F 76 corrected within the Union, in a peaceful and Constitutional way; that we believe that it has sufficient power to redress every wrong and enforce every right growing out of its organization or pertaining to its proper functions; and that it is a patriotic duty to stand by it, as our hope in peace and our defence in war." Which was agreed to-yeas 115, nays 44, as follows: YEAS-Messrs. Adams of Kentucky, Adrain, Aldrich, Allen, Alley, Anderson of Kentucky, Ashley, Babbitt, Beale, Bingham, Blair, Blake, Brayton, Briggs, Buffinton, Burlingame, Burnham, Butterfield, Campbell, Carey, Carter, Case, Colfax, Conkling, Covode, Cor, Davis of Indiana, Dawes, Delano, Duell, Dunn, Edgerton, Edwards, Eliot, Ely, English, Etheridge, Farnsworth, Fenton, Foster, Frank, French, Gooch, Graham, Grow, Hale, Hall, Harris of Md., Helmick, Hickman, Hoard, Holman, Howard of Ohio, Humphrey, Hutchins, Irvine, Junkin, Kellogg of Mich., Ken- J. H. Reynolds, Rice, Riggs, Robinson of Ill., Royce, Scranton, NAYS-Messrs. Anderson of Missouri, Avery, Barksdale, Bouligny, Branch, Burnett, Clark of Missouri, Clopton, Cobb, Crawford, Curry, De Jarnette, Edmundson, Florence, Garnett, Gartrell, Hardeman, Hill, Hindman, Hughes, Jackson, Jenkins, Jones, Landrum, Leach of N. C., Leake, Martin of Virginia, Moore of Alabama, Noell, Pryor, Quarles, Reagan, Ruffin, Scott, Sickles, Singleton, Smith of Va., Stallworth, Stevenson, Thomas, Underwood, Vance, Webster, Wright-44. THE CONSTITUTION AND SLAVERY. Mr. CRAWFORD, of Georgia, offered the following: "Resolved, That the. Constitution of the United States recognizes property in slaves. That the Congress of the United States has passed laws to aid slaveholders in recapturing their slaves whenever they escape and make their way into the free States. That the Supreme Court of the United States have decided that negroes were not included either in the Declaration of Independence or in the Constitution of the United States except as slaves; and that they cannot become And we, the citizens of the United States. members of this House, hereby sustain and I will support this construction of the Constitution, the laws, and said decisions of the Supreme Court." Dec. 18th. Mr. SHERMAN moved to lay the YEAS-Messrs. Aldrich, Allen, Alley, Babbitt, Beale, dever, Verree, Wade, Waldron, Walton, Cadwalader C. Stewart, Tappan, Theaker, Tompkins, Train, Trimble. Vanwashburn, Ellibu B. Washburne, Israel Washburn, Wells, Wilson, Wood-88. NAYS-Messrs. Green Adams, Adrain, Thomas L. Anderson, Ashley, Barksdale, Barrett, Bocock, Boteler, Boyce, Briggs, Brown, Burnett, Horace P. Clark, John B. Clark, rum, Larrabee, Jas. M. Leach, Leake, Logan, Mcclay, Hindman, Holman, Hughes, Jackson, Jones, Kunkel, Land APPROVAL OF MAJOR ANDERSON'S COURSE. In the House of Representatives, January 7th, 1861, this resolution was offered by Mr. ADRAIN, of New Jersey, and adoptedyeas 125, nays 56. "Resolved, That we fully approve the bold and patriotic act of Major Anderson in withdrawing from Fort Moultrie to Fort Sumter, maintain that fearless officer in his present and of the determination of the President to position; and that we will support the Presi dent in all constitutional measures to enforce the laws and preserve the Union." VOTE. YEAS-Messrs. Charles F. Adams, Green Adams, Adrain, Colfax, Corwin, Covode, Cor, Curtis, H. W. Davis, J. G. Dams, NAYS-Messrs. Thomas L. Anderson, Avery, Barksdale, Barrett, Bocock, Bouligny, Branch, Brown, Burch, Burnet, John B. Clark, Clopton, Cobb, James Craig, Crawford, De Jarnette, Florence, Garnett, Gartrell, Gilmer, Hamilion, Har Houston, Hughes, Jones, Kunkel, Landrum, James M.Leach, deman, John T. Harris, Hatton, Hawkins, Hill, Hindman, Love, Mallory, Elbert S. Martin, Maynard, McRae, Laban Reagan, Rust. Scott, Simms, Singleton, William N. H. Smith, T. Moore, Sydenham Moore, Peyton, Phelps, Pryor, Quarles, Stevenson, Stokes, Vallandigham, Vance, Webster, Wrigid -56. COERCION. December 31st. Mr. PRYOR offered the following resolution: Resolved, That any attempt to preserve the Union between the States of this Con federacy by force would be impracticable and destructive to republican liberty. Mr. STANTON moved to lay this upon the table, which was agreed to-yeas 98, nays 55, as follows: YEAS-Messrs. Adams of Mass., Adams of Ky., Adr Aldrich, Allen, Babbitt, Beale, Bingham, Blair, Blake, R ton, Briggs, Buffinton, Burlingame, Burnham, Campbell, Carey, Case, Clemens, Colfax, Conkling, Cor, Davis of Dawes, Duell, Edgerton, Eliot, Ely, Etheridge, Farnsworth, Fuke, French, Gooch, Grow, Ilale, Harr Katar of Md., Hatton, Helmick, Hill, Holman, Howard of Ohio, NON-INTERFERENCE WITH SLAVERY IN THE Burnham, Butterfield, Campbell, Carey, Case, Coburn, Col February 11th, 1861. Mr. SHERMAN of Quarles, James C. Robinson, Scott, Simms, William N. H. Resolved, That neither the Congress of the United States, nor the people or governments of the non-slaveholding States have the constitutional right to legislate upon or interfere with slavery in any of the slaveholding States in the Union. Which were agreed to-yeas 162, nays none. TEAS-Messrs. Charles F. Adams, Green Adams, Aldrich, Allen, Thomas L. Anderson, William C. Anderson, Avery, BILL TO RE-ORGANIZE THE MILITIA OF DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. THE The bill was debated in the Senate, recommitted, re-reported, but objected to by Mr. Mason, Mr. Green, and others, and not finally disposed of. BILL TO SUPPRESS INSURRECTION. February 18th. Mr. STANTON of Ohio, reported from the Committee on Military affairs a bill enacting: That the provisions of an act approved the 28th day of February, in the year 1795, entitled "An act to provide for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the Union, suppress insurrections, and repel invasions, and to repeal the act now in force for those purposes," and of the act approved the 3d day of March, in the year 1807, entitled "An act authorizing the employment of the land and naval forces of the United States in cases of insurrections," are hereby extended to the case of insurrections against the authority of the United States. That the President in any case in which it may be lawful to use either the militia or the military and naval force of the United States for the purpose aforesaid, may accept the services of such volunteers as may offer their services, as cavalry, infantry, or artil lery, organized in companies of the maximum standard, squadrons and regiments, January 28th, 1860. Mr. STANTON of Ohio, scribed for the organization of the respec respectively, according to the mode prereported from the Military Committee a bill tive arms in the military establishment of providing that every officer, non-commis- the United States; and it shall be lawful for soned officer, musician, and private of the the President to commission the officers of militia of the District of Columbia, shall such companies, battalions, squadrons, and take and subscribe to the oath required by regiments, in their respective grades, to the eighteenth section of the act approved continue till discharged from the service of January 11, 1812, the name of any person the United States; and such volunteers, refusing to be stricken from the roll, or if while in the service of the United States, an officer his commission to be forfeited. The rules were suspended-yeas 116, nays war, and shall be entitled to same pay and shall be subject to the rules and articles of 41, to permit its introduction, and it was emoluments as officers and soldiers of the finally passed—yeas 120, nays 42, as follows: same grade in the regular service. YEAS-Mesurs. Charles F. Adams, Green Adams, Adrain, as fall DUTIES ON IMPORTS. YEAS-Messrs. Thomas L. Anderson, William C. Ander- | BILL TO PROVIDE FOR THE COLLECTION John T. Harris, Hatton, Hindman, William Howard, son, Wright-68. OF January 3d, 1860. Mr. BINGHAM of Ohio, reported from the Committee on the Judiciary a bill providing— That whenever by reason of unlawful obstructions, combinations or assemblages of persons, it shall become impracticable, in the judgment of the President, to execute NAYS-Messrs. Charles F. Adams, Adrain, Aldrich, Allen, the revenue laws and collect the duties on Alley, Ashley, Babbitt, Bingham, Blair, Blake, Brayton, Briggs, Buffinton, Burlingame, Burnham, Butterfield, imports in the ordinary way in any collecCampbell, Carey, Carter, Case, Colfax, Conkling, Conway, tion district, it shall be lawful for the Presi Corwin, Covode, H. Winter Davis, Dawes, Delano, Duell, dent to direct that the custom-house for Dunn, Edgerton, Edwards, Eliot, Ely, Farnsworth, Fenton, Frank, French, Graham, Grow, Gurley, Hale, Hall, such district be established and kept in any Helmick, Hickman, Hoard, William A. Howard, Hutchins, secure place within some port or harbor of Irvine, Junkin, Francis W. Kellogg, William Kellogg, Kenyon, Kilgore, Killinger, De Witt C. Leach, Lee, Long- such district, either upon land or on board necker, Loomis, Lovejoy, Marston, McKean, McKnight, any vessel; and that, in that case, it shall Olin, Palmer, Perry, Pettit, Porter, Potter, Pottle, Edwin R. be the duty of the collector to reside at such Reynolds, John H. Reynolds, Rice, Riggs, Christopher Rob-place, and there to detain all vessels and McPherson, Montgomery, Moorhead, Morrill, Morse, Nixon, inson, Royce, Scranton, Sedgwick, Sherman, Somes, Spauld ing, Spinner, Stevens, William Stewart, Stratton, Tappan, Woodruff-109. 19th. A motion to lay it on the table was negatived—yeas 68, nays 105. The yeas were: cargoes arriving within the district until the duties imposed on the cargoes by law are paid in cash, any thing in the laws of the United States to the contrary notwithstandful to take the vessel or cargo from the cusing; and that, in such cases, it shall be unlawtody of the proper officer of the customs unless by process from some court of the YEAS-Messrs. Adrain, Allen, Thomas L. Anderson, Wm. United States; and that, in case of any C. Anderson, Avery, Barr, Bocock, Boteler, Bouligny, Brabson, Branch, Bristow, Burch, Burnett, Horace F. Clark, attempt otherwise to take such vessel or John B. Clark, John Cochrane, Cox, James Craig, Burton cargo by any force, or combination, or asCraige, John G. Davis, De Jarnette, Edmundson, English, semblage of persons, too great to be overcome Etheridge, Florence, Fouke, Garnett, Gilmer, Hamilton, J. Morrison Harris, John T. Harris, Hatton, Hindman, Wm. by the officers of the customs, it shall be Howard, Hughes, Kunkel, Larrabee, James M. Leach, lawful for the President of the United States Leake, Maclay, Mallory, Charles D. Martin, Elbert S. Martin, Maynard, Me Kenty, Millson, Laban T. Moore, Nelson, Nibor such person or persons as he shall have lack, Noell, Peyton, Pryor, Quarles, Riggs, James C. Robin- empowered for that purpose, to employ such son, Ruffin, Rust, Scott, Simms, Stokes, Stout, Thomas, Val part of the land or naval forces, or militia of the United States, as may be deemed neces26th. On motion of Mr. CORWIN of Ohio, the bill was postponed till the 28th, to take moval of such vessel or cargo, and protectsary for the purpose of preventing the reup the report of the Committee of Thirty-ing the officers of the customs in retaining three, which was agreed to-yeas 100, nays the custody thereof. 74, as follows: landigham, Vance, Winslow, Woodson, Wright-68. YEAS-Messrs. Green Adams, Adrain, Thos. L. Anderson, Wm. C. Anderson, Avery, Barr, Barrett, Bocock, Boteler, March 2d. On a motion to take up the bill, by a suspension of the rules, the yeas were 103, the nays 62, as follows: YEAS-Messrs. Charles F. Adams, Adrain, Aldrich, Alley, Ashley, Babbitt, Beale, Bingham, Blake, Brayton, Briggs, Buffinton, Burlingame, Butterfield, Carey, Carter, Coburn, Colfax, Conkling, Conway, Covode, Dawes, Delano, Duell, Dunn, Edgerton, Eliot, Ely, Farnsworth, Fenton, Ferry, Foster, Frank, French, Gooch, Graham, Grow, Gurley, Hale, Hall, Haskin, Helmick, Hickman, Hoard, Holman, HumphKellogg, Kenyon, Kilgore, Killinger, De Witt C. Leach, Lee, Longnecker, Loomis, Lovejoy, Marston, McKean, McKnight, McPherson, Millward, Edward Joy Morris, Nixon, Clin, Palmer, Pettit, Porter, Potter, Pottle, Rice, Christopher Robinson, Royce, Sedgwick, Sherman, Somes, Spaulding, Spinner, Stanton, Stevens, William Stewart, Stratton, Tap pan, Thayer, Theaker, Tompkins, Train, Trimble, Vandever, Van Wyck, Verree, Wade, Waldron, Walton, Cadwalader C Washburn, Ellibu B. Washburne, Wells, Wilson, Windom, Wood, Woodruff-103. Bouligny, Brabson, Branch, Briggs, Bristow, Brown, Burch, NAYS-Messrs. William C. Anderson, Barr, Barrett, Brabson, Branch, Bristow, Brown, Burch, Burnett, Horaci F. Clark, John B. Clark, Clemens, John Cochrane, Corwin, Cox, James Craig, John G. Davis, De Jarnette, Edmundson, Etheridge, Florence, Fouke, Garnett, Gilmer, Hamilton, J. Morrison Harris, John T. Harris, Hatton, William Howard, Hughes, Kunkel, Larrabee, James M. Leach, Leake, Mallory, Charles D. Martin, Elbert S. Martin, Maynard, McKenty, Millson, Laban T. Moore, Nelson, Niblack, Pendleton, Pey ton, Phelps, Pryor, Quarles, Riggs, James C. Robinson, Simms, William N. H. Smith, James A. Stewart, Stokes, *▪ Vallandinham Vance Webster Whiteles Win eloon Two-thirds not having voted in the affirmative, the bill was not taken up, nor was it again reached. January 30th, 1861. Mr. JOHN COCHRANE from the Select Committee on the President's message reported a bill for the "Collection of Duties on Imports," which was ordered to be printed and re-committed to the committee. It was not again heard from. His views of the subject were expressed as follows: While fully concurring with the President in the opinion that no State possesses, under and by virtue of the Federal Constitution, any right or authority to secede, or with draw, or separate itself from the Federal Union, I am equally convinced that, not having been prohibited, the justification of the exercise of such right is referable to the nature and extent of those rights reserved to the States or the people thereof. Therefore all the acts and ordinances of secession which have been or may be enacted by any State or States, acting separately, in my opinion, are, in as far as the same may be carried into effect, to be considered as revolutionary infractions of the supreme law of the land, however they may be regarded as the proper exercise of an indefeasible right of "resisting acts which are plainly unconstitutional and too oppressive to be endured." which it must perform. It holds valuable property in every part of the territory over which its jurisdiction has been, by the solemn mandate of the people of all the States, extended; and it holds every article of this property as the common trustee of all the people of all the States for their common use and benefit; and to them, and to all of them, it is directly responsible for the safe keeping and protection of such property. By constitutional legislation, supreme in its character and irrepealable except by the authority which created it, the Federal Government has established a system of revenue laws which it is bound to maintain, and against all obstructions to the execution of which it is equally bound adequately to provide. No extra constitutional action of any State can possibly release the Federal Government in any of its departments from this imperative obligation. It is to this aspect of the duty of Congress in the unfortunate and unexampled state of facts presented for its consideration by the President, in his late message, that the attention of the committee has been specially directed, and they report herewith a bill designed, as is believed, peaceably and in a spirit of moderation and forbearance fully to protect the entire revenue system of the United States from all the unconstitutional and unlawtul obstructions and disturbances with which it is now or may be hereafter threatened. In framing this measure there has been kept steadily in view, first, the obstacles of every character which oppose any attempt by the Federal Government to coerce a State; and, secondly, the principle upon which, as is conceived, the whole coercive action of our revenue system has, from its inception, been founded. I also concur with the President that the Federal Constitution has abstained from conferring upon the Federal Government, or any department thereof, authority to declare and wage oppressive war against a seceding State, in order to coerce the repeal of any act or ordinance of secession which she may have passed, or the renunciation of any purpose of secession which she may entertain, or to compel her to remain nominally, as well as in fact, a member of the Federal Union. On the contrary, the plenary power of offensive war and reprisals, conferred by the Constitution upon Congress, is, in my judgment, designed exclusively to authorize and empower such war by the Federal Government, in its discretion, against such governments and communities as may be rightfully considered foreign to the United States. States which profess to have seceded from the Federal Union, by their separate State action, cannot, in my opinion, be rightfully so considered; and, therefore, a just conception of the constitutional authority of Congress combines with other and, if possible, The well-understood and just assumption higher and more commanding motives to upon which all this foreign commerce proceeds prescribe other measures than aggressive is, that the Federal Government provides for and coercive war to remedy the grave in- it ports of entry and delivery in which it conveniences, perils, and evils of such seces- may be entered and delivered, and in which sion. the lawful duties chargeable upon it shall The just and rightful coercion exercised under the Constitution by the Federal Government in the collection of its revenue from foreign commerce is a coercion, not directed against State authority, nor even against unlawful action by assemblages of persons within any State. That coercion on the contrary, applies itself directly to the bulk and body of the foreign importations upon which the revenue is chargeable, and to the vessels and the agents by which they are brought into our ports, opened to such commerce only under the protection and by the regulation of the Federal law. It is, on the other hand, entirely manifest be collected and paid to the Federal Governthat the Federal Government, throughout ment, whose laws have, for that very conthe whole extent of its constitutional juris- sideration, established and protected and diction, both territorial and maritime, is regulated' such entry and delivery. The vested with powers which it cannot surren- failure to observe those regulations is, by der, and charged with trusts and duties our whole code of reveng 80 penalties upon the agents by whom the REPORTS RELATIVE TO MILITARY AND NAVAL MATTERS. January 8th, 1861. The President sent a message relative to the condition of the country, urging upon Congress to devote itself exclusively to the question how the Union can be preserved in peace, and recommending the establishment of a line and "letting the North have exclusive control of the Territory above it, and giving Southern institutions protection below it." He transmits copies of the correspondence between himself and the "commissioners" of South Carolina, pledges himself to preserve the public peace in the District of Columbia, warns his countrymen of the dangers which now surround us, and says that he shall carry to his grave the consciousness that he at least meant well for his country. 9th. Mr. HOWARD of Michigan, offered the following resolution: Resolved, That the message be referred to a special committee of five members of this House, and that they be instructed to report on the same as early as possible; and that said committee make immediate inquiry, and report: 1st. Whether any executive officer of the United States has been or is now treating or holding communication with any person or persons concerning the surrender of any forts, fortresses, or public property of the United States, and whether any demand for such surrender has been made, when and by whom, and what answer has been given. 2d. Whether any officer of this Government has at any time entered into any pledge, agreement, or understanding, with any person or persons, not to send reinforcements to the forts of the United States in the har & Ezzleston and the particulars of when, where, and with whom it was made, 3d. What demand for reinforcements of 4th. Where the ships of the United States are now stationed, with what commands, and with what orders. 5th. Whether the custom-house, post-office, arsenal, and other public buildings of the United States at Charleston have been seized and are held in possession by any person or persons, and the particulars of such seizure and possession. 6th. Whether any revenue cutter of the United States has been seized and is now held in possession by any person or persons, and the particulars thereof; and whether any efforts have been made by the head of the Treasury Department to recapture or recover possession of said vessel. That the committee have power to send for persons and papers, to take testimony, and to the national safety and national honor report from time to time, as facts material may be disclosed by the evidence. Which was adopted-yeas 133, nays 62, as follows: YEAS-Messrs. Charles F. Adams, Green Adams, Adrain, Aldrich, Allen, Alley, William C. Anderson, Ashley, Bab NAYS-Messrs. Thomas L. Anderson, Avery, Barksdale, January 10th. The Committee was an nounced, consisting of Messrs. HOWARD of Michigan, BRANCH of North Carolina, JOHN chusetts, and HICKMAN of Pennsylvania. Mr. COCHRANE of New York, DAWES of Massa Hickman was subsequently excused from York, was substituted. serving, and Mr. JOHN H. REYNOLDS of New SECRET ORGANIZATION TO ATTACK THE CAP ITAL. February 14th. The committee reported that "the evidence produced |