ission, they were
perhaps specially fitted for opposition, and not so well adapted
as men of less power, to the responsibility and detail of
administration. But an impartial history of American statesmanship
will give some of the most brilliant chapters to the Whig party
from 1830 to 1850. If their work cannot be traced in the National
statute-books as prominently as that of their opponents, they will
be credited by the discriminating reader of our political annals
as the English of to-day credit Charles James Fox and his Whig
associates--for the many evils which they prevented.

[* Baillie Peyton is erroneously described as uniting with the
South. He remained true to the Union throughout the contest.]

CHAPTER XV.

Thirty-Seventh Congress assembles.--Military Situation.--List of
Senators: Fessenden, Sumner, Collamer, Wade, Chandler, Hale,
Trumbull, Breckinridge, Baker of Oregon.--List of Members of the
House of Representatives: Thaddeus Stevens, Crittenden, Lovejoy,
Washburne, Bingham, Conkling, Shellabarger.--Mr. Grow elected
Speaker.--Message of President Lincoln.--Its Leading Recommendations.
--His Account of the Outbreak of the Rebellion.--Effect of the
Message on the Northern People.--Battle of Bull Run.--Its Effect
on Congress and the Country.--The Crittenden Resolution adopted.--
Its Significance.--Interesting Debate upon it in the Senate.--First
Action by Congress Adverse to Slavery.--Confiscation of Certain
Slaves.--Large Amount of Business dispatched by Congress.--Striking
and Important Debate between Baker and Breckinridge.--Expulsion of
Mr. Breckinridge from the Senate.--His Character.--Credit due to
Union Men of Kentucky.--Effect produced in the South of Confederate
Success at Bull Run.--Rigorous Policy adopted by the Confederate
Government.--Law respecting "Alien Enemies."--Law sequestrating
their Estates.--Rigidly enforced by Attorney-General Benjamin.--An
Injudicious Policy.

The Thirty-seventh Congress assembled according to the President's
proclamation, on the fourth day of July, 1861. There had been no
ebb in the tide of patriotic enthusiasm which overspread the loyal
States after the fall of Sumter. Mr. Lincoln's sagacity in fixing
the session so late had apparently been well approved. The temper
of the senators and representatives as they came together could
not have been better for the great work before them. Startling
events, following each other thick and fast, had kept the coun