CONGRESS, U. S. 



207 







the ratifications of this treaty, or any slaves or other 

 private property." 



' Done, in triplicate, at Ghent, December 24, 1814. 



CAMHRIE, [L. s. 



'HENRY COULBURN, L. s. 



'WILLIAM ADAMS, L. s. 



'JOHN Q. ADAMS, [L. s. 



J. A. BAYARD, [L. s. 



II. CLAY. L. s. 



JONA. KUSSELL, L. s. 



' ALBERT GALLATIN. [L. s. 

 " Also, a further evidence that slaves are regarded 

 by the General Government as property, they sefl them 

 for debts due the Government. 



The movements in South Carolina had been 

 so rapid that her commissioners had already 

 presented themselves to the President, for the 

 purpose of entering into negotiations for the 

 settlement of difficulties as between separate 

 nations. A Message from the President to the 

 House, on the 8th of January, (see previous 

 pages,) states his proceedings relative to this ap- 

 plication. It was, after being read, referred to a 

 committee of five, with instructions to report 

 from time to time. No report which led to any 

 important results was made. 



The Committee of Thirty-three reported to 

 the House a joint resolution to amend the Con- 

 stitution of the United States ; an act for the 

 admission of Xew Mexico into the Union as a 

 State ; and an amendment to the fugitive slave 

 law, and the law relating to fugitives from jus- 

 tice. A number of minority reports were also 

 made, embracing other propositions. 



The debate on these propositions was con- 

 tinued by Messrs. Corwin, Clemens, Bingham, 

 Washburne, Lovejoy, and others. 



The state of opinion in the Honse at this 

 period is thus described by Mr. Montgomery : 

 ' I think that every impartial observer, who 

 has witnessed our deliberations since the com- 

 mencement of the session, will admit that 

 there is nothing like unity of sentiment or 

 concurrence of opinion among us. The votes 

 had on the various propositions of com- 

 promise presented from time to time, abun- 

 dantly prove that there is not the slightest 

 probability that a constitutional majority can 

 be obtained for any proposition which will re- 

 store harmony and peace to our distracted coun- 

 try. Day after day is spent in the delivery of 

 speeches, many of which only tend to increase 

 onr troubles, and add fuel to the flame of public 

 discord. "While we are engaged in this profit- 

 less controversy for I doubt whether any 

 speech that has been made, or that will be 

 made, will change the opinion or vote of a 

 single member State after State is seceding 

 from this Union, and delegation after delegation 

 is bidding us farewell, and vacating the seats 

 around us. "While these things are being done, 

 what are we doing to avert this dreadful calam- 

 ity ? Revolution is sweeping over the land. 

 We can feel the temple of our country's liberty 

 tremble, yet we stand here idle." 



A general debate followed in the House, 

 which continued some weeks. It not only em- 



braced the topics which had been previously 

 discussed, but looked forward to the great ques- 

 tion of the rightfuluess and legality of seces- 

 sion, or peace or war, which was coming up 

 for speedy decision. 



Mr. Stevens, of Pennsylvania, on this ques- 

 tion thus expressed his views : " It is time that 

 this important question was solved. I do not 

 perceive when any better occasion can present 

 itself to decide whether this Union exists by 

 the sufferance of individual States, or whether 

 it requires a constitutional majority to absolve 

 them from their allegiance. If it should be de- 

 termined that secession is a rightful act, or that 

 there is no power to prevent it, then the Union 

 is not worth preserving for a single day ; for 

 whatever disposition shall be made of the pres- 

 ent difficulty, fancied wrongs will constantly 

 arise, and induce State after IState to withdraw 

 from the Confederacy. If, on the other hand, 

 it should be decided that we are OXE PEOPLE, 

 and that the Government possesses sufficient 

 power to coerce obedience, the public mind will 

 be quieted, plotters of disunion will be regarded 

 as traitors, and we shall long remain a united 

 and happy people." 



The members of the House from Louisiana 

 presented the ordinance of that State, seceding 

 from the United States. Upon this occasion, 

 Mr. Taylor addressed the House, and thus ex- 

 pressed the views generally held with regard to 

 the importance of cotton to the manufacturing 

 interests of the .world : 



" If you fulfil your menaces, and blockade 

 Southern ports, the Southern States will lay an 

 embargo upon all cotton seeking transportation 

 through the Northern channels open to it. Not 

 a bale will be permitted to be moved inland in 

 that direction until the commerce of their ports 

 is freed from your impediments. And if your 

 people could stand this state of things, how 

 long do you suppose that England and France 

 would stand by in silence and inaction? And 

 if the two sections are engaged in actual war, 

 so that the cotton is not only arrested in our 

 ports, but not made, will they stand idly by and 

 see you, who have heretofore been the parti- 

 sans of the right of self-government, engaged 

 in the despotic work of compelling us to sub- 

 mit to be governed at your mere will and pleas- 

 ure ; and that, too, when, by this most gross 

 and palpable violation of the fundamental prin- 

 ciple of your own Government, you inflict on 

 them, in common with other countries, an in- 

 jury which will shake the whole social system 

 of Europe to its very centre ? I, for one, think 

 they will not. If those evil times come, to 

 which you seem to look forward, they will be 

 compelled to interpose in their own interest, 

 and you and we will be at their mercy." 



Mr. Bouligney, of the same State, next took 

 the floor, and declared in the most positive 

 language that he should not then withdraw 

 from a seat as a member of the House. He 

 was the only representative from all the 

 seceding States who maintained his seat in 



