ve-labor States, for conciliation, and a disposition to compromise much for the sake of fraternal good — will and peace.
On motion of Lazarus W. Powell, of Kentucky, a Committee of Thirteen was appointed by Vice-President Breckinridge, to consider the. condition of the country, and report some plan, by amendments of the National Constitution or otherwise, for its pacification.
This Committee consisted of L. W. Powell and John J. Crittenden, of Kentucky; William H. Seward, of New York; J. Collamer, of Vermont; William Bigler, of Pennsylvania; R. M. T. Hunter, of Virginia; Robert Toombs, of Georgia; Jefferson Davis, of Mississippi; H. M. Rice, of Minnesota; Stephen A. Douglas, of Illinois; Benjamin Wade, of Ohio; J. R. Doolittle, of Wisconsin.
and J. W. Grimes, of Iowa., The Committee; was composed of eight Democrats and five Republicans. On the same day, the. venerable John J. Crittenden offered to the Senate a series of amendments of the Constitution, and Joint Resolutions, for t
o the maintenance of the existing Union and Constitution should be directed all the energies of the Government and the efforts of all good citizens.
Congressional Globe, January 9, 1861.
This amendment, so thoroughly wise and patriotic, and so eminently necessary at that critical moment in averting the most appalling national danger, was adopted by a vote of twenty-five against twenty-three.
The vote was as follows:--yeas, Messrs. Anthony, Baker, Bingham, Cameron, Chandler, Clark, Collamer, Dixon, Doolittle, Durkee, Fessenden, Foote, Foster, Grimes, Hale, Harlan, King, Seward, Simmons, Sumner, Ten Eyck, Trumbull, Wade, Wilkinson, and Wilson.
NAYs, Messrs. Bayard, Bigler, Bragg, Bright, Clingman, Crittenden, Fitch, Green, Gwin, Hunter, Johnson of Tennessee, Kennedy, Lane of Oregon, Mason, Nicholson, Pearce, Polk, Powell, Pugh, Rice, Saulsbury, and Sebastian. The leading conspirators in the Senate, who might have defeated the amendment and carried the Crittenden Compromise, di