THE NATIONAL CRISIS; Important News from the Federal Capital; THE SECESSION MOVEMENT; Editorial-The Select committee of Congress (12/8/1860)

New York Times archives – Times Machine ^ | 12/8/1860

[Homer_J_Simpson]

CONDITION OF THE NATIONAL FINANCES.

Two Millions Wanted on the First of January.

The Issue of Ten Millions in Treasury Notes Necessary.

LATEST FROM THE SOUTH.

WASHINGTON, Friday, Dec. 7.

The purpose of the Select Committee on the State of the Union seems to be misconceived, and Speaker PENNINGTON is denounced for not appointing representative men, who could control their respective parties. The members of the Committee are merely spokesmen for their delegations, and will act under and by their advice. Mr. HUMPHREY would hardly undertake to say what the State of New-York would be willing to do in this great settlement. His delegation will meet and agree upon a proposition which Mr. HUMPHREY shall present for New-York, and so with all the States. If the Committee then agree upon and report a settlement, it will not only receive the approval of Congress, but it will probably be approved by the country. The conservative complexion of the Committee was designed to secure delay in State action. The Committee gives much better satisfaction than at first. No notice calling it together has yet been given, and probably will not be this week.

I am authorized to say that only HOYCE, of South Carolina; and HAWKINS, of Florida, will resign on the Committee. DAVIS, of Mississippi, LOVE, of Georgia, and HOUSTON, of Alabama, will serve, although great efforts have been made by people from their States to induce them to resign. They are willing to accept a compromise, and will do all in their power to save the Union.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Free Republic University, Department of History presents U.S. History, 1855-1860: Seminar and Discussion Forum
Bleeding Kansas, Dred Scott, Lincoln-Douglas, Harper’s Ferry, the election of 1860, secession – all the events leading up to the Civil War, as seen through news reports of the time and later historical accounts

First session: November 21, 2015. Last date to add: Sometime in the future.
Reading: Self-assigned. Recommendations made and welcomed.

Posting history, in reverse order

https://www.freerepublic.com/tag/by:homerjsimpson/index?tab=articles

To add this class to or drop it from your schedule notify Admissions and Records (Attn: Homer_J_Simpson) by reply or freepmail.

Link to previous New York Times thread

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3912977/posts

[Homer_J_Simpson]

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[Homer_J_Simpson]

The National Crisis: Important News from the Federal Capital – 2-3
The Secession Movement – 3-5
Editorial: The Select Committee of Congress – 5
Secession of the City – 5-6
Editorial: The “Conquest” of South Carolina – 6
Editorial: Our Indian Policy – 6-7
Statistics of Secession – 7-8
The Slave-Trade: The Bark Cora, of New-York, Captured on the African Coast – 8-9
Arrival of the New-Mexican Mail – 9
The Kansas Troubles – 9
The Croton Water Accident – 9
Later from Denver City – 9
The Remains of Gen. Wm. Walker – 9

[Rocky]

Thanks for posting these. It really gives a feel for how things developed in real time. I appreciated your series of posts on WW2 as well.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Thanks. Glad you enjoy them.

[BroJoeK]

"Editorial: The “Conquest” of South Carolina – 6"
"Statistics of Secession – 7-8"

Two articles well worth reading for their analysis of Northern opinions in the last days before South Carolina's secession.

The first argues that war may not be necessary, providing the US can collect tariff revenues from Charleston harbor.
The author does not appreciate how few such revenues were already being collected before secession -- there would be no great loss of Federal revenue from Charleston, SC, because there was very little revenue being collected before secession.
So the effort would be only for show of constitutional forms.

The second article, "Statistics of Secession" assumes that Civil War is inevitable and notices that the weight of numbers is very lopsided in favor of the Union, supposing that only six of the Deep South states secede.
Turns out the statistics were not so lopsided because not six but eleven states fully seceded and three more -- the Border South states -- contributed significantly to the Confederate cause.