Congressional.
Washington, Jan. 31.
--Senate.--Mr. Seward presented a petition of 38,000 names, from New York, asking conciliation.
Mr. Seward said he had been requested to support the petition, but had seen no disposition on the part of the seceding States to allow a practical effort at compromise by the adhering States.
He however, held himself open to such propositions.
He did not fear for the Union.
All platforms, or men that stood in the way of the preservation of the Union, would be swept away.
He intimated that the question of slavery in the Territories was an abstraction.
That the number of slaves that would ever be introduced there would be too trifling to risk embroiling the country in civil war.
Mr. Mason, of Va., understood the petitions to be for the adoption of the Crittenden resolutions.
Mr. Seward had shown by his votes that he was not in favor of this mode of adjustment, but had signified that the Constitution needed no amendment.
Mr. Seward had to- day spoken of contributing money to the cause of the Union.
What did he mean ?
Mr. Seward explained that he meant, after all Congressional means had failed, to assemble in Convention the people of the whole Union.
If this failed, then to advise Senators to stand in the breach for the Union.
Mr. Mason said all this meant force, and bloodshed, and tyranny.
The Union was already dissolved, and he hoped his people could not be deceived by this species of reasoning.
The discussion continued at great length between Mason, Seward, Cameron, and Douglas.
Mr. Hale subsequently made a long Union speech.
He was followed by Mr. Douglas.
Adjourned.
House.--The Senate bill authorizing a branch of the Alexandria, Loudoun and Hampshire Railroad to Georgetown, was passed.
Night sessions for debate only were agreed upon.
The House went into Committee of the Whole on the Pension bill.
The Cherokee purchase was debated.
Mr. Adams, of Mass., predicted that the Southern Confederacy would be an ignominious failure. 