Year: 1861

was rebuked when did it. I appreheud
| the Senator will find that the construction
put upon the inaugural was the true one
and the policy which | indicated in the
remarks that [ have made is the one which
will be pursued, whether i: was originally
designed or not. | have had occasion to
remark heretofore, that when ninorities
become majorities they often fnd it nee
essarr to pursue policy which they were
in the habit of condemning before they as
sumed the responsibilities of power; and
trust that those who are now at the head
of the government are going to show .hem
selves equal to the emergency, and do
whatever the peace and safety and unity
of this government require, regardless of
what they thought they would do when
canvassing for votes previous to the elec>
| ton.


The Senator does not like the arguments
by which | have enforced my views in this
discussion. He objects to my arguments
because, he says, they tend to beIi.tls the
government and people of the United
States. Howl Do l belittle the govern
meut by telling the people that the Presi
dent has no constitutional or legal author.
ity to do thing which the constitution
and the laws forbid? Does he controyert
the truth or the accuracy of anv fact or
any principle of law that | asserted
What was it said and demonstrated, that
this Administration had no power to do
First, that they had no power to collect
tho ba.o alec IL
places designated by law =; end hence their
threat that they were going to collec. rev.
enue on shipboard, WAS threat to violate
the laws Of the land Second that under
| the constitution and laws, no Administra
ton has any power TO blockade the ports
OF this country and hence the threat to
blockade the Southern ports was a threat
to violate the constitution and laws of the
land. Third, that The President cannot
rlghuuliv use military force 10 execute the
Law, except In aid of the civil authorities
and hence the threat to do it without such
legal authority was threat to violate the
constitution and law. Demonstrating
these three propositions, the Senator thinks
1t bellttllng the Government and people OF
the United States! Ia it wise to make
our people believe that the President has
lawful authority to do that which the con
stitulion and laws foroid? Is it wise to
delude them into the belief that The party
just assuming power is going to do that
which the constitution does not permit
II is belittling this goverutnen. to say
that the administrators of this government
have no right to violate the constitution
and laws OF the country. Sir, our boast
is, that we live under a government of
laws; that the President and all in authors
ity under him are authorized to do that
which the law provides and nothing more.
When gentlemen are holding out the idea
to the country that they are going to coll
lect revenue and blockade ports and use
military force without authority of law in
violation of law, they are only proclaim
ing tha; their President is going to perjure
himself, and violate the oath he took to
| faithfully execute the laws


Mr. Howe-With the Senator's permis
sion, [ will call his attention to the point
of objection urged, 1t was. not that he
pointed out those legal embarrassments
but that he did not recognize the fact that
government. must have, and ought to have
revenues from all its ports and all it's com
merce and that instead of summoning
the people, or the representatives of the
people, to provide the necessary means
for getting it, he summoned the govern
mqnt to abandon the revenue.


Mr.. Douglas, Mr.. President tried dur.
ing the last session of Congress, when
| that side of the House were rushing thro
tariff bill that will destroy the revenues
to arrest its progress by showing them
that they were going to deprive the Gov
ernment of means. They would not listen
to the warning that were given them
They have rushed through the tariff bill
and now find themselves without capacity
to collect the revenue under it, and obiec,
because point out the defects in the law
1t was necessary to point out the defects
| in order to turn the attention Of the coun-
try to the fact that legislation is necessary
| in order to have revenue. | shalt regre,
| it much il it turns out to be so; but
apprehend that we shall have to be assem-
bled in extra session in a few months, to
undo on the subject of revenue what has
just been so reckessly and unwisely done.


But the Senator says that my pointing
out their inability, without violating the
constitution and the laws, TO do what their
parry leaders profess they are going to do
reminds him of the Tories of The RevoIu.
ton. He will not say that am a Tory
but be says my speech reminds him o
them. Well, sir, man may be reminded
of the Tories BY his antagonism to them
or by his own identity with them. l dc
not choose to say in which category the
Senator from Wisconsin is in. | have no
the slightest apprehension that the people
of the United States will regard me as ar
enemy to my country. / shall go into
20 defense of my patriotism or my devo
tion to the country; nor shall take any
exception to that line Of argument, which
dealt rather in insiDuations than direc
assertions for it seems impossible fo
Senators on that side of the chamber t.
make speech without impunging my mo
tives or assailing my character. 1t has be
come matter of habit with them. her,
and elsewhere; and suppose if shoulc


7 H.