Reminiscences of Sixty Years in Public Affairs, Vol. 1Boutwell, George S. (George Sewall)
History
Reminiscences of Sixty Years in Public Affairs, Vol. 1
Boutwell, George S. (George Sewall)
Boutwell, George S. (George Sewall), 1818-1905; United States -- Politics and government
Mr. Chittenden's report is accurate in respect to the views that I
presented, but it is incomplete, as I spoke about an hour. When I
began to speak, I advanced slowly up the aisle until I could look into
the faces of the Virginia delegation, who occupied the settee next to
the president's desk. Mr. William C. Rives was one of the Virginia
delegation, a Union man, who sympathized with the border State men, and
hoped by some concession to avert war. When I said that if the South
persisted in secession, "the South would march its armies to the Great
Lakes, or we should march ours to the Gulf of Mexico," the tears came
into his eyes. My remark that the North abhorred the institution of
slavery, wounded the Southern men sorely. They were not indignant, but
grieved rather. At any rate, such was their aspect, and for many days
the remark was repeated or referred to with the hope, apparently, of
inducing me to retract or qualify it. I allowed it to stand as a
truth which they might well accept.
When the day came for the final vote upon the first resolution relating
to slavery as reported by the Committee of Thirteen, a meeting of the
New York delegation was called in consequence of the engagement of
David Dudley Field to argue a case in the Supreme Court. Mr. Field was
one of the six Republican members, and associated with them were five
Democrats and Conservatives.
As each State had one vote, his absence would set New York out of the
contest unless the Democrats would agree that Mr. Field's vote should
be counted in his absence. This proposition the Democrats refused to
accept, and they gave notice that the vote of New York would be lost
unless Mr. Field remained and voted. Mr. Field left, and the vote of
the State was lost. There were twenty-one States represented,
including Kansas, which was in a territorial condition when the
convention assembled, and the Territorial Governor had sent a
Conservative, Mr. Thomas Ewing, Jr. His father was a member from Ohio.
When the State government of Kansas was organized, the Governor
delegated a Republican. Both were allowed seats, although manifestly,
Mr. Ewing should have retired.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account