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


State of Virginia.
Mr.. WILSON reported back from the Committee
on Military Affairs bill for the organization of
volunteer militia force to be called the Nationa
uuaru OF the United States. Postponed until thu
next session OF Congress-
r Mr. WILSON also reported back from the same
r COMMITTEE House bill for the relief of John c.
: Mcdowell, with amendments. Considered and
: passed.
It Mr.. SALISBURY moved to take up the Joint reso
= luton which he introduced a few DAYS ago. rela-
tive to the forwarding of arms and ammunition Tn
, | the State of Delaware
, Mr. SALISBURY said he had no objection that
: arms should be sent to every loyal citizen Of Della
ware His object in offering the resolution to
enquire to whom the arms have been sent
Many of the Union loving people, who willing
to sustain the Government, have been deprived OF
: the privilege of having arms. He denied the
| charges heaped upon the State of Delaware. that
the people disunionsts far tn, ir State
was co cerned. The Senate refused to take up the
resolution.
Mr.. WILSON, from the COMMITTEES on Military At
fairs, reported bill making appropriations for for
titcaiions and for other poses. Passed. This
bill arpropriates $1,000 for the purposes afore-
said.
Mr.. WILSON also reported back from the same
committee a bill to promote the efficiency of the
volunteer forces of the United States, with amend
ments, giving the President power to discharge in
competent officers and to appoint in their places
competent and capable officers.
The amendments were agreed to and the bill
passed
MT. llALE presented n meDOIl lal from C1aS. =.
James, of Providence, r. l., praving that ex
animation be made by a board of Naval officers of
bis fitrd cannon proiscte.
Mr.. HALE also introduced joint resolution
thorizing examination bv a Board of Naval
Officers Of said piece of ordinances; both of which
were referred to the Committee on Naval Atf.irs
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.
| Mr.. WILSON hoped the Senate would not adopt
the amendments of the House. He believed if the
bill passed it would do more injury to the Gov
ernment than any bill hitherto passed.
Mr.. WILSON afterwards withdrew his objection |
| and the House amendments cOncurred in.
On motion of Mr.. TRUMBULL, the Senate pro- |
ceeded to the consideration of Senate bill No 49, to
suppress insurrectlon, sediti0n and for other pur-
poses.
The pending question was on the eighth section |
oi the bill being stricken cut as mnv on Tuesday
BY MIR Care.
The section alluded to, requires mmanders OF |
military departments to administer the oath of allie
glance to suspected persons.
MIR. CowAN moved to postpone the further con-
sideratOn of the bill until the first Monday in De-
Cembgr next.
Mr.. BAYARD SAID the bill involved grave consti-
tut'ona questions, and its like had never before
been presented to the Senate. He hoped the Sen
ate would postpone the bill as moved by the Sena-
tor from Pennsylvania SIR. Cowan); If they would
not he should proceed to discuss it and attempt to
show its gross incompatibty with the Copstitu-
ton.
Mr. WILSON obtained leave to return the report
OF the Committee of Conference upon the disa gree
ing vote of the two houses the Senate bill No.
D, Tor the better organization OF the military es-
Enlistment.
The House receded from its amendments, several
new but unimportant provisions were offered and
the report OF the committee was agreed to.
The CHAIR Mr.. Fnot) stated that the bill to | l
suppress lnsurrection, &c, was now in order.
Mr.. HARRIS, of New York, said that although he |
had favored the bill in committee, be should vote
Tor It's posponcment; it was too novel in its propo-
slons and too impor tant in its principles to be
tured at the present session; that there was no $
longer civiIlsw and civil governments; crimes
committed with impunity and after much hesitation
be thought martial law should supply the place 7
once occupied by civil law, but that the temper OF
the present Senate and temperature of the weather
were adverse to the maturing of the bill at this
session. =
and hoped it would not be postponed. q
Mr.. BRECKENRIDGE said that he was well aware t
that on the motion to postpone it would not be in
oroer to discuss tn merits of the bill; but without
desiring to infringe any parliamentary rule, he c
would merely state his intention vote for the il
postponement. He was glad to that the SEN z
ate, which had hitherto passed acts which u
at last staggered when asked to
vote for Senate bill No, 80. He did not wish to h
vote to postpone in order that the question might e
not be discussed on the contrary he was willing h
t9o dsba its Eqfsits, and Wished it nrpted in
Mr.. BRECKINRIDGE said that bill had been pass b
ed whchconfscated property in the seeded states,
and endangered it in adjoining States, but this bill
provides for the destruction OF personal and poltl-
cal lights The BILL he said, intended,
and if passed would accomplisb, the abolition of
State rights and personal and political liberty.
Mr.. TRUMBuLL said the Senator from Kentucky !
mir Breckinridge) bad bjcted to the provisional
exercise of military law; he would ask whether t
military law was not now exercsed-Whe.ter men |
were not arrested in Illinois, Missouri and Maryland
by military order-whether men were not arrested
in Baltimore and removed frem Fort WcHenry to
other points? He was aware that these actions,
together will the search of private houses and pa
pers were committed by the military power, and
we might look for the authority to do so in vain
but necessity required it to be DONE He was aware
that some of the Senators willing to give the
bill the "go- by" but he hoped they would consult
their duty in the case, and clothe 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 could not be regulated
By special legislation.
Mr.. Ten EYCK not in favor of postponement;
he wished the Senate would vote upon the bill by
sections. He thought the duty of the Senate was
to pass of the provisions of the BILL and others
should be rejected
Mr. BRECKINRGoGE said he did not know how the
Senate would vote on the bill before them,
but that several Senators had made remarks which
he felt bound to deny. The drama is now begin
ring 10 open to us-we now have some idea of the
magnitude OF the question.
He showed said he, some time ago, that the
course the Senate pursuing was tending to
trample the c. nstitution under foot. Both Houses
had passed 2 bill conGcating all property IN the
seeding States used in aiding the rebellion, and
he need to say that all property is used to sup
port those who were carrying on the war. To this
bill is added that all persons held to service or la
Dor, aiding in the rebellion, shall be freed from
vipnu labn he W
an of emancipation, all these persons are
employed in raising the very means of support OF
the people of the seeded States.
Mr. BRECKENRIDGE said that ir New York
Young man had been impris ned without direct
charge being made, ard the military officer refused
10 obey the writ of habeas corpus. Why was this
necessary in the State of New York? Was not
New York subordinate to the Federal Government?
The police mmissioners of Baltimore were arrest
| ed without charge. In vain they asked for hear
| ing; n vain they respectfully protested against the
| wrongs which had been perpetTated upon them. |
When the President is asked to give information to
| the lower House of the of their arrest and of
! their whereabouts, he answers that it would be in
compatible with public interest. They are spirited
away from fortress to another, and the Pres- |
dent refuses to state where they are or the reason
| why they were removed.
The Senator from Illinois (Mr TrumbulD ac
| cused me the other day of being malignant in my
remarks of the Executive. have to say that what
| have done have done freely. | have criticised
the acts of the President with the freedom of re-
|
| | bold a seat this floor. In regard to the Pre-
sident, he thought that his actions in the
attributable to those around him, that although he
was trampling the Constitution under foot every
day, he was honest, but was subject to the inhu-
ences of those who surrounded him. Mr. be-
lieved that the Constitution required only oath
from officers of the Government, and that only to
support the Constitution.
Said Mr.. Breckenridge, suppose Kentucky, which
is military district should be declared in state
of rebellion this bill allows the vitiation of all the
legislative, executive and judicial powers of the
) State at the will of military commander. Cen
temen talk about the Union rather as end than
as the means; they speak of it though the exs-
stence of the States depended upon its preserva-
ti0n as though it existed before the States, but it
i may not survive the present issue. Take care
that in pursuing idea you NAV not discover
what remains of the Unior, if you deprive them Of
q those rights which dearest to them. 1t the
question comes in the States between form of gov
o ernment and these priceless principles, the gov
# ernment must go.
e desire the country to know that constitutional
s regulations and laws no longer regarded on
= this floor. This is truly war, the prisoners on
:. both sides not hung when TAKEN In my opin-
n ion it is not only unhappy, but an unconstitu
:, tonal war. The Constitution, the very bond OF
>, union, is dsregarded here admitted violations OF
that document made and justified. There are
twenty States not yet seeded from the acknOwl-
a edged Federal Union. To these States the Consti-
< tuition belongs, and they wish it respected, and
y when it is not done the people will begin to ask
what will become of their rights and their liberties
= Mr. President, on the wrong track, ano
! have been from the beginning, and the people are
IL S- ,I.A,,