165 YEARS AGO: The U.S. Congress defiantly resolves that the defeat at Bull Run will not stop the Federals from achieving ultimate victory.
Tag: U.S. Congress
Proceedings of the Thirty-seventh U.S. Congress
165 YEARS AGO: The U.S. Congress begins debating on how to pay for the war, with various member proposing such things as borrowing, taxing, and confiscating rebel property. These also spark debates over the implications for slavery and wartime policies. The anti-war minority also makes itself heard.
The Special Session of the 37th U.S. Congress
OTD 165 YEARS AGO: The 37th Congress of the United States assembles at President Abraham Lincoln’s request. The Republicans hold a strong majority, but they are split between conservatives wanting to wage war only to reunite the Union and radicals seeking to wage war to end slavery.
Compromise Goes up the Spout
By the end of 1860, several proposals to keep the Union intact have been proposed, including the complex compromise plan from Senator John J. Crittenden. But none of these proposals seem to be popular enough for both North and South to support.
Compromise Efforts: I Am for Fighting Again
Senator John J. Crittenden introduces a complex program designed to end the sectional crisis and preserve the Union. This plan is opposed by President-elect Abraham Lincoln, who refuses any compromise that might allow slavery to expand into the new territories.
President Buchanan’s 1860 Message to Congress
The last annual message of James Buchanan’s presidency acknowledges that North and South are “now arrayed against each other.” He offers suggestions on how to resolve the crisis, but he leaves both sections dissatisfied.