owe to those who sent me
here, bound by a sense of what I owe to those who have some respect
for my opinions, to express them here on this occasion, and to give
briefly the points and the heads upon which I differ from the
conclusions of that Congress. Indeed, sir, before taking my seat, I
may suggest a doubt whether I am in truth acting against any thing
which they have really done. I was informed by a member of that
Congress that they never did take a vote upon this proposed article,
as a whole.

Mr. DOOLITTLE:--If the Senator will allow me, I beg leave to state
that I was informed of the same fact by a distinguished member of the
Convention; and I was further informed that the person who claims to
be the secretary of the Convention was never elected as such. And
there is another fact stated in the preamble that I know is not
correctly stated: that the State of Wisconsin was in that Convention,
or took any part in it. How many more mistakes there are in the
preamble, I am unable to say.

Mr. HUNTER:--I believe it is certain that they never did take a vote
on this article as a whole, but upon its separate sections. I think it
equally probable that it could not have passed as a whole. That
opinion was expressed to me by a member. As it did pass, I think there
were three or four States not voting; and the States not voting were
supposed to be against it. Under such circumstances, I do not know
that this is to be taken as an expression of the will of that
Congress. Further: I will say, in regard to myself, that a majority of
the members from my own State voted against it, and were very decided
in their opposition to it. They believed it was not such a proposition
as the South could safely accept; and that majority, I believe, have
returned home to express that opinion to the State Convention, and to
give their reasons for it. Under all these circumstances, I have
thought that I ought to present, as a counter proposition (believing
that the people whom I represent cannot and ought not to accept
these), resolutions upon which they have said they were willing to
settle this controversy. I believe the State of Kentucky has declared
the same thing. I understand the State of California has done
likewise. I believe, though I may be mistaken, that Tennessee has said
the same. The State of North Carolina has made the same declaration
unanimously. To the last, I believe I may add Missouri.

Now, I am making a proposition to ame