IN SENATE.
WEDNESDAY, January 30, 1861.Mr. SHOEMAKER, from the Committee on County and Township Business, returned Mr. Lomax's bill, [S. 13]-described on page 25 of these Reports-recommending indefinite postponement.
Mr. LINE, from the same, returned a resolution desiring that marriage licenses be issued by county recorders instead of clerks, recommending that it lie on the table.
Mr. ANTHONY, from the same, returned a resolution proposing to substitute salaries for county officers instead of fees ; reported legislation unnecessary, and recommended its reference to the Judiciary Committee.
Mr. LINE, from a Select Committee, returned various petitions praying alteration in the wild game law, recommending that they lie on the table, as there is a bill before the Senate embracing the object.
These reports were severally concurred in.
FEDERAL RELATIONS.
On motion by Mr. ANTHONY, the rules of order were suspended-yeas 34, nays 14-and the unfinished business taken up-being the minority report of the Committee on Federal Relations, [identical with the joint resolution (S. 4) printed on pages 44 and 45 of these Reports.]
[A message from the Governor was received, transmitting resolutions adopted by the Tennessee Legislature condemnatory of the resolutions lately passed by the Legislature of New York.]
Mr. DE HART. The proper time to have answered the eloquent and poetical Senator from Lawrence, [Mr. Cobb] would have been at the time he took his seat, whilst his propositions and effusions were fresh upon the memory. But cut off by that motion which is always in order, he has slept over the argument, "and slept soundly." Thanking the Senate for the floor this morning, he would now proceed to review it. The length forbade him to follow the entire course of the Senator, as he began with the creation, and closed with the Kansas and Nebraska bill. It would have been safer for the Senator if history had not been written-his charges of outrage against the "peculiar institution" of the South, more plausible to the public ear, if they had not been so often refuted upon every stump in the North. The Democratic party, by their own ruthless hands, had plunged this fair land of ours into its present ruinous condition. Faithless to time-honored compromises, chained to the Juggernaut of slavery, and desperate in their unholy endeavor to amend that time-honored Constitution of our country, so as to nationalize and make real that "wild and guilty fantasy that man can hold property in man'' they were only to be checked by the firmness and courage of the Republican party. The immutable principle of right afforded the only true basis for political organization. The framers of our Constitution, and the patriots who laid its foundation, fixed their minds up on the eternal throne, and appealed to the Supreme Ruler to witness that they were in earnest. To amend that, Constitution, as demanded by the report under discussion, would be to mar its beauty, defeat its purpose, and make this the land of slavery. He summoned the Fathers to bear testimony that this Government was made to protect "the rights of human nature." That they looked forward to the time when slavery should cease to exist, and carefully avoided the words-slavery op slave in framing the Constitution, so that when it ceased to exist, there should be no evidence in that instrument to show that it. ever existed cursed our common country. All this was now changed. Slavery had grown bold, defiant and impudent, and sought the sanction of the Supreme law of the land. The Republican party had just triumphed upon this issue, and they would defend the ground they had now. He would not deprive the South of a single right they enjoyed under the Constitution as it now stands. That there was a wide difference between compromise and the change of that supreme organic act. Compromises and concessions were usually made before verdicts were returned. That there were patriots everywhere, who, at the right time, would rush to the defence of their country's flag, as did the heather-hidden natives ef Clan Alpin to the shrill whistle of their chief.
[The delivery of this speech occupied two hours and a quarter.]
Mr. LANDERS. I would be loth to my duty if I were not to cast my vote in favor of this minority report. Though not as a first proposition, my constituents are in favor of compromise and concession, and Republicans in my county are surprised when I tell them that members on the other side of this Chamber oppose it. This proposition is intended to settle the question of slavery, and drive it out of our council halls; in other words, to quiet agitation. The right of transit of slaves over the free States should not be objected to.
page: 129[View Page 129][A message from the House announced the concurrence in the joint resolution, [S. 9,] directing the State Treasurer to call upon county treasurers for State revenue, which they may have collected by the 10th proximo.]
Mr. Landers yielded the floor for the noon recess.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
Mr. FERGUSON presented a petition, which was referred without reading, to the Commitee on Claims.
Mr. MURRAY, from the Committee on County and Township Business, returned his bill [S. 61]-see page 88-recommending its reference to the Committee on Finance.
The bill was so referred.
RAILROADS AND COUNTY AUDITORS.
Mr. TARKINGTON offered the following preamble and resolution, which was adopted:
WHEREAS rumor says that many of the railroads of this State had their real estate re-appraised since the general appraisement of 1859-therefore
Resolved, That the Auditor of State be instructed to report to the Senate what railroads have had their real estate re-appraised since the general appraisement of 1859 ; what said roads were appraised at per mile under the 2d clause of the 6th section of the amended act approved March 4th, 1859 ; and what is the present appraised value per mile; and the difference in favor of the roads in the present valuation; and by what authority county auditors become appraisers of the real estate of the railroad to appraise the same at the pleasure of said roads.
[Mr. O'BRIEN submitted resolutions, adopted by a Union meeting of the citizens of Aurora, calling upon the Legislature to respond to the Virginia resolutions, asking that Commissioners be sent to the Border States Convention to be held at Washington on the 4th prox., which were read and referred to the Committee on Federal Relations.]
ILLINOIS, KENTUCKY AND OHIO TO VISIT US.
Mr. BEARSS offered a resolution, which was referred to the Lincoln Invitation Committee, inviting the Legislature of Illinois, Ohio and Kentucky to visit this Legislature at the time Mr. Lincoln does.
REORGANIZATION OF THE MILITIA.
Mr, RAY. I move to take up the military bill [S. 72] which I introduced for a friend, that it may be referred to the Military Committee. I do not wish to stand sponsor for the bill, because I have not read it, and do not know what it contains. My opinion is against re-organization, but if the Republicans are so determined, I want they should select between the two systems.
The motion was agreed to.
NEW PROPOSITIONS
The following bills were introduced and severally passed the first reading without objection :
By Mr. WILSON : [92] To empower notaries public to solemnize marriages.
By Mr. COBB: [93] Changing the time of holding common pleas courts in Jackson county.
By Mr. O'BRIEN : [94] To provide for the collection of taxes assessed upon lands, or lots mortgaged to secure loans on any of the trust funds, and to repeal the 8th section of chapter 6 of the Revised Statutes of 1852, being the assessment act.
By Mr. HAMILTON : [95] To provide for the sale and conveyance of property by sheriffs where judgments are rendered and executions issed against property owned by corporations, and which is situate in one or more counties.
By Mr. MILLER : [96] Relating to judgments on instruments of writing containing promises to pay money without relif from the appraisement laws.
[A message from the House announced the reconsideration of the vote concurring in the joint resolution, [S. 9] for the replenishment of the State Treasury, and asking the return thereof.]
FEDERAL RELATIONS.
The Senate resumed the consideration of the subject pending at the time of the recess for dinner.
Mr. LANDERS [in continuation] One of the proportions submitted by Mr. Crittenden prohibits the re-opening of the slave trade, and republicans opposing the compromise are certainly acting very inconsistent. Another proposition is an amendment to the fugitive slave law, so as to allow the slave holder the right to recover off the General Government the value of a slave rescued by a mob. This is right and proper, and if carried out we would have but few mobs in the country. *** The slave holder has a right in our territories and that right ought to be respected. * * * I could not represent my constituents on this question in any other way than to vote for the minority report. Mr. L. spoke nearly an hour, and closed by urging upon the Legislature the necessity of sending Commissioners to the border State Convention at Washington.
[Mr. MARCH, from the Committee appointed to invite Mr. Lincoln to visit the Legislature of Indiana, while on his way to Washington, submitted a written report, indicating His Excellancy's acceptance for the 12th proximo; and recommending the appointment of a committee of arrangements. The report was concurred in and referred back to the same committee with instructions to proceed as they may think best.]
Mr. WAGNER occupied the remainder of the session with remarks in opposition to the minority report and in opposition to the sending of commissioners to the Washington 4th of February Convention.
The Senate then adjourned.
