[
561]
Chapter 24: the called session of Congress.--foreign relations.--benevolent organizations.--the opposing armies.
- Congress and its duties, 561.
-- organization of the House
-- the President's Message, 562.
-- reports of the Cabinet ministers, 564.
-- importance of prompt action
-- foreign Affairs, 565.
-- erroneous opinions abroad
-- instructions to ministers, 566.
-- relations with great Britain, 567.
-- the duty and interest of great Britain, 568.
-- the Queen's proclamation of neutrality, 569.
-- attitude of Continental sovereigns, 570.
-- War measures in Congress
-- opposers of the War measures, 571.
-- loan bill passed
-- expulsion of disloyal, members, 572.
-- Peace propositions
-- Crittenden's Joint resolution, 573.
-- the Army and the people--“forward to Richmond!”
574.
-- benevolent organizations, 575.
-- noble work of a woman
-- benevolent women in Philadelphia, 576.
-- Philadelphia Refreshment saloons, 577.
-- firemen's Ambulance system
-- the Union Army near Washington City, 579.
-- position of the Union forces, 581.
-- position of the Confederate forces, 582.
-- the Army of the Shenandoah, 583.
On Thursday, the 4th of July, 1861, which was the eighty-fourth anniversary of the Declaration of the
Independence of the
United States, the Thirty-seventh Congress assembled in the
Capitol at
Washington City, in extraordinary session, in compliance with the call of the
President.
No Congress since the First--by which the policy of the new government in its domestic and foreign relations had to be determined, the practical foundations of the Nation established, and the machinery of law put in motion — had been burdened with such momentous duties and such grave responsibilities as this.
The delicate and difficult task of preserving, by the strong arm of absolute power, the life of the Nation, imperiled by internal foes, without usurping the constitutional prerogatives of the people, was imposed upon it. Its members were elected when the country seemed to be in a state of profound peace and great prosperity; they now came together, a few months later, to legislate, when the country was rent by violence and its industrial energies were paralyzed — when the fires of civil war were madly blazing over an area of more than three-quarters of a million of square miles of the
Republic, and were, in a special manner, menacing the seat of government and the national archives with utter desolation.
Large armies, destined for the overthrow of the
Government, were within the sound of cannon of the
Capital; and secret assassins, it is believed, intrusted with errands of deadliest mischief by conspirators, were prowling about the halls of Congress and the house of the
Chief Magistrate.
At such a time, the representatives of the people went up to the
National Capital, charged with the duty of preserving the
Republic from harm; and, as we shall observe, the great majority of them wisely, patriotically, and efficiently performed that duty.
In the Senate, twenty-three States, and in the House of Representatives, twenty-two States and one Territory were represented.
There were forty senators and one hundred and fifty-four representatives present on the first day of the session.
Ten States, in which the politicians had adopted ordinances of secession, were not represented.
1 In both houses, there was a large majority of
Unionists.
