244 



CONGRESS, U. S. 



even to Cape Horn. Sir, not only did they 

 make the demand of a new Constitution, but 

 they demanded it with arms in their hands. 

 Do you suppose, when a demand like this was 

 made, with arms in the hands of a minority, 

 threatening to overturn the Government, that 

 such a demand would be acquiesced in by the 

 representatives of a majority of the American 

 people ? 



" Does that honorable Senator, when defeated 

 in the election, suppose that the majority, un- 

 der the Constitution, would yield to the minor- 

 ity, who were already in arms to prevent the 

 inauguration of their candidate ? That because 

 the majority refused to submit to this humili- 

 ating demand of a minority, as a condition pre- 

 cedent, the majority are responsible for this 

 war ? Behold those gentle advocates of peace 

 seizing our forts, firing upon our flag, at the 

 mouths of their cannon demanding a new Con- 

 stitution, or that the old one should be over- 

 thrown! "Worse than all, Mr. President, when 

 the question was put to the representatives of 

 this minority in the peace congress, ' If we 

 yield to your demand, if we now agree that 

 the Constitution shall be changed so that the 

 institution of slavery, by virtue of the Consti- 

 tution, shall be carried into all the territories 

 we now have south of 36 30', and all we may 

 ever acquire in Mexico, Central and Southern 

 America, will you then give up your doctrine 

 of secession and stand by the Union 1 ? ' the an- 

 swer was, ' Not at all.' Sir, we could have no 

 Union worth having on any terms whatever." 



On a division, the resolution was adopted. 

 Ayes. 30 ; noes, 5. 



On the 15th of July, Mr. Wood, of New 

 York, offered the following resolution : 



Resolved, That this Congress recommend the Gov- 

 ernors of the several States to convene their Legis- 

 latures for the purpose of calling an election to select 

 two delegates from each congressional district, to meet 

 in general convention at Louisville, in Kentucky, on 

 the first Monday in September next ; the purpose of 

 the said convention to be to devise measures for the 

 restoration of peace to our country. 



This was laid on the table. Ayes, 92 ; noes, 

 51. 



On the same day, Mr. Allen, of Ohio, offered 

 the following resolutions : 



Resolved, That whenever the States now in rebellion 

 against the General Government shall cease their re- 

 bellion and become loyal to the Union, it is the duty 

 of the Government to suspend the further prosecution 

 of the present war. 



Resolved, That it is no part of the object of the pres- 

 ent war against the rebellious States to interfere with 

 the institution of slavery therein. 



These were ruled out of order, as in conflict 

 with the resolution prescribing the business of 

 the extra session. 



On the same day, Mr. McClernand offered 

 the following preamble and resolution : 



Whereas, a portion of the people of the United States, 

 in violation of their constitutional obligations, have 

 taken up arms against the national Government, and 

 are now striving, by aggressive and iniquitous war, to 



overthrow it, and break up the Uuion of these States : 

 Therefore, 



Resolved, That this House hereby pledges itself to 

 vote for any amount of money and any number of men 

 which may be necessary to insure a speedy and effect- 

 ual suppression of such rebellion, and the permanent 

 restoration of the Federal authority everywhere within 

 the limits and jurisdiction of the United States. 



This was adopted. Ayes, 121 ; noes, 6. 



On the 22d of July, Mr. Crittenden, of Ken- 

 tucky, offered in the House the following reso- 

 lution : 



Resolved by the House of Representatives of the C 

 : ress of the United States, That the present deplon 



Con- 

 .... . . , 'able 



civil war has been forced upon the country by the dis- 

 uuionists of the Southern States, now in arms against 

 the constitutional Government, and in arms around 

 the capital ; that in this national emergency, Congress, 

 banishing all feelings of mere passion or resentment, 

 will recollect only its duty to the whole country ; that 

 this war is not waged on their part in any spirit of op- 

 pression, or for any purpose of conquest or subju- 

 gation, or purpose of overthrowing or interfering with 

 the rights or established institutions of those States, 

 but to defend and maintain the supremacy of the Con- 

 stitution, and to preserve the Union with all the dig- 

 nity, equality, and rights of the several States unim- 

 paired ; and that as soon as these objects are accom- 

 plished the war ought to cease. 



The resolution was decided to be divisible, 

 and the first part of it, to wit : 



Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Con- 

 gress of the United States, That the present deplorable 

 civil war has been forced upon the country by the dis- 

 unionists of the Southern States now in revolt against 

 the constitutional Government, and in arms around 

 the capital 



was adopted. Teas, 121 ; nays, 2. 



The remainder of the resolution was then 

 adopted. Yeas, 117 ; nays, 2. 



In the House, on the 24th of July, a bill was 

 reported to appropriate $100,000 in payment 

 of the police force organized by the United 

 States in the city of Baltimore. 



Mr. Burnett, of Kentucky, in opposing the 

 bill, said : " I tell you, gentlemen, that you may 

 carry on these acts, for there is no one here 

 with power enough to prevent them ; but you 

 will be held responsible for all that has been 

 done here. You are writing, by indorsing and 

 ratifying the illegal acts of this Administration, 

 one of the saddest, blackest pages in theliistory 

 of this country." 



Mr. Richardson, of Illinois, in reply, took 

 occasion to make some statements, which, 

 although not applicable to the subject under 

 debate, yet belong to the facts of history. He 

 said : u I have desired, during this entire ses- 

 sion of Congress, to say a word or two to my 

 friend from Kentucky, [Mr. Burnett.*] More 

 than any other man in this house he is respon- 

 sible this day for the condition in which the 

 country now finds itself. When he aided, by 

 his counsel, advice, and cooperation, the di- 

 vision of the Democratic party at Charleston 



* Mr. Burnett returned to Kentucky at the close of this 

 session of Congress, and subsequently became, during the 

 year, a member of the Confederate Congress from Kentucky, 

 and took a seat in that body at Richmond, 



