CONGRESS, COXEEDEPwATE. 



213 



question. Are you for peace on any other 

 terms than that of the independence of the 

 South ? 



Mr. Leach. I am for peace on the basis of 

 the independence of the South if it can be ob- 

 tained ; but if not, then I am for peace on the 

 best terms we can get, short of subjugation. 

 Is the gentleman satisfied ? 



Mr. Staples "I am not. 1 ' And he was 

 about to proceed to address the House, when 

 Mr. Atkins, of Tennessee, objected, a unani- 

 mous consent being necessary, and further de- 

 bate prevented. 



In the House, May 23, Mr. J. T. Leach, of 

 Xorth Carolina, submitted the following pre- 

 amble and resolutions : 



t, The unconstitutional enactment of laws 

 bv the Congress of the United States, upon subjects 

 of vital importance to the harmony and independence 

 of the States, the happiness and prosperity of the 



people, the preservation and perpetuation of the 



of jus 

 and admonitions of her best and wisest statesmen, 



Union, against the demands of justice, the appeals 



made it our painful duty to fall back upon the rights 

 for which the colonies maintained the war of the Rev- 

 olution, and which our forefathers asserted and 

 maintained to be clear and inalienable. 



Kesolted, By the Congress of the Confederate 

 States, That the delegates from each State, acting in 

 its sovereign and independent character, for the pur- 

 pose of adding moral to our physical force, and plac- 

 ing ourselves properly before the civilized world, 

 do most earnestly appeal to the President, by and 

 with the advice and consent of the Senate, to appoint 

 Commissioners whose duty it shall be to propose an 

 armistice of ninety days, to the proper authorities of 

 the Federal Government, preliminary to negotiation 

 upon State sovereignty and independence ; and the 

 said Commissioners shall report in writing to the 

 President the answer received from the Federal Gov- 

 ernment upon the subject. 



Betotved, That should the peace-making power of 

 the Federal Government accede to the proposition for 

 an armistice of ninety days, the President be re- 

 quested to convene the Congress of the Confederate 

 States for the purpose of appointing Commissioners, 

 by and with the consent and advice of the Senate ; 

 and that he be also requested to notify the Executives 

 of the several States of the fact, and ask their co- 

 operation by appointing Commissioners, either by 

 the Legislature or Convention, to cooperate with the 

 Commissioners appointed by the President, and to 

 negotiate with the Commissioners appointed by the 

 Federal Government, upon such terms of peace as 

 will be consistent with the honor, dignity, and inde- 

 pendence of the States, and compatible with the 

 safety of our social and political rights. 



Batefad, That in maintaining the rights guaran- 

 teed to us by the blood and treasure of our revolu- 

 tionary fatheYs, and dear at all times to freemen, we 

 d&irebe let alone. We take no man's property; we 

 fight not for conquest, but for our rights, the" inde- 

 pendence of the States, our equality, our civil and 

 religious liberties. 



I^fohed, That such terms of peace as are agreed 

 to by the Commissioners, ought to be indorsed by 

 the President and Senate, and submitted to the peo- 

 ple for their ratification or rejection. 



Mr. Foote, of Tennessee, moved the reference 

 of the preamble and resolutions to the Com- 

 mittee on Foreign Affairs. 



Mr. McMullen inquired whether the subject 

 of the resolution was not a proper one for the 

 secret session. 



Mr. Leach said he desired it io be discussed 

 in open session. 



Mr. Conrad rose to a point of order. A rule 

 was adopted at the last session, which is still in 

 force, requiring that all such resolutions be re- 

 ceived and discussed in secret sessions. 



The Speaker said that such a rule had been 

 adopted, but it had special reference to the last 

 session. 



Mr. Leach insisted that the importance of the- 

 question involved in the resolutions should com- 

 mend them to the grayest considerations of the 

 body. They were not his views only, but the 

 views of his constituents, and a good portion 

 of the people of North Carolina. 



Mr. Garland, of Arkansas, hoped the gentle- 

 man would not proceed until the Chair had 

 settled the point of order that had been raised. 



Mr. Foote renewed his motion to refer the 

 resolutions to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. 



Mr. McMullen moved to lay the resolutions 

 upon the table. 



Mr. Marshall, of Kentucky, rose to a point of 

 order. The gentleman from Xorth Carolina 

 (Mr. Leach) had the floor, and he had not 

 yielded it. The gentleman from Virginia (Mr. 

 McMullen) was usurping the floor. 



Mr. Foote didn't want to cut off any remarks 

 the gentleman from Xorth Carolina might have 

 to make in support of his resolutions. 



Mr. Leach said the presentment of the reso- 

 lutions was a duty he owed to himself and his 

 constituents. If the House didn't like the reso- 

 lutions, it could dispose of them in any man- 

 ner that it saw proper. All he asked was a 

 full and impartial hearing ; that accorded him 

 and his resolutions, he would be satisfied. 



Mr. McMullen withdrew his motion, and Mr. 

 Heiskell, of Tennessee, renewed his the call 

 for the ayes and noes upon laying the resolu- 

 tions upon the table. 



The ayes and noes were taken, and the reso- 

 lutions tabled. 



After a short interval, Mr. Conrad, of Louis- 

 iana, rose to a personal explanation. He had 

 read over the peace resolutions submitted by 

 the gentleman from Xorth Carolina (Mr. 

 Leach), and he found that they look to separate 

 State action in the prosecution of peace. 

 Taking that view of them, he could not give 

 them his countenance nor support. He asked 

 leave to change his vote on the motion to lay 

 them upon the table.. He had voted " aye," he 

 would vote "no." 



Mr. J. T. Leach said he held in his hand the 

 address of the last Congress to the people of the 

 Confederate States, the principles there an- 

 nunciated were embodied almost wholly in 

 these resolutions. 



Mr. Swan, of Tennessee, asked and obtained 

 leave to change his vote on the motion to lay 

 the resolutions on the table. 



Mr. Read, of Kentucky, moved to reconsider 

 the vote by which the resolutions were disposed 

 of, so that all the members might use their dis- 

 cretion in voting. 



