February 19, 1861; The New York Herald
Jefferson Davis, the President of the Southern confederacy, was duly inaugurated at Montgomery, Alabama, yesterday. The spectacle is described as the grandest ever witnessed at the South. Mr. Davis delivered his inaugural address at one o. We print the document complete in our columns this morning. It is, perhaps, the most important paper presented to the American people since the publishment of the Declaration of Independence. It is a clear and candid exposition of the cause of the secessionists, both as regards the causes of secession and their relations in the future towards the States remaining in the Union. A return to the Union is regarded as not practicable nor desirable.
The Peace Convention at Washington had a long session yesterday. Several amendments to the Guthrie proposition, and a substitute therefore, were offered, but they were all rejected. This action is regarded as indicating that the Convention will sustain the Guthrie plan of adjustment as reported by the committee. The debate yesterday was mainly upon the Territorial question. Gov. Boutwell, of Massachusetts, made a strong anti-compromise speech. It is thought that the Convention may come to a vote tomorrow.
Mr. Lincoln, the President elect, and party, left Buffalo yesterday morning. Along the route from Buffalo to Albany he was greeted by the usual ovations. At Albany the reception was carried out according to the programme agreed upon. We publish in our columns this morning graphic description of the ceremonies, together with reports of the addresses delivered on the occasion. Mr. Lincoln will arrive in this city this afternoon, and will stop at the Astor House.
Mr. Hamlin, the Vice President elect, left his home in Maine, en route for Washington, yesterday. He will arrive in this city tomorrow.
In Congress yesterday a large number of petitions respecting the crisis were presented and referred. The Senate, at the expiration of the morning hour, took up the Tariff bill. An amendment to reduce the duty on books was rejected. An amendment levying a duty of four cents per pound on tea and half a cent on coffee, and reducing the duty on sugar, was agreed to by a vote of 23 to 19. An amendment reducing the government loan from twenty- one millions to ten millions, with a promise that no part of the loan be applied to the present fiscal year, was agreed to. The Conference Committee on the bill making appropriations for the executive, legislative and judicial expenses of the government reported that they had agreed, and the report was accepted.
In the House the Military Committee reported a bill supplemental to the acts of 1795 and 1817, providing for the calling forth of the militia for the execution of the laws of the Union, the suppression of insurrection and repelling invasion, so as to extend their provisions to the case of insurrection against the authority of the United States, and authorize the President, in cases where it may be lawful, to use the militia in addition to the army and navy; to accept the services of volunteers as cavalry, infantry and artillery, and officer the same. Mr. Bocock, of Virginia, objected to the second reading of the bill, and the question being taken on its rejection, it was decided in the negative by a vote of 67 against 110. Discussion ensued on the merits of the proposition, but final action was not taken. The bill authorizing the issue of a part of the government loan in fifty dollar six per cent bonds, to be applied to the payment of the public creditors at par, was taken up. Mr. John Cochrane, from the Committee on Commerce, reported a bill appropriating $50,000 for the survey of northern water courses and islands of the Pacific Ocean and Behring Straits, in view of telegraphic communication from the mouth of the Amoor, in Asia, to some point on the confines of the Russian possessions, thus telegraphically uniting the United States with Europe. It was referred to the Committee of the Whole on the State of the Union. The Senate bill organizing the Territory of Colorado, was passed. The remainder of the session was devoted to speeches on the crisis.