon
strate that although the domain was conveyed to
the United States By absolute title, sovereignty
never was conveyed otherwise than in trust. fhe
express language Of the treaty was, that the pe0
pie should be protected in their property and the
free exercise of their religion; and further, that
they should be admitted into the Union upon an
equality with the other States. The pcO-
pie Of Louisiana would never have ed.
mitted the s}avish doctrine that they could
be bought and sold. Oar treaty gave them the
right to carry their property into any portion of
the ccdeC territory, but this had been fagrantly
violated in the compromise act of 1920. Louisan!
had the same sovereign power as Firginia-neith"r
more nor less. The assertion Of the Northern
men that secession could be punished as treason if
carried ont, would make the Government mon
strOUs despotism and the Southern States
mere provincial dependencies, entirely undsr
the control Of the Northern iaajartv.
1t said that the doctrine Of secession would
make the government a mere rOpe of sand. This
WAS not true The exercise Of the right of .ceg-
sion had been but twice in the history Of the g0v-
ernment seriously threateBed-bY Massachusetts,
in 1872, when she S0Ugh to escape the dangers of
Il foreign war, and by the same State when Texas
was admitted. But it would be better that the
Union were r0pc of saEd-the mcrest gossamer
that glistened with the morning dew-than that
they should be doomed to ages Of hopeless
bondage. But they were told that the
South was in rebellion, and that they
must enforce the laws and collect the revenue
The very word rebellion was confession Of out.
rage and aggression, for when did millions of men
rise in rebellion against honor truth and ustic?
Men did not make war upon their benefactOTs. No
intelligent people ever did rise against govern
ment, just sincere and benevolent Treason was
charged-the people of the South goried in such
treason. It was the treason of Hampden, Of
Henry and of " ashngtnn. The Republicans wished
to know whether they had government: whether
they could collect the revenue. Those are the
very words of Lord North in the British Pariia-
ment century ago. Lord North referring to the
seizure of the tea at Boston, said the only question
to be decided whether they had any authority
there-they had either to punish, control. or Weld
to the colonists. He proposed to close the port Of
Boston just as Massachusetts, now proposed to
blockade Charleston. This was the recompense
Charleston received fo- having made common cause
with Boston in 17I6 Referring to the proposition to
execute the laws, Mr.. Bcrj amin said:-So, sir.
in the address sent under the royal sign manual
to The Parliament, it invoked measure
'f0r the better enforcing Of the laws" just
segvile Executive under the influence of the sns-
ter cOunse!s OF insane ministers, is proposing.
with your assent, to secure the better enforce
ment of the laws by bl0ckadng ports and turning
upon the people of the States the armarnentS
which they purchased at their own expense
for their own defence, AID entrusted to
you and him for this and no
other purpose. Nay, even in States that are now
exercising the most precious privileges of ireemen,
where there is secession, where the citizens are
assembling to hold peaceful election for consider
M cG2HEss cue e aaGt8P Rdf 1d6 dg9qd
in Virginia herself the people casting their
sutIrages beneath the undisguised menaces OF a
fr0wnng fortress. Cannon are brought to bear
their peaceful homes, and parricdal hands are pre-
paIiag weapons for rending the bosom Of the mother
Of Washingto Bepjami then proceeded /
to say that the North appeared to be willing to
abandon every thing else but the collection Of the
tribute. After the Southern Senators had left
there would be still voices raised on that side Of
the chamber in opposition to force bs--to bills
for raising armies and naves for the desolation Of
the South. Mr.. Benjamin concluded as follows
"And now to YOU, Mr. President, and to my brother
Senators on all sides Of this chamber, l bid re-
spectful farewell. With many of those from whom
have been radically separated in politica! senti-
ment, my personal relations have been kindly, and
have inspired me with a respect and esteem that !
shall not willingly forget. With these acound me
from the Southern States, | part as men
part from brothers on the eve of temporary alb
sence, with cordial pressure of the hand and
milling assurance of the speedy renewal of sweet in
tercouyse around the family hearth. But to YOU,
noble and generous friends, ,who born beneath other
skies, possess hearts that beat in sympathy with
ours-to you who, solicited and assailed by motives
the most powerful that could appeal to selfish ma
lures and noby spurned them ALTO you who, on
our behalf, have barred your breasts to the fierce
beatings of the storms and made willing sacrifice of
life's most glittering prizes in your devotion to
constitutional fberty-to you who have
many Of whom | now feel that | part forever,
what shall | say ? Nought | know and feel is
needed for myself but this | will say for the peo-
pie in whose name speak to-day. Whether pros
porous adverse fortunes await you, priceless
treasure is yours-the assurance that entire peo
pie have your names and hold them in grateful and
afectjonate memory. But with still sweeter and
more touching return shall your unseltish devotion
be rewarded. When in after days the story of the
present shall be written; when history shall have
passed her stern sentence on the erring
men who have driven unotfendipg brethren
from the shelter of their common home, your
names shall derive fresh lustre from the contrast;
and when your children shall hear, oft-repeated,
the familiar tale, twill be with glowing cheek and
kindng eye their very souls will stand tip-toe as
their sires named; and they will glory in their
lineage from men, OF spirits as generous and of
patriotism as high-hearted as ever illustrated or
adorned the American Senate Good friends, fare
well.--[ Mr.. Benjamin was frequently greeted
with applause, particularly at the close. great
number of Senators and others bid the Louisiana
Senator farewell, ana the scene was highly in.
pressve. The galleries were crowded. =
The Presidents message being taken up, Mr..
CLlNGMAN said the message commendabe in
tone and spirit. He would vote for the Crittenden
proposition, or any others looking peace, but the
Democratic side of the Chamber could accomplish
little Compromises, to be effective, should be
proposed by the Republicans. The speech of the
Senator from New ! ork, though conciiiatorv in
tone, had failed to satisfy the expectations of the
country, and did not meet the issue. The remedies
proposed By the Senator from New York would
not meet the case. The Republican Senators
seemed to underrate the secession move
ment. Mr.. Clingman then proceeded at
great length to show that the South would be uni
ted unless the North made concessions. He depre-
Gated the idea of coercion and trusted war would
not result. If war did ensue, the North would find
many Of her own citizens not acting cordially with
her.-Mr. HALE said that the first thing they
would do at the North, should unhappily oc-
cur, would be to hang the Northern traitors.-
Mr. LANE wanted to know, right now, who the
traiters indicated were.-Air. HALLE will tell
just those men who will be found fighting
he supposed the Senator referred to those
the Constitution and the equality of the States.
The Senator should not call him a traitor. lie
would permit no to do so.-Mr. HALE said
he wished no controversy with the Senator from
Oregon, and would define no mans position. lie
would however repeat, that if thev forced in
to war, they would take care first of those who
contended against their States. Referring to an
allasiOn of Mr.. Clingman TO the secession Of the
Ten Tribes, he said the ark Of the living God re-
mained with Judah. [Appause.1 He hoped the
fate of the SOuth WOuld not be that of the Ten