om the midst of a
people not directly concerned in this controversy; a population about
half northern, half southern. We have intermarried together. Our
interests, our fears, our hopes, our recollections, are mingled North
and South; and I believe I am expressing their opinions--which perhaps
form my own--when I say that I can see no possible harm to anybody
anywhere in submitting these propositions to the people, who are, and
ought to be, sovereign.

Besides, sir, what else can I do? As I sit down, let me ask Senators
upon every side, what else can any of us do? Shall we sit here for
three months, when petition, resolution, public meeting, speech,
acclamation, tumult, is heard, seen, and felt on every side, and do
nothing? Shall State after State go out, and not warn us of danger?
Shall Senators and Representatives, patriotic, eloquent, venerable,
tell us, again and again, of danger in their States, and we condescend
to make no reply?

Sir, there is other business to be done here besides the mere ordinary
business of the Government; besides the voting of supplies, and the
raising of means by which to buy them. We have questions here to-day,
as I believe, of peace and war, and I have waited long to see some
mode of their solution. I repeat, I go for this proposition, and agree
to submit it to the vote of the people, not because I believe it the
best that can be done. I believe, however, that, to-day being two days
from the close of this session, it is all I can do. When my people ask
me, on my return, "Sir, have not States gone out?" I will say, "Yes."
"Do not more threaten it?" if that is the word (I trust it is not the
best one), I say, "Yes." They say, "Sir, do you believe they will do
it?" "On my honor and on my conscience," I say, "if something is not
done, yes." They then ask, "What have you done?" Mr. President, what
have we done? I believe that is the question the country will ask of
us; and I, for one, will vote for this proposition, that I may be able
to respond.

Mr. GREEN:--Mr. President, I regard the consideration of this question
as one of the most important which has ever been presented to the
Senate since I have been a member of it. The Union is in danger; the
fate of the country is at stake; and whatever the Senate or the House
of Representatives or Congress combined can do, ought to be done to
save the country. I have very little faith or hope, and I would
express the reason why. But as little as t