Year: 1860

He claimed the right Of Congress to INQUIRE into the cha
racer of the institution Of slavery upon the ground soe
that it is sought to extend it unsettled Territories
For the hrst time In political history party has beer
organized with the avowed purpose of oyertbronp thu
in the event of their being unable TO control
at the balobox had been said by prominent men OF
t9e otser side that If Republican President should bt
elected they would resist his Inauguration by force-r
other words they would commit treason against the United
States while others had said in that event they would
cede from the Conederacy The Democratic party hav
ing been eight years power boldly proclaimed tina


another four lease of the power and patronage
Government should be denied them they would overturr
the Government-that they will rule this Government
rum it And no Northern Democrat had yet seen .ht +
dlsclaim that doctrine -.


Mr. NIBLACK of Indiana said he did not think it worth
While to disclaim such charge No could receive
hve votes in his district who favor of the dissolution
OF this Union for any and that the unanimous
sentiment of the Northwest Those who advanced this
doctrine of secession spoke only for their section


Mr. ENGLISH, of Indiana said he had disclaimed the
idea of dissolution of the Unon and announced early the
session that eorpora guard of Northern Democrats
could be found ready to go out of the Union.


Mr.. STANTON said these Northern Democrats were
aiding this dsunion party and endeavorng to build up for
them sympathzng party the free States Was it not
his duty American citizen to exclude from the Gov
ernnent men whose party purposes were stronger than
their patriotismf


Mr. MILLSON, of Virginia, said there were not above


dozen Democratic members present, and it hardly
fair to take their silence assent He did not mean to be
drawn into any untmey unnecessary expression of bis
position the question which the gentleman consider
ing but suggested that he supposng that
any Democrat North South had declared it to be the
purpose OF his party to destroy the Union in the event OF
the election OF opposing candidate for the Presidency
Southern gentlemen who had been alluded to only
ed their own sentiments those of their constituents
: the sesflments of the Democratic party


Mr.. STANTON did not suppose it would be put in the
party platform had been ayOwed the purpose of the
party organization but he understood the declarations
the opponents the representative of the party
dlcate the purposes OF the party The gentleman from V
gina had not dsclaimed the purpose for himself


Mr. MlLLSON discalmed the right of the gentleman to
1nfer his opinions or position until he chose them
Whist does dsunion mean 1t means battle and murder
1t means widows and orphans it means tears and lamen-
tations and anguish If contingency should
which, IN his opinion, invoked the decision of awful
momentous question he would seek some place of retire.
ment, and there pray that Almighty Wisdom would enable
him to dispose of issue loo great for the eebeness
of man.


Mr. STANTON said no gentleman on that side occupied


higher and leading position than the gentleman
from Virginia deservedy held His sincerity and integrity
were unquesoned upon any side of the House and yet he
did not feel prepared to say he would not be in favor
of secession dissolution in the event of the election of
Republican President. For himself it his settled con-
VctOn that the way to perpeuate this Union by the
election of Republican President


He eontended that the people of the South had been
deceived as TO the purposes OF the Republican party and
IN SIX months after Republican President should be
elected they would be undeeeived and Republican party
would spring up in all the Southern States He de-
Tended the party against the charges of being aggressive
and sectional and maintained that their only purpose
TO administer the Government the spirit of its ramers
and Tor the benefit and protection of all sections III the
Democratic party should succeed upon the doctrine that
slavery Is national dangerous agitation and excitement
would continue He replied to various nterrogatores of
Southern gentlemen 10 the and objects of the Re-
publican party and the necessity for the expansion of the
institution of slavery


Mr.. ASHMORE, of South Carolina, made some obser-
vatons by way of reply to Mr. STANTON in relation to
the educational system of his State Nearly every planter
had school for his children and for those of his
seers, and wherever there sufficient population to
warrant 1t free common schools sustained The next
census would show that South Carolina well provided
any other State with educational institutions higher
grade In manufactures and the mechanic arts they
not backward had been supposed He charged that
his people to of danger from Northern aggression


Mr.. LONGNECKER, of Pennsylvania, obtained the
floor when the committee rose and at o'clock the House
adjourned.