New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-01-07
H0UsE OF REpREsENTATTyES.

7
poitncy If establishing Steam FIRE Department
sioiar 10 that Of PbiIqdelphia.
Mr.. ROSCOE CONKLING rep, y. ~, rlsirf
% question Of privilege, called attention 20 tD'
fact that on the second day Of The session reso
luton was adopted with reference TO the battle oi
Balls BluH. The r,s0iu ion proposed no Invest
cation into any future transactions whatever 81
flnulv renuesied the Secretary of War 70 inform
the House whether any steps have been taken u
ascertain who are RESPONSIBLE for the disastrous
affair nc Balls Bluff. The resolution was handed Ia
the Adiutant- General, who submitted ~ 10 tne
Commander-n-Cbief, | am wiling TO oeneVe, did
not read tie resolution because did not lnpuie IL
nrv one concerned any intention {, nile with the
House or 10 return an evasiye answer. III he dl1
rad IT, he entirely misunderstood MS point and pni-
port for he expressed an opinion 10 me Adlliant-
Geuera!-an opinion which that officer repeated 10
the Secretary of War in accordance WIN the usage
no doubt simply transmitted II 10 NJ, ana refers ~
10 H. Now. that is in 80 sense responsive, not In
the renoiest degree to H." resolution OF The
Uouse In enrwer 10 u Tesolu,I"n, a-kng FIN
NV whether On investigation had been had
upon particular Iomt, the Adlu'ant,,icn,
erul reports that tle Comioan .u-in-Cllei
Of the army IL of opinion that an inquiry INTO tie
subject Of The revolution would not IN tie future be
compatible with the public interest. II tie answer
had boen that il would Ice injurious 10 The Uubhr
service 10 inform the House whether any ste1s or
proceedings had been taken 70 Gsce IAN VINO WAS 10
If iIne for the great disaster at Balis Bllh, that
answer would be preI osterous enough, end ALMOST
Incredible. or 20 appear 10 us. Bat yet n wouli
be IN answer IA terms, and would be re-
spOneive. But here comes cOinmunica-
ton purporling 10 oe AN answer, which
neither answers M inteuogmory nor iniorms
he House OF the opinion Il anybody ih4t II would
lie iuiuriOus 10 the public interest 10 do ibis
answer. however. inadvertently raises very hpl
question OF privilege, which the llonse ought 10
contiler who set here representatives. of the ie0-
la because m our Orgf uism this - The only place 10
which the people can appeal, and whose voice can
be Leard and among the noel uuderahie aud sacred
of their rgi D. te privilege Of ngulnng iutO their
aiia and when they dc inquire they aye entitled.
If not 10 an answer least to have the servant OF
whom the inquiry made, 20 fav that, IN us % in
ion il was ill-med or injurious. And unless we In
tend to he accOmpices here In triml Ing upon per-
sOu'4 rights submit that an instance OF thi- soft
ought not 10 be passed over II -uh practice bs this
/. tolerated the most boosted Of our privileges will
lanpuih and the most vital elements Of The Govern
uert vi decay: aud a. iu oGnJry case, m im-
noIigut matters we nIht 10 watch With jealousy tic
Iiebt Of inquiry. Bu This j. no Ordinary mnier. Tbs
Itsolul1n relates 10 q great natifnal cIlluy. II
D, It,e 10 On event which j. believed % have been
The most a'Tocious military Mu4dtf ever committed
in orr history 80 eople Il rclsie- TO los' eid,
20 iisasir0us battle. 10 hrmihiug triumlh oi rc-
D. Hon. II rcltes tD something more than tltse. Al
relates 20 bnLd,r f0 .r0tt that al men 49,
md no man ias 80 far dared 30 otuv or dcield D..
4 bllnGcr Which, beside position, bcside time, be
side defeat beside ,he lose ~ arms aud munitions oi
war cot TIE lscs Of Iae bur dred and thirty nen,
brave and loyal the yery pride aud flower of the
states iron whence they came. lhl- resolution pro-
osce out of reSpect lor the memory 81 the lO-t.
ont oil eympaihy g. The multitude Of u.ourn,r, who
lament them, ont Of difference 90 public frolueiy
end -elfrcepecf that the nation should De- informed
whether tie chief ni any aulofiic- bad taken any
q 4 90 IL. 4 Il NfI 70
slaughter of tie brave sons oi New-loik, Aiassl-
rAu-,tts and Pounty lSsLia. IL prog ostd thHt The
nation should be informed that tome proceeding bal
taken place-sometting oreu OF secret, formal cog M
ofmal ii not all that military usagc requife.' some
hing 10 show That this terrible event Lad been in-
luired into. Now, Sir, u Tor no other Object ihln
Il knowing whether that slaughter ON tie 2lf Of
October last had been passed. OAcras mere iii B. on
Toe Curleut Of events, ~ thc name OF Ini peo-
Die 1 demeud tbRL ihc-s who's" shsih-'s IL
Is 10 answer shall stand ny aud answer.
va. have now committee TO inye,i gate
he conduct OF the war, and il II be fnown
that the disaster a Balls Bun l. 20 be The "a Jet
Of resolution Of tiir House, good viii come ou, 81
L. and Witncsses viii come forward to ieeiI'! 10 aii
they know in the matter. lhe Hove m't De
a ware that the battle ~ BliFs Birf, tee many
otber.. has been made the subject If au ielc be.
tween the REGULAR army aud the volunteers. Brig
Gen. Stone, who was al the tine ihe commander Of
the diyi,ion from which the dct9chment- came who
fought y bat le, or attempted lgi ,isan oncer
of The regular army. Col. Baker, to whom Io.-
ton Of tic command, after "A certain lonr, wa as
si,red va. a volunteer. The friends o. these I'VE
officers have INDUCED ~ much angry controversy a.
10 who ,hogld be,r the Hume and on he one eide
The ca,e his been csIOlscd IS # IL Appropriate
Office WE 10 iastCn rome tl~m on the
volunteer service aud TO determine c-ftiin Quesors
Of precedence and merit between WeS Point auf
ne lesu.ar Amy. Il wac stated that tie friends Of
90. 4
thg'. having announced tlcir igteIIm, tLey were
told il would be BIS Ter n0tior If they I'D. that the
friend. of Gen. ~ lio would r.iaAte, iud make A.
rccoil uuon Baker, and damage lie uclnry. have
30 sympathy with this controversy; ave 10 "a
thence with those who engaged Iu II. 80 far a- 10
has been made an oiga,le to the Investigation,
hive 10 liberation with u, ~ ier "a il has leen
u,od To retad tbis inquiry wAih il sclgtt
by tie friends Of one Il those Ulcers. Tie
Acct e tie know ledge If the Tut OF The aiia'r
,roi, either Of {, us- officers oIaat rot TO x, n
gc.tl or Against this investigation. Suppose
Nerycliion which nay now clmei9 fsht should
dim The elofy which now LalgWe o. anetiory - be
deceased senator that reason n agrcut National
one.iion why lis nyc igaiion slou.i q hufhed ~,
ei M this GO. rl-iiy tho tiuth oihisioryi SUP
nose on the ohio band, That Ills H1fIdicr OF tho
-cq.lnr ufmy. aNIng in unk of a aaJor-t'encrs
commanding Ii division Of thousand. ~ your brave
non CHARGED with Their ea'c'y, tlflr honor, aud
Ter hfCs-tuppo.o, ny, 'hit sne1 'e"' ~ J. "a
martinez and no. - colder, and that ne II deficient
f. a0ldi, Up and lOyaliy-is That Il eason why We
l'ouM allow this investigation 70 be ilroiled Shall
We jrocGin Indulgence and immunity though
the revelations that may b. made should
-oil tie gliueiing Tlnnaee q the highest
officer IN The Repubhc No. Whoever If
responsible for tie disastcrr Of that bpody ana fatal
ieli AID FOR the u Irdcr there conutei, upon That
person the blame Should rest. ii nv ameuted B.-
kcr is gully, i. gcnecons .aul and eiievoufly
has 10 artWered Tor il. i stone didi, he bcar. 20
weight Of quit greater ar than any nan has hither
70 attained among NJ. WHAT le the pcton.l late
or Jereoual fame OF dozen Generals, IN comparison
-. 4 ~ L 49,.