CONGRESS, U. S. 



225 



A more conclusive proof of a determination 

 somewhere to prevent every settlement of dif- 

 ficulties by nny concession on the part of the 

 North could not be furnished. 



The inauguration of Mr. Lincoln took place 

 at 12 o'clock on the 4th of March. Previous 

 to the delivery of his address (see PUBLIC DOCU- 

 MENTS) a new Senate, composed of members 

 for the Thirty-seventh Congress, were convened 

 and organized for a session of some days. 



On the motion to print the usual number of 

 the Inaugural, a debate commenced on the 

 topic whether it was in favor of peace or war. 



Mr. Clingman, of North Carolina, commenced 

 the debate by saying : " I have no objection to 

 printing the Inaugural, as a matter of course ; 

 but I must say, that I do not wish to be under- 

 stood, for one Senator, in assenting to the print- 

 ing of it, as indorsing its positions at all. If I 

 understand it aright, all that is direct in it, I 

 mean at least, that purpose which seems to 

 stand out clearly and directly, is one which I 

 think must lead to war war against the con- 

 federate or seceding States ; and, as I think 

 that policy will be very unwise for the United 

 States, I must say frankly to gentlemen on the 

 other side that I do not see, if we adopt the 

 principles of the Inaugural, how that is to be 

 avoided." 



Mr. Douglas, of Illinois, replied : " I under- 

 stand it to contain a distinct pledge that the 

 policy of the Administration shall be conducted 

 with exclusive reference to a peaceful solution 

 of our national difficulties." 



An extended debate followed entirely on the 

 part of Senators in opposition to the Adminis- 

 tration. It was suspended to consider the fol- 

 lowing resolution offered by Mr. Foster, of Con- 

 necticut : 



Whereas Hon. L. T. Wigfall, now a Senator of the 

 United States from the State of Texas, has declared iu 

 debate that he is a foreigner ; that he owes no alle- 

 giance to this Government ; but that he belongs to, 

 and owes allegiance to, another and foreign State and 

 Government : Therefore, 



looked, That the said L. T. Wigfall be, and he 

 hereby is, expelled from this body. 



An amendment was moved by Mr. Clingman, 

 of North Carolina, in these words : 



It is understood that the State of Texas has seceded 

 from the Union, and is no longer one of the United 

 States : Therefore, 



Resolved, That she is not entitled to be represented 

 in this body. 



A brief debate ensued, which was suspended 

 on the introduction of other topics, and after- 

 wards continued, fruitless in results, until 

 nearly the close of the month, when the Sen- 

 ate finally adjourned. 



The general character of the legislation of 

 this session of Congress may be stated in a 

 few words. No act was passed increasing or 

 strengthening the military power of the Gov- 

 ernment. The bills having that object in view, 

 designated " force bills," failed. The appropri- 



the Government for the year. The loans au- 

 thorized were small, one of twenty-five millions 

 and another of ten millions, and designed only 

 to obviate temporary emergencies. "Whatever 

 increase was authorized in the navy was no 

 more than might be regarded as necessary to 

 maintain its reputation and efficiency. The 

 troubles of the country, which were referred 

 to this Congress by President Buchanan, re- 

 ceived no solution at their hands. They were 

 left as they were found. The olive branch was 

 not offered, nor was the sword loosed from the 

 sheath. A revenue law affording uncommon 

 protection to manufactures was enacted. This 

 was proposed not for the purpose of husband- 

 ing the resources of the country in anticipation 

 of approaching strife, but chiefly as a party 

 measure, and to secure an increase of pros- 

 perity to this great national interest. It has 

 proved to be the wisest measure adopted dur- 

 ing the session. It immediately checked the 

 importation of foreign manufactures, secured 

 the reduction of the debt of the country to 

 other nations, caused a large importation of 

 specie in payment of exports, and thereby en- 

 abled the citizens to advance loans to the Gov- 

 ernment in its most pressing hour. 



EXTRA SESSION. 



On the 4th of July, 1861, the first or extra 

 session of the Thirty-seventh Congress* con- 

 vened at "Washington, in compliance with a 

 proclamation of President Lincoln issued on 

 April 15th. (See UNITED STATES.) 



* The following is a list of the members of both Houses : 



SENATE. 



California. Milton S. Latham and Jos. A. MacDougall. 

 Connecticut. James Dixon and Lafayette 8. Foster. 

 Delaware. James A. Bayard and Willard Saulsburv. 

 Illinois. Orville II. Browning and Lyman TrumbulL 

 Indiana. Jesse D. Bright and Henry 8. Lane. 

 Iowa. James W. Grimes and James Harlan. 

 Kansas. James H. Lane and Samuel C. Pomeroy. 

 Kentucky. Lazarus W. Powell and Garret Davis. 

 Maine. Lot M. Merrill and William Pitt Fessenden. 

 Massachusetts. Charles Snmner and Henry Wilson. 

 Maryland. Anthony Kennedy and James A. Pearce. 

 Michigan. Zachariah Chandler and Jacob M. Howard. 

 Minnesota. Henry M. Rice and Morton S. Wilkinson. 

 Missouri. Trusten Polk and W. P. Johnson. 

 New Hampshire. John P. Hale and Daniel Clark. 

 New York. Preston King and Ira Harris. 

 New Jersey. John R. Thomson and John C. Ten Eyck. 

 Ohio. Benjamin F. Wade and John Sherman. 

 Oregon. E. D. Baker and George W. Nesmith. 

 Pennsylvania. David Wilmot and Edgar Cowan. 

 Rhode, Island. Jas. F. Simmons and Henry B. Anthony. 

 Tenmesee. Andrew Johnson. 

 Vermont. Solomon Foote and Jacob Collamer. 

 Virginia. Waitman T. Willey and James S. Carlile. 

 Wisconsin. James R. Doolittle and Timothy O. Howe. 



HOUSE. 



California. Aaron A, Sargent, T, G. Phelps. 



Connecticut. Dwight Loomis, James E. English, Alfred 

 A. Burnham, George C. Woodruff. 



Delaware. George P. Fisher. 



Illinois. Elihu B. Washburne, Isaac N. Arnold, Owen 

 Lovejoy, William Kellogg, William A. Richardson, James C. 

 Robinson, Philip B. Fouke, John A. Logan. 



Indiana. John Law, James A. Cravens, William McKee 

 Dunn, William S. Holman, George W. Julian, Albert G. 



ations were only of such an amount as were u t"' "A"'*"} ^^'""T' "Tie t "d "'"*' *^"Z'~ 



,, , , " - , , . . , , . Porter, Daniel W. Voorhees, Albert S. White, Schuyler 



necessary lor the successful administration of coifax, William Mitchell, John P. c. shanks. 

 15 



