Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1861-12-20
WASHINGTON, lee +:

w ASHlNGTONS lee. g.
bSENATE.-Mr. Wilson of Mas. called
attention to & list of colored persons
confined in prisons in Washinfon, sent
there by persons calling the9elves JUS
tices of the Peace. The rgort had been
made by Detective Allento the Provost
Marshal. Mr.. WilsoTntroduced res
tolntion for their resase.
~ r. Hire q n q S4 rvcatet tine pas
sage of the resolution. He remarked
that we are now supporting the slaves of
the rebels for them during the war. He
thought this country the most corrupt,
from the Supreme Court down, of any
other in the world. The course of jus
tiee in this city was most extraordinary.
He argued that it was the duty Of Con-
gress to !ook into the administration of
Justice in this District.
Mr.. Wilson remarked he had visited
these poor persons in Jail, and witnessed
the things of which he had spoken, and
the cruelcondition in which the inmates
were PLACED.
He indorsed the views expressed by
Mr. Hale as to the administration of
Justice in this District. He was willing
that his resolution should be referred to
the judiciary Committee.
On motion of Mr.. Clarke, it was
ReDlrsd, That the Marshal of the
District Of Columbia be requested to re-
port Immediately to the Senate the names
Of all persons now confined in the Jail in
the City of Washington, with the causes
of their commitment, the names of the
magistrates by whom committed, the
length of their Imprisonment and the
names of the persons who made the first
arrest.
On motion of Mr.. Wilson, it was
Resolred, That the laws now in force
within the District of Columbia, relating
to the arrest of fugitives from service or
labor, together with all other laws con
cerning persons Of color in the District
of Colum bia, be referred to the Commit
tee on the District of Columbia, and
that the Committee be further instructed
to consider the expediency of abolishing
Slavery in the District, with compensa
/ tion to the loyal owners of the slaves
Mr. Hutchlns, Of Ohio, introduced a
joint resolution concerning the rebel
lion, the considerable of which was
postponed; also, the following:
WHEREAS, 1t has been represented
that there are confined in the Govern
ment jail forty five prisoners who are
not charged with crime, but are repro
sented as being slaves,
Resolred, That the Committee for the
District of Columbia be instructed to in
quire into the truth Of said report, and
by what authority they are confined
who are, the reputed owners, and what
legislation if any is necessary to relieve
them from Imprisonment, and to pre-
vent persons from being similarly i'm
prisoncd hereafter, and to report by bill
or otherwise. Adopted,
Mr. Dunn, of Indiana, offered reso
luton instructing the Committee on For
4, ign Affairs to inquire into the practi
cability and expediency of procuring the
rights and privileges of settlement ane
citizenship on any part of this continent
or on the adjacent islands south of th'
United States, for the habitation Of fre'
persons of African descent, who ma,
choose to emigrate thereto from th'
United States, for the formation of in
dependent colonies, to be protected from
foreign molestation. Adopted.