The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-08-02
IHIRTY.SEVENTH CONGRESS- SPECIAL SESSION
SENATE.

a
no sion of part of the District of Columbia to tn
State ofVirginia.
Mr. WILSON reported back from the COMMITTEE
j. on Military Affairs bill for the organization Of
volunteer militia force to be called the Nationa
Guard OF the United States. Postponed until tn
next session OF Congress
err Mr.. w ILsoN also reported back from the sam,
ar Committee House bill for the relief of .Iobn G.
,e mcdowell, with amendments. Considered ant
o. passed.
ut Mr.. SALISBURY moved to take IN the Joint reso
u iution which he introduced few DAYS ago, rela
IS tive to the forwarding of arms and ammunition tf
%, the State of Delaware
lie Mr. SALISBURY said he had no objection that
Is arms should be sent to loyal citizen of Della
OF ware His object in offering the resolution to
Sc enquire to whom the arms have been sent
Many OF the Union loving people, who are willing
7u 20 sustain the Government, have been deprived OF
n the privilege of having arms. He denied the
III charges heaped upon the State of Delaware. that
d. the people were disunionsts far tn ir State
was co cerned. The Senate refused to take up the
i'd resolution.
Mr.. WILSON, from the COMMITTEE on Military At
lars reported bill making appropriations for for
IL tihcations and for other puI poses Passed. This
bill arpropriates 100000 for the purposes afore-
said.
n Mr.. WILSON also reported back from the same
T. committee bill to promote the efficiency of the
E. volunteer forces of the United States with amend
ments, giving the President power discha rge in
= competent officers and to appoint in their places
competent and capable officers.
u The amendments agreed to and the bill
| passed.
l. Mr.. HALE presented memorial from Chas. S.
G James, of Providence, r. l., PRAYING that an ex
| animation be made by board of Naval officers of
s bis TItird cannon and proisctiie.
Mr. HALE also Introduced joint resolution au-
thorizlog an examination bV Board of Naval
| Oifcers Of said piece of ordnance; both of which
were referred to the Committee on Naval Atftirs
MIR. CHANDLER, from the Committee on Com
merce, reported bill to regulate the code of ma
riue signals
- Mr.. CHANDLER, from the same committee, re-
ported bill TO reduce the consular fees for vessels
, running to or from foreign ports Passed.
The Senate proceeded to the consideration of
bill No. 43, to suppress fraud the part of officers
, engaged in making contracts for the government
, the question being upon the House amendments.
MIR. WILSON hoped the Senate would not adopt
the amendments of the House. He believed if the
bill was passed it would do more injury to the Gov
eminent than any bill hitherto passed
MT; WILSON afterwards withdrew his objection,
ana the House amendments were cOncurred in.
On motion of Mr. TRUMBULL, the Senate pro- |
ceeded to the consideration of Senate bill No 49, to
suppress lnsurrectiou, sedition and for other pur-
poses.
The pending question the eighth section |
| by Mr. Garlic.
The section alluded to, requires commanders OF
military departments to administer the oath of allie
| glance to suspected persons.
Mr.. CowAN moved to postpone the further con-
slderatIon OF the bill until the first Monday in De-
| cember next.
Mr.. BAYARD said the bill involved grave consti-
| tuhonal questions, and its like had never before
|
| ate would postpone the bill moved by the Sena-
! tor from Pennsylvania Mr. Cowan): if they would
not, he should proceed to discuss it and attempt to
sho" Its gross incompatibility with the Constitu-
ton.
Sir. WILSON obtained leave to return the report
OF the Committee of Conference upon the dis gree
ing vote of the two houses on the Senate bill No.
Tor the better organization of the military es-
Enlistment. :
The House receded from its amendments, several
new but unmportant provisions offered, and !
the report of the committee was agreed to.
The CHAIR Mr.. Foot) stated that the bill to I
suppress insurrection, &c, now in order. a
MIR. HARRIS, OF New York, said that although he {
had favored the bill in committee be should vote
tor its postpouement; it novel in its propo-
sions and too important in its principles to be ma
tured at the present session; that there was no s
longer e'ViI law aud civil governments; crimes
committed with impunity and after uuch hesitation
he thought martial law should supply the place .
once occupied by civil law but that the temper OF
the pretert Senate and temperature of the weather
were adverse to the maturing of the bill at this
session. r
Mr. BRowNtNG said the bill was an important one i
and hoped it would not be postponed q
MIR. BRECKENRIDGE said that he was well aware d
that on the motion to postpone it would not be In
order to discuss tn merits of the BILL but without D
desiring to Infringe on any parliamentary rule, he
would merely state his intention vote for the il
postponement. He was glad to see that the Sem z
ate, which had hitherto passed acts which were u
unconstitutional, at last staggered when asked to
vote for Senate bill No. 49, He did not wish to h
vote to postpone in order that the question might e.
not be discussed; the contrary, be was willing
to debate its merits, and wished it printed in
every newspaper of the country; he was aware it h
would be universally condemned bs the people.
Mr.. BREcKINRrDGE said that bill had been pass b
ed whlchconiscaed property in the seeded States IL
and endangered it in adjoining States but this bill r.
provides for the destruction of personal and politi
cal rights everywhere. The bill, he sad intended b.
and II passed would accomplish the abolition of Sc
State rights and personal and political liberty
Mr. TRUMBuLL said the Senator from Kentucky ic
(Mr Brecknridge) bad jected to the provisional
exeicise ct military Law; he would ask whether to
military law was not exercised-Uhether men fl
not arrested in Illinois, Missouri and MARYLAND a,
by military order-whether were not arrested pl
In Baltimore and removed frem Fort WcHenry to C
other points? He was aware that these actions,
together VII the search of private houses and pa tn
pers were committed by the military power and nj
we might 'ook for the authority to do so in vain,
but necessity required it to be done. He
that some of the Senators willing to give the FL
bill the "go,bv," but he hoped they would consult
their duty in the case, and cothe the military with
power to crush the rebellion.
Mr.. COLLAMER thought that the bill should be
postponed. as a bill had already passed which
gave the Executive all necessary power to crush
the rebellion. That war could not be regulated
by special legisation.
Mr.. Ten EYCK not in favor of pnstpopemant:
he wished the Senate would vote upon the bill by
sections. He thought the duty of the Senate was
to pass some OF the provisions of the BILL and Others
should be rejected. CO
MIR. BREcKINRroGE said he did not know how the r.
senate would vote on the bill before them, re
ne felt bound to deny. The drama is now begin Or
eng 10 open to us-we have some idea of the sal
magnitude OF the question. I'll
He showed, said he, some time ago. that the -
course the Senate was pursuing tending to w
rample the Ccnstitution under foot Both Houses me
lad passed bill coniscating all property in the ex
feeding States used in aiding the rebellion and trc
lie need not to say that all property is used to sup
port those who were carrying the war To this ,,,
'iil is added that all persons held service or la
'or, aiding in the rebellion, shall be freed from
UGH service or labor. This, he said, was plainly
IN act of emancipation, as all these persons are :
Employed In raising the very means of support of rel
he people of the seeded States. q,
Mr.. BRECKENRIDGE said that in New York -'s
ouDg man had been lmpris ned without direct
harge being made, and the military officer refused ecc
o obey the writ of habeas corpus Whv was this ~,
necessary in the State of New York {? Was not Ia.
Iew York subordinate to the Federal Government? aid
ne ponce mmlssiopers of Baltimore were arrest anC
a without charge In vain they asked for hear mo
ne; IN vain they respectfully protested against the NJ
prongs which had been perpetrated upon them -
hen the PRESIDENT asked to give Information to Co
be lower House of the of their arrest and of
heir whereabouts he that it would be in Ian
ompatible with public int crest. They are spirted
way from one fortress to another, and the Presi- cay
ent refuses to state where they or the reason
ny they were removed: pla
The Senator from Illinois (Mr Trumbuln ac we,
used me the other day of being malignant in nv ~;
emar ks OF the Executive have say that what LIN
nave done have done freely. | have criticised am
ne acts OF the President with the freedom of re-
resentatiye and will continue to do so as long as
hold seat on this floor. In regard to the Pre-. ~,
dent he thought that his actions in the war were o
ttroutaoie to those around him, that although he till
as trampling the Constitution under foot every up
ay, he was honest, but was subiect to the iuAu- Y
noes OF those who surrounded him. Mr. B be-
eyed that the Constitution required only an oath
'om officers OF the Government and that onlv to pat
Import the Constitution.
Said Mr.. Breckinrid ge, suppose K kentucky. which
military district, should be declared in a state
rebellion, this bill allows the vitiation of all the
'gislatlve, executive and judicial powers of the ,
tate at the will of military commander Cen d.
emen talk about the Union rather as an end than "
5 the means; they speak of it as though the exis
tence OF the States depended upon its preserya-
@n, as though it existed before the States Int II da
lay not survive the present ISSUE Take care | nur
hat In pursuing one idea you NAV not discovsr
hat remains of the Unior, if you deprive them of
hose rights which are dearest to them. II the
uestion comes in the States between form of GOV.
rnment and these priceless principles, the gov.
rnment must go.
| desire the country to know that. constitutional
equations and laws no longer regarded on
MS noor. This is truly war, the prisoners on .
9th sides are not hung when taken In nv opin.
IN 1t Is not only an unhappy, but an unconsttu
onal war. The Constitution, the verv bond of
MON, is d'sregarded here, admitted violations of
rat document are made and justified. There are
Tenty Statef not yet seeded from the acknowl roo
iged Federal Union. To these States the Consti- :;
ition belongs, and they wish it respected. and Ge,
hen it is not done the people will begin to ask -
hat will become of their rights and their liberties d
r. President, we are on the wrong track, and pre
ave been from the beginning, the people are do