Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1861-02-21

ii
S. A. DoUGLAs.
,ti Conspiracy to Seize the Capitol.
oa zee % WAsnISGroS. Feb. IA.
1h'-sh PROCEEDINGS IN THE HOUSE.
Mr.. Howard. from the Select Commit
tee Of Five. submitted a report as to the
alleged conspiracy. The COMMITTEES says
if the purpose was at any time entertained
OF forming an organization to seize the
District of Columbia or attack .ae Capitol.
or prevent the Inauguration Of Lincoln. it
seems to have been rendered contigent upon
The secession of Maryland and Virginia.
and the sanction Of one of them. Certain
organizations in the District and Maryland,
that prior to the election. seemed to be
open political ciSbs, have since assumed
the character Of military organizations.
and are now engaged in drilling. and ex.
pect to provide themselves with arms;
some from State authorities, others from
private subscriptions, but so far as the
Committee is able to learn their purposes
while they sympathize strongly with seces-
sion there is no proof that they intend to
attack either the Capitol or District. un
less surrender should be demanded by the
State, to which they profess !. high degree
of allegiance. Some ofthese companies in
Baltimore professcd to be drilling for the
sole purpose OF, preventing other military
companies from passing through the State
Of Maryland. o
Whether these representations are cor
rect or not. the Committee failed to discov.
er satisfactory evidence that they have any
purpose whatever. as nero mob without
the sanction of the State authority. to at.
tack the Capitol or any other public prop
erty in the District, or seize the District
II it is admitted that any Of these organi.
cations were hostile to the Government or.
entertained unlawful purposes. they are in
no proper sense secret, and are not there
fore. such as are contemplated in tho reso-
lntions OF the House.
The Committee is unanimously Of opin-
ion that the evidence before them does not
prove the existence of secret organization
here or elsewhere hostile to the Govern
ment that has for its object upon its own
responsibility. to attack the Capitol OF
any other public property here, or any in
tcrruption Of the functions Of the Govern.
ment.
The Committee submit all the evidence
and ask the same, and the report, to be
printed and the COMMITTEES discharged.
Mr.. Branch submitted his views, concur.
ring entirely with the majority He says
it appears from the testimony of Gen.
Scots, that seven companies of artillery
and one ofsappers and miners have been
ordered to be quartercd in the city, under
the mistaken belief that the public proper
ty was in danger. and asks the passage oi
the following:
Resolved. That the quartering Of troops
Of the regular army in this District and
around the Capitol when not necessary for
their protection from hostile enemy. and
during session of Congress. is impolitic
and may become destructive of civil liber-
ty; and in the opinion of this House, the
regular troops. now in it ought to be re-
moved thercfrom.
Mr.. Branch demanded tho previous qaes-
ton. sa ea roeI r1fs
Debate followed, when Mr. Dawes want
ed to know how he could offer minority
report when the majority report was unan-
imously agreed to-. es ino
Mr.. Branch claimed the right to make
a personal explanation.
Mr. Dawes said the reason the commit
tee was unable to prove the existence of
conspiracy. was because the presence ofthe
troops prevented its ripening into fruision.
lie moved to table Mr.. Branch's resolu-
|tion. s3asI eii st 8isi sges
Mr.. Branch remarked that his resolution
was sanctioned by no other member of
the committee. His name alone signed
the minority report. The reason was,
the majority report did not 60 far enough.
Mrs John Cochrane deprecated as much
as any lover of civil and religions liberty
the gathering of an armed force The ev-
idence showed that there was danger st
one time, and precautionary measures were
adopted. lsseeza6i ssiys9 aslsa
Mr.. kunksl was satisfied that tho whole
inquisition originated with the War De-
partment or Ger Scott. He believed its
object was to furnish to the country
plausible excuse for the concentration Of
military force a. Washington. or else Il
originated with the Governor Of Maryland.
or some of his emissaries. who had super.
induced the movement, because he wss tho
only man that has the audacity or temerity
to assert such . combination toexist in the
State Of which he is the unworthy chief
magistrate. "A
Mr.. Webster said Gov Hicks sctel
from patriotic motives. His conduct was
approved by two-thirds of the people Of
as aYas s--I
8 Alter some further debate, the resolution :
was tabled-l25 against 35.s
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