Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-11
FIFTY YEARS AGO :.
IN THE STAR

Der 3. 1850, and President Buchanan trans
mitted his annual message
Presidents the next day. The Star
nr said in its issue of De-
A1eSs"sS' cember 4. regarding the
message:
The reading Of the Presidents annual
mes>age created an intense sensation to-
day in the House. which never before
. locked so like what it was designed for.
a deliberative assembly. Every member
| was apparently in his seat. listening with
dignity. decorum and bre,thless attention.
The galleries. too. fairly caught the in
fec,ion. 1t was a glorious sight indeed.
One might have almost dreamed that the
| fathers of the republic again occupied for
the ponce the high places that now
know them no more. The portion treat
ing OF secession formed the topic of in
| tense interest. 1t proved to be what
! might have been expected from President
Buchanan's public history and the we'll
known views upon the point in issue.
While showing that the Union is already
practically dismembered by an effort OF
South Carolina to secede. he disproves the
| right of secession is based. showing that
! it is naked revolution and nothing else.
| At the same time he demonstrates with
equal force the utter impolicy Of attempt
| ing to cure the difficulty by measures OF
coercion. He pledges himself to the exc
cution of the laws by the exercise of all
the powers Of the government really at
his command. and shows that without
| rnyfn mt
will be OF no avail in the emergency. The
! message is destined to form a landmark
IN the history of American public affairs;
iinsomuch as 1T will at once become the
platform upon which all conservative and
! really Cnion-loving men of the land must
! necessarily, as they will gladly, rally in
| this most momentous contest in which
our country ever became involved"
| :. =
A practical question Immediately arose
as to the best method of treating the
| questions raised by the
Secession Presidents message. In
Committee. The lss, Star ar, of f December 5.
printed:
ct is understood that Speaker Penning-
ton avows the determination to compose
| the committee Of one from each state,
| ordered by the House Yesterday, alto
gether of conservative members, of gen.
tlemen earnestly anxious for a settlement
of the current threatening troubles within
| the Union. This is as it should be. If so
appointed the committee may accomplish
something toward inducing Alabama,
Mississippi and Georgia to pause ere de-
termining to sacrifice the Unicn without a
serious and sincere effort to preserve the
rights of the south without the destruc-
ton of the many inc0mpa. able blessings
which the whole confederacy undeniably
enjoy under the existing government, but
hardly otherwise"
The committee was named the following
| day, the announcement being carried by
The Star of December +. The following
| members of the House were selected by
the Speaker to consider that part of the
Presidents message treating of secession:
Corwin of Ohio, Millson of Virginia,
North Carolina, Humphrey of New York,
| Boyce of South Carolina, Campbell of
| Pennsylvania, Love of Georgia. Ferry of
Connecticut. Davis of Maryland, Robin
| ware, Tappan OF New Hampshire, STRAIT
ton of New Jersey, Bristow of Kentucky,
Morrill, of Vermont, Nelson cf Tennessee,
| Dunn of Indiana, Taylor CT Louisiana,
Davis Of Mississippi, Kellogg of Illinois,
Houston Of Alabama. Morse of Maine.
Phelps Of Missouri, Rusk of Arkansas.
Howard of Michigan, Hawkins of Flori-
da. Hamilton of Texas, Washburn of
fornia. Window of Minnesota, Stout of
Oregon.
All was not harmony in the states ia
voring secession. In The Star of Decem.
Der s, 1860. is the follow
Southern ing paragraph:
-. THE South Carolina
OAscoiu. legislature is at logger
heads about the matter Of offering the
new army to be raised in that state. TIE
democracy of the rural districts is wag-
ing fierce war against the dOmineering au-
tocracy of Charleston, which clique is
fighting for a monarchical form of gov
eminent, and entertains purpose ia
make the governor of the state a military
chieftain with sovereign power. Mr.. Gun
ningham of the house, who is put for
ward by the committee to take all the re-
sponsibility of extreme sentiments. has
openly avowed his hatred of democracy
in the camp. He considered the common
soldier as incapable of an elective choice.
} The opposing or thoroughly democratic
party of the house, while avowlng strong
secession sentiments, are nevertheless bit
ter stickers for popular rights and will
stand out lot tneNn. AS YET tney nave
been able to obtain few concessions. They
have caused the army bill now under con-
sideration to be modified to such an eX-
tent that the governor shall appoint gen.
eral and field officers by and with the all
vice and consent of the senate The de-
bate in the South Carolina house OF rep
resentatives Tuesday last was bitterly
acrimonious.
i The WINDOW WlSHERS.