Year: 1861

: cdlleu hueu eAclt6heuI Is dI IeNeT neat
, Like them it is to meet forthwith. N
time is given for the Commissioners to stud,
. the grave questions which will come be


fore them or to make themselves acquain
. ted with the feelings and wishes of tn


people they are to represent. Their ae
, ton is designed to affect the very organi


zation of the nation itself, and il canno


be concealed that it is expected to super


vene the action of Congress, and to die
!, tate to that body what amendments to thu


National Constitution shall be submitted


These characteristics make it too similar


to the Secession conventions of the Cottor


States to be very attractive to Union mel


of the North.


But it is not the theory and plan of the


convention alone that is Objectionable 1t.


practical action may give us cause fol


alarm How will it be composed? How


many States will be represented? Unless
the time of its meeting is greatly delayed


distant States cannot send commissioners
: even if they desire it; and have California


and Oregon no interest in the questions


to be decided there? 1 was surprised to


hear yesterday from the Senator from Del


aware (Mr. jones' what sounded like an


assertion that those States had no inter


est in the convention. Does distance, Sir,


make the Union of any less consequence to


then than to US, or can it give Us aGy au-


thority for acting without their advice


and their voice in our councils?


: Mr.. JONES. What 1 ment to say Mr..


President. was that 1 looked upon this con-


vention as chiefly intended for the border
States, and therefore thought it should not


be delayed for those distant States to send


commissioners


Mr.. COX. I think, Mr.. President, the


Senator has mistaken the purport of the


invitation. All the States which see fit to
join in the Convention are invited to send
commissioners, and the subject before the


convention will be the full investigation of
present difficulties and the modes of cure


The language of the Virginia resolution
is that the convention is called, "to avert
so dire calamity" as ga permanent disso-
luton of the Union" Have California
and Oregon no part in that matter? The
invitation has been extended to New York
and New England. and the telegraph in
forms US that the matter is under consider
alton in the Legislatures of these States


Are they "border States?' If Ma.sachu-
sets should be there, is the absence ofCal-
ifornia and Oregon of no consequence
Sir, it becomes US to think whether there
may not be grand reasons for being practi-
cally careful that the Pacific States, are
consulted in what we do. They are sep
Grated from us by deserts and wilds more
impossible than oceans, and in every cir
cumstance of climate and distance find in
ducements to regard. themselves country
foreign to US. They have among them
ambitious agitatOrs who would willingly
pursuade them that grand Independent
Empire can easily be founded on the Pacific
coast and if we show a willingness to ex-
clude them from voice in determining
what shall be done in such a crisis, we
may soon find to our sorrow that we
have excited a spirit of disunion among
them, without quelling it nearer home.


But, Sir, let US consider the external
circumstances under which the convention
will meet. 1t is notorious that for weeks
past the people of Washington and the
mem bers of Congress there have felt that
the condition of that city was little better
than if it were in state of seige. An
armed attack upon that city on any day
would hardly surprise US. The authori-
ties there are agitated also and by rumors (
Of dissaffection and plots of insurrection
within the capital. 1t is the manifest
policy of the government to keep the fed
eral city as quiet, and as free from extra
ordinary gatherings of people as possible,
so that the probabilities of a peaceful close
IF the session of Congress may be multi
Piled, and in the event of an outbreak the
troops which are there to keep the peace
may have as little to embarrass them as
possible As an additional reason why
his quiet should be maintained, we should
emember that within the fortnight to
.ome the votes for the new administration
must be counted in open Senate, and !
hreats have not been wanting that that
ccasion should be the signal for violence. '
Under these circumstances shall we join In ]


movement whose natural effect must be I
0 call together a great crowd of excited |
pectators, mostly from the State of Mary {
and and Virginia? VIII it add to the i
of a peaceful settlement of I
ur difficulties if Northern and Southern '
nen meeting there in the lObbies of the U
and stimulated by the very
ubjects in dispute, should find themselves a
lvOlved in riOtous afrays? s


Let us suppose, however, that the con- G
ention meets, and none of the dangers Il
re realized, as we will continue to hope C
ley will not be: What will be the prob V
bic result of the convention? Sir, ma I
'rity of those whose opinions l have heard, S
ave said they have little expectation that b
nv agreement will be reached in that con- Il
sntiOn. If not is it not manifest that it t
ould be better for the convention not to Il
eet at all? The secessionists will raise h
lie shout, We told you so, and exaggera- a
ng the disagreement into positive proof n
lat we are determined to wrong them, Il
ley will spur and drive the border State IT
,ople into more rapid compliance with d
Ieir disunion plans. U
But if the convention should agree upon st
me changes in the Federal Constitution p
nd report them to Congress to be submit CT
d to the people, could their action be au- NJ
oriative or not? Ifit would. it would only p'
owe what l said at the outset, that the OF
ovement is revolutionary one, usurping


power belonging to Congress and the 81
institution. We should be meeting Sc th
sion by disregard of the constitution NJ
elf. and should give the disOrganizers of BY
e South the benefit of our own example ql
d authority to excuse their uncOrstitu- sh
nal modes of redressing thtir pretended of
evances. If their action would not be au- bU
oritative. Congress would have the whole nc
bject to discuss and examine again with ju
: additional embarrassment that if their vi