A Report of the Debates and Proceedings in the Secret Sessions of the Conference Part 65

NEW HAMPs.h.i.+RE.--Amos Tuck, _Exeter_; Levi Chamberlain; Asa Fowler, _Concord_.

VERMONT.--Hiland Hall, _North Bennington_; Levi Underwood, _Burlington_; H. Henry Baxter, _Rutland_; L.E. Chittenden, _Burlington_; B.D. Harris, _Brattleboro'_.

Ma.s.sACHUSETTS.--John Z. Goodrich, _Stockbridge_; Charles Allen, _Worcester_; George S. Boutwell, _Groton_; Theophilus P. Chandler, _Boston_; Francis B. Crownins.h.i.+eld, _Boston_; John M. Forbes, _Salem_; Richard P. Waters, _Salem_.

RHODE ISLAND.--Samuel Ames, _Providence_; Alexander Duncan, _Providence_; William W. Hoppin, _Providence_; George H. Browne, _Providence_; Samuel G. Arnold, _Providence_.

CONNECTICUT.--Roger S. Baldwin, _Windham_; Chauncey F. Cleveland; Charles J. McCurdy, _Lyme_; James T. Pratt; Robbins Battell; Amos S.

Treat, _Bridgeport_.

NEW YORK.--David Dudley Field, _New York_; William Curtis Noyes, _New York_; James S. Wadsworth, _Geneseo_; James C. Smith, _Canandaigua_; Amaziah B. James, _Ogdensburg_; Erastus Corning, _Albany_; Francis Granger, _Canandaigua_; Greene C. Bronson, _New York_; William E.

Dodge, _New York_; John A. King, _Jamaica_; John E. Wool, _Troy_.

NEW JERSEY.--Charles S. Olden, _Princeton_; Peter D. Vroom, _Trenton_; Robert F. Stockton, _Princeton_; Benjamin Williamson, _Elizabeth_; Joseph F. Randolph, _Trenton_; Frederick T. Frelinghuysen, _Newark_; Rodman M. Price, _Harrison, Hudson Co._; William C. Alexander, _P.O., 92 Broadway, N.Y._; Thomas J. Stryker, _Trenton_.

PENNSYLVANIA.--James Pollock, _Milton_; William M. Meredith, _Philadelphia_; David Wilmot, _Towanda_; A.W. Loomis, _Pittsburg_; Thomas E. Franklin, _Lancaster_; William McKennan, _Was.h.i.+ngton_; Thomas White, _Indiana_.

DELAWARE.--George B. Rodney, _Newcastle_; Daniel M. Bates, _Wilmington_; Henry Ridgely, _Dover_; John W. Houston, _Milford_; William Cannon, _Bridgeville_.

MARYLAND.--John F. Dent, _Milestown_; Reverdy Johnson, _Baltimore_; John W. Crisfield, _Princess Ann_; Augustus W. Bradford, _Govanstown_; William T. Goldsborough, _Cambridge_; J. Dixon Roman, _Hagerstown_; Benjamin C. Howard, _Catonsville_.

VIRGINIA.--John Tyler, _Sherwood Forest_; William C. Rives; John W.

Brockenbrough, _Lexington_; George W. Summers, _Kanawha C.H._; James A. Seddon, _Goochland_.

NORTH CAROLINA.--George Davis, _Wilmington_; Thomas Ruffin, _Graham_; David S. Reid, _Pleasantville_; D.M. Barringer, _Raleigh_; J.M.

Morehead, _Greenboro'_.

TENNESSEE.--Samuel Milligan, _Greenville_; Josiah M. Anderson, _Walnut Valley_; Robert L. Carruthers, _Lebanon_; Thomas Martin, _Pulaski_; Isaac R. Hawkins, _Huntington_; A.W.O. Totten, _Jackson_; R.J.

McKinney, _Knoxville_; Alvin Cullom, _Livingston_; William P.

Hickerson, _Manchester_; George W. Jones, _Fayetteville_; F.K.

Zollicoffer, _Nashville_; William H. Stephens, _Jackson_.

KENTUCKY.--William O. Butler, _Carrollton_; James B. Clay, _Ashland_; Joshua F. Bell, _Danville_; Charles S. Morehead, _Louisville_; James Guthrie, _Louisville_; Charles A. Wickliffe, _Bardstown_.

MISSOURI.--John D. Coalter, _St. Louis_; Alexander W. Doniphan, _Liberty_; Waldo P. Johnson, _Osceola_; Aylett H. Buckner, _Bowling Green_; Harrison Hough, _Charleston_.

OHIO.--Salmon P. Chase, _Columbus_; William S. Groesbeck, _Cincinnati_; Franklin T. Backus, _Cleveland_; Reuben Hitchc.o.c.k, _Cleveland_; Thomas Ewing, _Lancaster_; V.B. Horton, _Pomeroy_; C.P.

Wolcott, _Akron_.

INDIANA.--Caleb B. Smith, _Indianapolis_; Pleasant A. Hackleman, _Rushville_; G.o.dlove S. Orth, _Lafayette_; E.W.H. Ellis, _Goshen_; Thomas C. Slaughter, _Corydon_.

ILLINOIS.--John Wood, _Quincy_; Stephen T. Logan, _Springfield_; John M. Palmer, _Carlinville_; Burton C. Cook, _Ottowa_; Thomas J. Turner, _Freeport_.

IOWA.--James Harlan, _Mt. Pleasant_; James W. Grimes, _Burlington_; Samuel H. Curtis, _Keokuk_; William Vandever, _Dubuque_.

KANSAS.--Thomas Ewing, jr., _Leavenworth_; J.C. Stone, _Leavenworth_; H.J. Adams, _Leavenworth_; M.F. Conway, _Lawrence_.

No. III.

In the United States Senate, February 27th, 1861, while the Army Appropriation bill was under consideration, proceedings relating to the Peace Conference were opened as follows:

Mr. POWELL:--Is it in order to move to postpone this bill and take up another?

The PRESIDING OFFICER:--The Chair believes it is in order.

Mr. POWELL:--I move to postpone the Army bill for the purpose of taking up the resolutions to amend the Const.i.tution proposed by my colleague. For several weeks Senators have declined to make an effort to call up the propositions of my colleague, for the reason that certain Peace Commissioners were in session in this capital, convened at the call of the State of Virginia. I am confident now that that Commission, or Peace Congress, or Conference, or whatever you may call it, will not accomplish any thing. Indeed, certain facts have fallen under my notice, that cause me to believe that it has been the fixed purpose of certain Republicans that that Conference should not accomplish any thing. I believe, sir, that certain commissioners from States of this Union have been brought into that Conference for the purpose of preventing them from agreeing on any thing. I have thought that for some time past. A friend sent to me yesterday the Detroit _Free Press_, containing two letters from the distinguished Senators from the State of Michigan to their Governor, which, I think, clearly and fully establish the fact that the Republicans, a portion of them at least, instead of sending commissioners to that Conference with a view to inaugurate something that would compromise the difficulties by which we are surrounded, and save this country from ruin, have absolutely been engaged in the work of sending delegates there to prevent that commission from doing any thing. I send this paper to the desk, and ask the Secretary to read these letters.

The Secretary read as follows:

WAs.h.i.+NGTON, _February 15th, 1861._

DEAR SIR: When Virginia proposed a Convention in Was.h.i.+ngton, in reference to the disturbed condition of the country, I regarded it as another effort to debauch the public mind, and a step toward obtaining that concession which the imperious slave power so insolently demands. I have no doubt at present but that was the design. I was therefore pleased that the Legislature of Michigan was not disposed to put herself in a position to be controlled by such influences.

The Convention has met here, and within a few days the aspect of things has materially changed. Every free State, I think, except Michigan and Wisconsin, is represented; and we have been a.s.sured by friends upon whom we can rely, that if those two States should send delegations of true, unflinching men, there would probably be a majority in favor of the Const.i.tution as it is, who would frown down rebellion by the enforcement of laws. These friends have urged us to recommend the appointment of delegates from our State; and, in compliance with their request, Mr. CHANDLER and myself telegraphed to you last night. It cannot be doubted that the recommendations of this Convention will have a very considerable influence upon the public mind, and upon the action of Congress.

I have a great disinclination to any interference with what should properly be submitted to the wisdom and discretion of the Legislature, in which I place great reliance; but I hope I shall be pardoned for suggesting that it may be justifiable and proper, by any honorable means, to avert the lasting disgrace which will attach to a free people who, by the peaceful exercise of the ballot, have just released themselves from the tyranny of slavery, if they should now succ.u.mb to treasonable threats, and again submit to a degrading thraldom. If it should be deemed proper to send delegates, I think, if they could be here by the 20th, it would be in time.

I have the honor, with much respect, to be truly yours,

K.S. BINGHAM.

To his Excellency Governor BLAIR.

Mr. FESSENDEN:--I submit whether it is in order to go into a discussion on this motion. If so, I suppose this must be regarded as a part of the speech.

The PRESIDING OFFICER:--The Chair understood the discussion to be in order. It was certainly not objected to at the time the Senator commenced.

Mr. FESSENDEN:--It is not too late to raise the point.

The PRESIDING OFFICER:--The motion is to lay aside one bill and take up other business; and the Chair understood the Senator from Kentucky to be giving his reasons why he wished that to be done.

Mr. FESSENDEN:--If it is in order, of course I cannot object to it; but I raise that question.

The PRESIDING OFFICER:--The Senator from Maine raises the question whether this debate is in order.

Mr. POWELL:--There was no objection to my proceeding, and I suppose I have a right to go on. I wish the letters read as part of my speech.

Mr. FESSENDEN:--There is no objection to reading them.

The PRESIDING OFFICER:--The Chair has decided that the Senator from Kentucky is in order.

Mr. POWELL:--I have not yielded, except for the purpose of reading these letters.

The PRESIDING OFFICER:--Is an appeal taken from the decision of the Chair?

Mr. FESSENDEN:--I take no appeal.