New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-02-15

proof that they intend 10 attack ether the Capitol
District Of Columbia, unless the surrender should be
demanded by a State TO which they profess a high
degree Of ale glance Some of these companies ia Bal
timore profe.sed to be drilling for the sole pur-
pose of preventing other military companies from
passing through the State Of Mary land Whether these
representations Of the purposes Of these companies be
correct or not the Committee have failed to discover
any satisfactory evidence that they had any purpose
whatever mob, without the sanction Of State
authority, TO attack the Capitol or any other public
property in this District, or TO ee9e the District. Lit
should be admitted that any of these organizations
were hostile to the Government or entertained unlaw-
fu poses they are in 10 proper sense secret, and
not therefore such as are contemplated IN the resO-
luton OF the House.
The Committee are unanimously of the opinion that
The evidence produced before them does not prove the
existence Of secret organization here or elsewhere
hostile 10 the Government that has Tor IT'S 0blect upon
it's own responsibility, an attack upon the Capitol or
any other Of the public property here, OF an lnterup-
ton OF any of the functions Of the Government, Inc
Committee subnt herewith all the testimony taken
upon the subject and ask that the and this re-
port be printed the Committee be discharged from
the further consideration 0l the subject.
Mr.. BRANCH Dem, n. c., from the same Com
mittce presented his views follows That he con-
curs entirely with the majority Of the Committee, that
the testimony does not establish the existence OF
conspiracy, Os combination, ora purpose on the part
Of any persons to seize the public property in the Dis
trict of Columbia, 10 interfere with the regular
operations Of the Government. He thinks it has been
established, uo.wi,hs ndng the difficulty OF proving
negative, that no such conspiracy does exist either III
this district elsewhere. II appears from the testi-
mony Of Lent.-(ien. ScOt, that seven companies u
Artillery snd one company OF Sappels and Miners, 81
the regular army, have been ordered here, and are
quartered ia the city, in close vicinity 10 the Capitol
under the mistaken belief that the public property ia
tie District Was or wOuld be, in danger and the Com
mittee being unanimously Of the opinion that DO con-
bnatiOn conspiracy, OF purpose hostile To The GOF:
eminent or its property, exists the undersigned
woald AJAX the passage OF the following resolutions:
That tho quarteng Of troops Of the regular amy in this Dis
ct aud around the Capitol when not necessary FOR Their pro
.iwpohie and oaen'i'e s9d I permitted esy become o.
trucye civil liberty and IN the opinion Of this Hoase te
hcn.
lie demands the previous question.
Mr. HOWARD understood that the report made by
him was unanimous. lie was not aware that the
Committee had the subject matter Of the resolution
before hem At all events there had been no opp0r-
tuuty afforded the Committee to vote on il. He did
not understand how the gentleman could make mi
nOriy report under the circumstances.
Mr.. BRANCH said that he did not present the IesC-
luton as the views of the Committee, bn' az minority
report The Committee did not vote it; but he en-
tefianed the hope that all the members of the Com
mittee would vote for it in the House.
The SPEAKER pro tcmpoTe tNr. Kellogg OF W.
sad that the report of the majority and that OF Mr.
Branch had been received by common cOnsent. He
announced that the resolution Of the latter was no"
before the House.
VI r..
of the Committee there had been the utmost courtesy
and kindness. So far this investigation wa con-
cered, be proud 10 ray every member OF The Com
mittee had exhibited the utmost candor and EiIiiees,
with no desire suppress the truth or make appear as
truth tha. which was not
Mr.. DAWES (Rep., Mass vas recognized az emit
tied to the hoor
Mr.. BRANCH reminded the Chair that he had de-
mnu,ed the prev ous question on his resolution.
Mr.. DAWES wanted to know how, il the report
was unanimously agreed TO, there could be minority
report
Weld the floor.
Mr.. DAWES replied that, after 50 much trouble TO
get It. he could not relnqush IL.
Mr. BRANCH claimed the tight to make personal
explanation.
Mr. DAWES ssid the reason why the Committee
had not been able 10 prove the existence Of conspi-
Iacy was because the presence Of troops prevented
the conspiracy from being ripeLed into fruton, and
that the prsteuce Of these troops enabled the Commit
tee 10 present a report showing that existed.
This was perfectly clear to his mind, and the forma
ton was nipped in the bud and sed by the presence
of these forces. lie moved TO lay Mr. Branchs reSo'
lutons on the table.
Mr.. BRANCH remarked that be had already stated
his resolution neither approved nor sanctioned by
any member OF the Committee. His name alone was
signed 10 the minority report Did he not IN open se--
zion of the Committee to-day, say 10 them that he de-
sired 10 present resolution requesting the President
to remove the troops lie knew that he stood alone
and that circumstances prevented him from submitting
bis resolution TO the Committee, knowing that would
be voted down. Was not the gentleman from Mas
,schuse,s the first to speak out aud gay, yea it was
useless to present il
Mr. DAWES-Yes, and that was a reason. thought
it would never be heard Of.
Mr. BRANCH replied that the gentleman had thus
indicated him from breach Of courtesy, but now the
gentleman had made motion which would cut of
ialtber debate, and prevent him from replying thus
taking advantage OF his lBran,h's) courtesy.
Mr.. DAWES said that Mr. Branch had, by n oourse
aucreplet tefo he
House resolution that never before the Commit
tee. He did not desire To prevent the gentleman from
making remarks, provided he Dawes could bold the
floor and he ed 10 lay the resolution on the table,
lie again asked by what sort of process Mr. Branch
enabled to manufacture minority report out of
the majority report there was majority report, and
the gentleman says he cOncuTs in il.
Mr. BRANCH Said his only objection was that The
report did not 20 fur enough. As no conspiracy ex-
-ted he asked, in his resolution, that the Federal
troops be removed from Warrington.
Mr.. JOHN COCllRANE Dem, n. y claimed the
attention Gf the Chair, and obtained the floor only On
the condition, exacted by Mr. Dawes, that lie tCoch-
Isnel would renew the motion 10 lay the resolution on
the table which the latter had made.
Mr.. COCIRANE said that he deprecated as much az
Mr. Branch any other lover Of ciyil and religious
liberty, the gathering Of an armed force where the
capitol IL located and the Legislature assembled and
where free speech should not only be tolerated, but
sustained. He di-ked as much a. the gentleman the
notes of The military being heard III the morning and
the exhibition of the bayonet in the gtsrng sun, and
force the capitol leaving the impression that the
impress of power brought 10 bear free legisa
ton. The evidence submitted to-day showed conclu-
siyrly that although there was now no organization
threatening the District of Columbia and the Federal
power yet that at one period of time there wa. such
danger and rumors and reports loading the breeze and
making pregnant the atmosphere and attracting the
attention of all, and under the proof Of these rumos
measures adopted 70 have pro-
tectng force of militia in the District for, ii he
beed Alright the question put TO the loader of the Fed
era force was, whether reliance should re placed on
the regular forces rather than the militia when his
rruy indicated that in the face the threat