Twenty Years of Congress, Vol. 1 | Page 4

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.
CHAPTER XVI.
Second Session of Thirty-seventh Congress.--The Military Situation.
--Disaster at Ball's Bluff.--Death of Colonel E. D. Baker.--The
President's Message.--Capital and Labor.--Their Relation discussed by
the President.--Agitation of the Slavery Question.--The House refuses
to re-affirm the Crittenden Resolution.--Secretary Cameron
resigns.--Sent on Russian Mission.--Succeeded by Edwin M. Stanton.

--His Vigorous War Measures.--Victories in the Field.--Battle of Mill
Spring.--General Order of the President for a Forward Movement.
--Capture of Fort Henry and Fort Donelson.--Prestige and Popularity of
General Grant.--Illinois Troops.--General Burnside's Victory in North
Carolina.--Effect of the Victories upon the Country.--Continued
Success for the Union in the South-West.--Proposed Celebration.-- The
Monitor and the Merrimac.--Ericsson.--Worden.--Capture of New
Orleans by Farragut.--The Navy.--Its Sudden and Great Popularity.
--Legislation in its Favor.--Battle of Shiloh.--Anxiety in the
North.--Death of Albert Sidney Johnston.--General Halleck takes the
Field.--Military Situation in the East.--The President and General
McClellan.--The Peninsular Campaign.--Stonewall Jackson's Raid.--Its
Disastrous Effect.--Fear for Safety of Washington.--Anti- Slavery
Legislation.--District of Columbia.--Compensated Emancipation.
--Colonization.--Confiscation.--Punishment of Treason.
CHAPTER XVII.
Ball's Bluff Disaster.--Mr. Conkling's Resolution of Inquiry.--
Unsatisfactory Reply of Secretary Cameron.--Second Resolution.--
Second Reply.--Incidental Debate on Slavery.--Arrest of General
Charles P. Stone.--His History.--His Response to Criticisms made upon
him.--Responsibility of Colonel Baker.--General Stone before the
Committee on the Conduct of the War.--His Examination.--Testimony
of Officers.--General Stone appears before the Committee a Second
Time.--His Arrest by Order of the War Department.--No Cause
assigned. --Imprisoned in Fort Lafayette.--Solitary Confinement.--Sees
Nobody. --His Wife denied Access to him.--Subject brought into
Congress.-- A Search for the Responsibility of the Arrest.--Groundless
Assumption of Mr. Sumner's Connection with it.--Mr. Lincoln's
Message in Regard to the Case.--General Stone's Final Release by an
Act of Congress. --Imprisoned for One Hundred and Eighty-nine
Days.--Never told the Cause.--Never allowed a Trial.--Appears a Third
Time before the Committee.--The True Responsibility for the
Arrest.--His Restoration to Service.--His Resignation.--Joins the
Khedive's Service.

CHAPTER XVIII.
The National Finances.--Debt when the Civil War began.--Deadly
Blow to Public Credit.--Treasury Notes due in 1861.--$10,000,000
required. --An Empty Treasury.--Recommendation by Secretary
Dix.--Secretary Thomas recommends a Pledge of the Public
Lands.--Strange Suggestions. --Heavy Burdens upon the
Treasury.--Embarrassment of Legislators. --First Receipts in the
Treasury in 1861.--Chief Dependence had always been on
Customs.--Morrill Tariff goes into Effect.--It meets Financial
Exigencies.--Mr. Vallandigham puts our Revenue at $50,000,000, our
Expenditures at $500,000,000.--Annual Deficiency under Mr.
Buchanan.--Extra Session in July, 1861.--Secretary Chase recommends
$80,000,000 by Taxation, and $240,000,000 by Loans.-- Loan Bill of
July 17, 1861.--Its Provisions.--Demand Notes.--Seven-
thirties.--Secretary Chase's Report, December, 1861.--Situation
Serious.--Sales of Public Lands.--Suspension of Specie Payment.-- The
Loss of our Coin.--Its Steady Export to Europe.
CHAPTER XIX.
The Legal-tender Bill.--National Finances at the Opening of the Year
1862.--A Threefold Contest.--The Country thrown upon its own
Resources.--A Good Currency demanded.--Government takes Control
of the Question.--Authorizes the Issue of $150,000,000 of Legal-tender
Notes.--Mr. Spaulding the Author of the Measure.--His Speech.--
Opposed by Mr. Pendleton.--Position of Secretary Chase.--Urges the
Measure upon Congress.--Speeches by Thaddeus Stevens, Mr.
Vallandigham, Mr. V. B. Horton, Mr. Lovejoy, Mr. Conkling, Mr.
Hooper, Mr. Morrill, Mr. Bingham, Mr. Shellabarger, Mr. Pike and
Others.--Spirited and Able Debate.--Bill passes the House.--Its
Consideration by the Senate.--Speeches by Mr. Fessenden, Mr.
Sherman, Mr. Sumner, Mr. Bayard, Mr. Collamer and Others.--Bill
passes the Senate.--Its Weighty Provisions.--Secretary Chase on State
Banks.--Policy of the Legal-tender Bill.--Its Effect upon the Business
and Prosperity of the Country.--Internal Revenue Act.--Necessity of
Large Sums from Taxation.--Public Credit dependent on

it.--Constitutional Provisions.--Financial Policy of Alexander
Hamilton.--Excises Unpopular.--Whiskey Insurrection.--Resistance by
Law.--Supreme Court Decision.--Case of Hylton.--Provisions of New
Act.--Searching Character.--Great Revenue desired.--Credit due to
Secretary Chase.
CHAPTER XX.
Elections of 1862.--Mr. Lincoln advances to Aggressive Position on
Slavery.--Second Session of Thirty-seventh Congress adjourns.--
Democratic Hostility to Administration.--Democratic State
Conventions. --Platforms in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and
Illinois.--Nomination of Horatio Seymour for Governor of New
York.--The President prepares for a Serious Political Contest.--The
Issue shall be the Union or Slavery.--Conversation with Mr.
Boutwell.--Proclamation of Emancipation.--Meeting of Governors at
Altoona.--Compensated Emancipation proposed for Border
States.--Declined by their Senators and Representatives.--Anti-slavery
Policy apparently Disastrous for a Time.--October Elections
Discouraging.--General James S. Wadsworth nominated against Mr.
Seymour.--Illinois votes against the President.--Five Leading States
against the President.-- Administration saved in Part by Border
States.--Last Session of Thirty-seventh Congress.--President urges
Compensated Emancipation again.--Emancipation Proclamation,
January 1, 1863.--Long Controversy over Question of Compensation
for Slaves.--Test Case of Missouri. --Fourteen Million Dollars offered
her.--General Pope's Campaign. --Army of the Potomac.--Battle of
Antietam.--McClellan removed.-- Burnside succeeds him.--Defeat at
Fredericksburg.--Hooker succeeds Burnside.--General
Situation.--Arming of Slaves.--Habeas Corpus.-- Conscription
Law.--Depressed and Depressing Period.
CHAPTER XXI.
The President's Border-State Policy.--Loyal Government