February 12, 1861; The New York Herald
The President elect and suite left Springfield, Illinois, at half past seven o’ yesterday morning, en route for the White House. Mr. Lincoln made a farewell address to his neighbors just before the train started, which so affected both himself and his hearers that tears were copiously shed. Our despatches in another column furnish a record of the progress of the party.
Lieutenant Putnam, of the army, arrived at Washington yesterday, direct from Pensacola, which place he left on the 7th inst. He reports everything tranquil there, but that the Alabama troops were exceedingly restive and desirous of a collision with the government forces at Fort Pickens. Five vessels of war, including the Brooklyn, were at anchor off the port. The secessionist forces were quartered in the Navy Yard, and were subsisting upon the provisions of the federal government.
The proceedings of Congress yesterday are of unusual interest. In the Senate no less than seventy memorials, containing the names of thousands of citizens, urging a settlement of the troubles of the nation, were presented. A resolution, calling for the correspondence between Great Britain and the United States respecting the case of the fugitive slave Anderson, was offered and laid over. Another conference committee on the Deficiency bill was ordered. The naval appropriation bill was then taken up, and the appropriations for the Pensacola navy Yard stricken out. So much of the act of last year as applies to the purchase of patented firearms was repealed. An amendment authorizing the construction of seven steam sloops of war was adopted by a vote of thirty to eighteen. The bill was then reported, and on the question of concurring in the amendment an important debate ensued. Mr. Mason said by no vote of his should there by any addition to the military force of the government which was to be used to coerce seceded States. Mr. Fessenden said if the time ever comes when it is necessary to use force to execute the laws of the Untied States, then he was quite ready to do it. Mr. King said he had opposed the measure theretofore, but now treason was abroad in the land, and he believed there was a necessity to increase the power of the country. He would vote now to put the country in a position to defend itself against domestic or foreign enemies. This government could not be peaceable destroyed or divided. The people of the country will never consent to a peaceable destruction or dissolution. In his judgment, reason must come to an end, peaceable he hoped, but never peacefully if by the submission of the honor of the people to traitors, never.
In the House Mr. Criage, of North Carolina, offered a resolution that the President be required to acknowledge the independence of the southern confederacy as soon as official information of its establishment shall be received; and that he receive such commissioners as may be appointed by that government for an amicable adjustment of all matters in dispute. It was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. A resolution was offered calling for information relative to the seizure of the public property at new Orleans, and what steps have been taken, or are contemplated to recover possession of the same. A resolution recommending that the people of the United States celebrate the birthday of Washington as a national holiday was adopted. A resolution was offered instructing the Select committee of Five to inquire whether, by the consent of the people of the slave States, or by compensating the slaveholders, it be practicable for the general government to procure the emancipation of the slaves in some or all of the border slave States, and if so to report a bill for that purpose. Laid over for debate. A resolution was adopted calling on the Secretary of the Treasury to inform the House whether there had been any obstruction to the revenue laws in South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, or Louisiana; also what measures had been taken to recover the revenue cutters which have been seized, together with other property.