Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1862-03-06

the attainment of the great object in view, then the
House should adop it, But if, on the contrary, the
proposition which he Mr.. introduced snouid De, IN
the Judgment of the House. more effective, then 10
claimed OF them favorable consideration Tor bis propo-
ihon.
He was not In the babt Of making extravagant pro-
misses in regard 10 any prop ,sion he introduced IN any
legislative BODY nor would he undertake TO say anything
iberal to the proposition which he was nov endeaVor-
ing to defeat But be felt bound TO say that upon Jul
examination Of the proposition which came from the
Committee he was persuaded not only that It cannot be
more effective than the original but that Is cannot be
effective at all He proposed 10 show that the bill re-
ported BY the committee will be of no effect Whatever
for the attainment of the object the committee had In
view.
He did not undertake to criticse the language Of the
bill. II would be uubecoming in him perhaps to say
that there was any deficiency in 1t in poRt OF classic
penn anship bu; be should say that the language OF
the bill does not convey the purpose aud intention OF
ittee represented by the gen leman from ",
(Mr Niles What does the bill proposel L. proposes
to ALLOW the and tobacco TO be destroyed when
abou. to fall into the hands Of the enemy you adopt
the bill il cannot have any effect. Why! de (hr ~
would say that that thing in the future about TO take
place which sure take place. and concerning which,
after the time for is taking place shall have passed,
will be competent for man TO say, tha the thing hav'
ing taken place at that particular time was about 70 take
pAcs But if 1t be matter concerning which that pro-
position cannot be stated, the language which is con.
AneQ IN Ind Rcuuouhub WOuiu uOt 10 sPPhohSAS
TO It.
he would illustrate. A young gentleman, Of high
mplishments falls in love with young lady, and
engaged to be married 10 her, and hs is OF course NEST
an1iously anticipating the nuptia hour He says to
friend in conf fence ~ am about TO be married 10
Young lady, if she shall prove faithful to me-" Suppose
il should out SIS is shines the case that the fair
one sheud dsAppoint him. and he is not married 10 her,
he Nr. F. would like TO know II the ycnog gentlemAns
friend in speaking OF the sacton afterwards, Wous
| T. 81. - esna. han
that declaration made by the young gentleman,
would say after the disappointment mad occurred tha.
the young gentleman was about to get married. He
would only say "that young mao expected to be mar
ried because the marrisg day had passed by So much
I for the meaning OF the bill.
He would illustrate further. Suppose army Of l00
900 should be drawn IN the city OF New Orleans or the
CITY of Charleston aud hsrs 10 900 bales Of cotton
at that place. the pres rvaion OF which Is exceedingly
dssirous aud the enemy c1mas with 10000 men. TIE
general in command the enemy advanc upon him.
Ou! he might calculate that our NOBLE spirited sodisy
are iay able to meet the enemy upon equally favorable
circumstances two to Will lie calculate so certain
H. that his army of 100 600 will be vAnquished by the
nv of the enemy contis,ing Of lb0 OOO that he will
venture TO that the cotton he is protecting is
bound to faD iao the hands Of The enemy If he docs
80, he d.creds himself and disgraces the command
Aud vet though the military commander or the Presi
dent might suppose il 10 be Akiy that that cotton would
fall into the hands OF the enemy thought he might have
good reason to believe that that cotton would fall into
the bands Of the enemy, according TO the gentle
mans bill Il could nc D. C. ed because il WAS. not
rtaia that It was to a. u,9 as hands Of the enemy
because b. deferd'"s 'rQy Nigh! be successful.
But he would az pity tn little further Sup
pose general these circumstances, being in COM
mand OF the army defending these 10 900 bales was to
destroy the cotton, and suppose II turned out after all
that they did not intend 70 take it, be would like to know
then whether you would say that that cotton which
destroyed was about to fall into the hands Of the enemy
What would say about the claim for indemnity
Toe owners ID. .s I, would have to present their
Claims blsec u,s- 20. o.. that the cotton about TO
fall into the hu4ds o. the enemv, and il they did not
tabish that fact, they aid DO title TO the ndem-
nifty that the bill so pliusibly Lids out to them.
What would be the state OF the case II YOU had
1000 bales OF cotton destroyed, and It was t'aounced
afterWaris that the enemy defeated aud driven
aWay, yol might present your Claim to any board Of
commissioners IN the world for recompense, and you
would be told at This ia bard case 70 be sure,
but the military commander made mistake; he acted
beyond the scope of his duty that the cotton not
aB, 10 fall into the hands the enemy, and not being
about TO fall into the hands Of the enemy your claim
does not within the construction OF the Law. IL
this trues Whereas IL you The President and mill
tary officers with Discretionary authority, If they should
see such state OF things existing as TO satisfy them
that cotton and tobacco likely fall into the hands
of the enemy-f you arm them with power 10 such
case as that destroy the cotton or tobacco then in
dsuny would be obtained for il under my rule. All
that would be necessary IN order 70 oataln indemnity
would be to obtain certificate tbatt supposed that
the cotton would fall into the hands Of the enemy, and
that il was therefore destroyed.
The gentleman said there would be delay in
rving his Mr. Ff) bill into ,fsct because if we wait
for the Commissioners to act the time for acting would
be passed By He would say that the President not
limited in his employment of Comm ssioners. He (Ar.
F did not undertake TO say that the President should
appoint the military officer in command, He thought It
would be rorching upon The privilege of the President
TO DO So He (Mr. + undertook to say that the Presi
dent would make proper appointments Of Commissioners
TO &C: under authority of this bill for the purpose of de-
stroying cotton or TOBACCO. Whit delay lie there in
ryng out the object of this bill Here $1,000 bales
OF cotton suppose. The General in command estimates
IL At $50 BALE and gives his certificates TO the owners
for H. and the moment the certificate is given be orders
the cotton and tobacco to be destroyed. There is
| de ay in that.
Mr. + closed with few other remarks, showing the
advantages Of bis bill which authorizes The destruction
of cotton or tobacco when it is likely to fall into the
hands of the enemy, over the bill OF the Committee,
which authorizes their destruction only whom these
ticles are a5on to fall into the hants Of the enemy.
| Mr. CURRY, of Ala, said II there be a man in Ala
bama go craven and unpAtrioc not to be willing
to pus the torch himself to every bale Of cotton in
that State rather than see it fall into the hands Of the
Lincoln Government, he trusted the Yankees might burn
him But il was not his purpose TO argu, the question
He concurred very decds dly in the propriey OF the
passage OF some II. lie was not prepared to deter
mine which Of the bills Accompanies the object most
efrectually Ee inclined to think that the bill OF
the Military Committee reaches the object directly
and most certainly. He would be allowed 10 remark
that he thought Cocr. of Itqliry ought to be called
for those in authority at Nashville for permitting the
cotton there to fail into the hands Of the enemy. He
would now read some ndmsnts, which, at the proper
| time he would take occasion TO submit he proposed
| 20 strike out Of the bill OF the Committee the words
about TO fall into the hsods Of the enemy" and insert
in lieu thereof the words "Ehen it may be necessary
prevent the same from falling into the hands of the
enemy
Another amendment which he meant to propose, was
to strike out the words "other property which may be
useful" That is the st amendment which he desired
to submit The tbjecs OF the enemy ali know, to
get possession Of The two great staples cotton and to-
bAcco and it is hg military necessity that we shou
adopt such legislation will be necesstry to prevent
thehn eating them Hithnnt commentator. IL