The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1899-01-07
ME recent explosion Of gas in the
basement of the United States

N l. leCeue eSplCsiou vi gas III bhe
basement of the United States
4 Supreme Court room recalls to
my mind an incident which oc-
CURED in that very room just SO wears ago,
when used for the meetings OF the Senate
of these United States. The gradual in
crease OF our population, the admission OF
tors from those states made the old Sen
ate Chamber too small and inconvenient to
accommodate the increased number, aud
two wings were built to the Capitol, and
the old Senate Chamber was fitted up for
the present Supreme Court.
On Tuesday, December the 29h, 1929
the first note OF secession was sounded in
that loom. 1t was hearalded under p diff
ferent name. 1t was called nMiifcdiion !;
not secession. 1t was not then the aepare.
ton of the South from the North as con-
tended for in our last rebellion, but the
threatened withdrawal Of the West from
the East an account of the opposition made
by the Eastern Senators to the admission of
slavery in the new Western States, recently
admitted into our Union. At that tim e
the United States Senate was composed Of
men of great intelligence and integrity.
John c. Calhoun was the Vice President of
this country, and consequently the Presi
dent OF the Senate. Senators Daniel Web
ster from Massachusetts, Samuel A. Foote
of Connecticut, Robert Y. Hayne from
South Carolina, Thomas H. Benton from
Missouri, were the chief participants in the
debate which followed the introduction Of
an apparently harmless resolution Offers d
in the Senate chamber by Senator Foote,
on the Doth of December, 1929 That res
olution was as follows:
"Rcsolrcd, That the COMMITTEES on public
lands be instructed to inquire and report
the quantity Of public lands remaining un-
sold within each State and Territory, and
whether it be expedent to limit for GER
tain period the sales of the public lands to
such lands only as has heretofore been Of
fered for sale, and are subject to entry at
the minimum price. And also whether the
Office OF Surveyor. General and some of the
land-oflicers may not be abolished without
detriment to the public interest
Senator Foote had not the least idea that
the Offering Of the above resolution would
cause so much commotion in the Senate.
To him it appeared to be perfectly harm
less. He only intended thereby to inquire
as to the quantity Of public lands remain
ing unsold within each State and Territory,
and whether it would not be expedient to
limit their sale and il the services Of the
Surveyor General might not be dispensed
with and some of the land offices abolished
without hurting anybody. The Northern
and Eastern Senators favored the adoption
OF the resolution. But the South and West
were jealous of the East and North. The
South and West wanted Sinr0y implanted
in the newly admitted states of the West.
The North and East tacitly opposed it
Like skilful gamblers, each party concealed
his hand. Every resolution that was offer
ed was carefully scrutinized to see ii it n"re
anything either in favor of or against
slavery. The above resolution proved to be
the spark which ignted the train leading
to the magazine which in a short time
would explode and clear up every doubt az
to whether the Constitution of this country
was a mere bubble or if its founders had
placed it on bedrock foundation. The
resolution was resisted by Mr.. Benton as
soon as offered las resolution to inquire
into the expediency of committing great
injury upon the states Of the West. lie
did not state what this great injury"
would be, but every one knew exactly
what he meant thereby "the exclusion OF
slavery" from the new states. Senator
Holmes, of Maine, supported the resolution
He, being from Maine, was looked upon
with suspicion by the Southern and West
ern members. Mr.. Foote, the originator
of the motion, dsclamed any motive IN
friendly to the West, by Offering the reso
lutlon. lie appears to have taken no par'
in the subsequent debate. He virtually
dropped out Of the discussion, and no doub
was amazed, surprised and bewilderec
when ne saw the great minds Of the Senate
intlamed and arrayed, both for and agains
the adoption OF his harmless resolution
After several Senators had spoken and th
debate had become somewhat personal, i
was agreed that the further discussion 0
the Resolution should be deferred unit
Monday, the 18th day Of January, 1880
and that its further consideration should b
made the special order Of the day. But 70
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