elegates to the Conference for the purpose of preventing any
compromise measures being proposed by that body. They desire, in the
language of these letters, to save their party from destruction. They
say that if the Conference should agree on any thing, it would have a
demoralizing effect upon the people, and upon the two Houses of
Congress. In one word, it will have the effect to make a rupture in
the Republican party, which, in the estimation of the Senators, is
higher, holier, and better, it seems, than the Union.

In consequence of this fact being apparent, that it is not the design
or the intention that the Peace Conference should do any thing, I
think we should not wait for it any longer, but the Senate should
proceed at once to the consideration of the amendments to the
Constitution proposed by my colleague. I think we had better be
engaged in that work--one that is calculated, if the propositions of
my colleague should pass, in my opinion, to save the country from
further disintegration. I think we had better be at that, than be
appropriating money to support an Army that is to be engaged, it
seems, in the work of blood-letting. The Senator from Michigan thinks
the Government is not worth a rush until it shall have drawn a little
blood. I hope my motion will prevail, and that we shall lay this bill
aside and proceed to the consideration of the measures proposed by my
colleague.

Mr. CHANDLER:--The Senator from Kentucky has read what purports to be
a short note that I sent the other day to the Governor of Michigan.
Whether it is a correct copy or not, I cannot say; I kept no copy of
it, nor do I care.

Mr. POWELL:--If the Senator will allow me one word, I will state to
the Senate that, when I received this paper, yesterday--

Mr. CHANDLER:--I was about to state that.

Mr. POWELL:--I asked both the Senators if the letters were right. They
told me they kept no copies, but they believed they were substantially
so.

Mr. CHANDLER:--I was going to say that. Now, sir, I desire to answer
the Senator from Kentucky, and to set myself right on this
question--(my position from the first has been well known upon this
question, and upon most others)--but, at the earnest solicitation of
the Senator from Maine, who has charge of this bill, I will forego the
response which I intended to make, and which I shall make to the
Senator from Kentucky, for the present, for the purpose of going on
and disposing of the Army appropr