February 17, 1861; The New York Herald
The Peace Convention at Washington yesterday commenced debate on the plan of adjustment adopted by the committee. Mr. Baldwin, of Connecticut, moved to substitute his proposition for a National Convention in lieu of the committee’s plan. Mr. Guthrie opposed the motion, and urged the Convention to take immediate action. There was considerable difference of opinion respecting the meaning of the plan of adjustment as regards the Territorial question, whether it applied to existing territory only, or also to that to be hereafter acquired. Mr. Reverdy Johnson, of Maryland, said he should move an amendment so as to exclude future acquisitions of territory from the operations of the compromise. The debate did not terminate till three o’, when the Convention adjourned till Monday.
In Congress yesterday the Senate took up the Tariff bill, and Mr. Seward’s amendment, extending the time when duties shall be paid to three years, instead of ninety days, was agreed to by a vote of twenty five to eighteen. This leaves the warehousing system without alteration. The Conference Committee on the Deficiency bill made a report stating that an agreement had been come to respecting the amendments. The conference agreed to strike out the Chiriqui amendment. Final action was not taken on either the Tariff or Deficiency bills; but the greatest obstacles to their passage have now been overcome, and they will probably pass through the final stages on Monday.