Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-08-29
THE CONSTITUTION IN 1851 AND
IN 1866.

and by the diligeut and faithful historian
will be scrutinized with the greatest care.
During tbs time the outgoing President
Mr.. BUcHAEAE--was required to act. Con
! gress was in session three months, and was
required TO act. The incoming President
Mr.. LINCoLN-was required to act. How
they acted, and upon whom is TO be fixed
the terrible responsibility Of the great ca
lamity which either might have prevented
are questions which viii be discussed
with earnestDess and ability 20 long
as our nation shall have a record
among men, and perhaps viii never
be decided TO the entire satisfaction of all
who may make it a subject Of study. The
currents and the counter-currents which ran
at that time no actor seemed ableeither to cal
culate or control. All appeared to dread, for
none could fail TO foresee, that there was war
impending if wise, temperate and concilia-
tory measures did not prevail But this was
not less an apparent fact than that there
were influential men who sought the conflict,
and obstructed the plans proposed for pacif-
cation. The great body Of the people, too,
deprecating war, sought, in their primary
capacity, every means to avert il, and looked
to the conservative public men, in an out of
Congress, to suggest measures which would
permit that bitter cup to pass from them.
But the war came
There is one incident in the Congressional
proceedings Of that era which is of striking
interest," for it was the occasion which deci-
ded the turn of events Attentive and stu
dious observers did not fail to appreciate it
at the time, and, now, it is obvious to all.
We refer to the action of the United States
Senate on the Crittenden Compromise. It
is net necessary TO speak of that measure, in
the present connection, further than to say
that the proof is unquestionable that it was
a scheme Of adjustment which commanded
the acquiescence, if not the entire approval
Of the mass of the people of both sections;
and further that it is equally undeniable
that if its consideration had been approached
in the proper spirit it would have received
the approval of Congress, and been submit
ted to the ratification Of the people Of the
several States as an amendment to the Con-
stitution. The men then members of Con-
gress from the Southern States, who subse-
quently became the leaders of the Southern
Confederacy, had expressed themselves viii
ling to accept it as an adjustment-provided
the expositors Of Northern sentiment on the
floors Of both Houses would give guarantee
by their action that they would support and
abide by it. This was the erperimeatum cru
cis-the absolute and decisive test. What
was the result? Let us see.
Mr.. CLARK, a Republican Senator from
New Hampshire, on the Sd day of January,
1861, in the face of the strongly expressed
public sentiment of the country in favor of
the Crittenden adjustment, and acting as
the exponent of the Northern Senators, as .
class, who dared not vote directly against it,
offered substitute for its main features in
the following words:
''That the provisions of the Constitution
are ample for the preservation Of the Union
and the protection Of all the material inter
ests of the country; that it needs to be
obeyed rather than amended; and that an
extrication from the present dangers is to be
looked for in strenuous efforts to preserve
the peace, protect the public property, and
enforce the laws, rather than nguaranteesfor
particular difficulties, or concessions to un-
reasonable demands.
THAT all attempts TO dissolve the present
Union, or overthrow or abandon the present
Constitution, with the hope or expectation
Of constructing a new one, are dangerous,
illusory and destructive; that, in the opinion
Of the Senate of the United States no such
reconstruction is practicable; and, therefore,
10 the maintenance of the existing Union
and Constitution should be directed all the
energies Of the Departments Of the Govern
ment and the efforts of all good citizens"
This failed, as did the Crittenden propo-
sition, tc receive the requisite vote. Six
Southern Senators refused to vote at all, on
the ground that the Clark amendment,
while understandable per Sc was intended
as an evasion. 1t defeated an adjustment
however, and that question need not be pur-
sued further.
The object now in view is to cite attention
to the fact that this resolution was rendered
as the ultra Northern Republican ultima
tum, and to contrast it with the attitude now
occupied by that party. Then, on the eve
of civil war, it was declared that the COnsti
tuition was to be obeyed," not amended
that it was dangerous illusory and de-
structive 10 hope or expect to amend the
Constitution for the better preservation Of
the Union, and that reconstruction " under
such amended Constitution was impractiea-
bic, and further that the maintenance of the
Union under the Constitution a. it then ex-
listed was the highest duty of good citizens.
The Congress, the same men composing it,
in July, 1861, adopted the resolution declar-
ing the sole sheet Of the war then coming to
be the preservation of the Union as the Con-
stitution framed it. Obedience to the Con-
stitution was their prescription 10 prevent
the war and preserve the Union. 1t was
their avowed object to enforce It by the
prosecution of the war. They strenuously
opposed all suggestions of amendment as
preventive of the imminent conflict. They
secuted at special guarantees for particular
difficulties" or "as concessions to unreason-
able demands" They were willing to
attempt to tide the nation over the pillows,
and amid the breakers Of a civil war with
the Constitution unaltered, as a sure sheet
anchor of safety. The Southern States
fought through the war which was precipi-
lated upon them, and under the pressure of
defeat yielded. But is the party of pro-
gress" which protested to hold the Constitu-
ton as the Ark and Covenant Of the coun-
try's salvation satisfied to abide by their pro-
claimed ultmatum Of 1861?
II is not Now, seizing the moment Of
general decentralization produced in one sec
ton by the license assumed in a state Of war,
and the helplessness Of the defeated section,