The sun., 1862-01-21
THE LATEST NEWS.
Congressional Proceedings,
DISCUSSION or SENATOR BRTGHTs
TRBA SON
XXXvu. CONGRESS, 9cnste.

HhHN S1M
Washington, Jan. 2O.-~ ffarris, IN va pre-
stnted protest from citizens Of New York against
The appointment Of Solicitor Of Custom FOR that
city.
tho S1cretsry of War 10 appoint more assistant
secre,aries. The hill provides for tie appointment
OF the Assistant Secretaries for year. Referred
kde introduced h 70 promote the adj
min Cn OF justice The hill repeals the bill
cmr1 &1ipesses examined before Congressional
comm !t,m examination In court Of justice.
Mr. Wade sF,h he wanted the former law repealed
h,fsre he went much further with the examination
uf wiine 'aes before his committees. Referred.
On motion Of Mr.. Wilson, tMass.l the bill N
oiusud certain articles of war taken up. The
bll provides the penalty # death TO spies and those
Grcug safeguards. Laid over until to-fn0rrow.
Mr. Wade offered resolution spPrupriatins $lo,-
ocO ta pay The expenses Of the Special Committee On
on notiou Of Mr.. Fessenden iMe.l the consular
ani diplomatic Appropriation bill was taken up.
several amendments from the C.mn ittee on Fin.
anoe adu ptsd
The report 5f the Judiciary Committee on the re-
solution tooNpei Mr. Bright from the Senate,-that
nu sufficient cause existed h. do ~ WA taken UP.
Mr.. Wilkinson tninn..l said that in presenting
is resolution IN regard T. Mr.. Bright. he wns In.
huencci 10y no pers"nal feeling, but the exigencies
ui the time impose on rs painful duties sometimes.
lie believed that Congress must act up u tts duty
mad save the country. The Government hnd signal
" failed " act with sufficient courage and hcrosm.
lie tWilkin-pnl then REFERRED 10 the letter Of Mr..
Bright addressed H. His Exce.leucy, Jeh. Davis, ON
the ist ~ March, 1901 introducing his friend to M.
Davis, Who had q valuable Improvement in Firearms
W. dispose Of. lie askc1 " that letter WAS s-ch A
an honest and luya, Senator should write' Yet
the senator from Indiana had avovei
in the Senate In the debate about tie admission of
the Senator 'rvn Oregon, that lac had done nothing
whhh he would not Do over again under the same
eircumlt,n,cs. A. the very time the letter was
written, J,n. Davis was preparing !or An attack on
fort IN Charleston hirbpr, and the Senator from
Indiana lends hi- aid g. the who Is trying 90
AID the rehel governn NJ with valuable improve
ment IN firearms Mr.. Wilkinson quoted from the
speeches of Messrs. wigill and Tootnle, declaring
there would be war, and Ountenied that Mr. Bright
must have known that war would follow whom he
wrute the letter, and IL would not do for him to as
sumo now that he dd NJ know II was reasonable
!" -eud valuable improvement In firearms ~ the
rebels. II there was to be no war, why ssnd fire
arfns to the South
Mr.. wilkinson also referred 10 the letter Of Mr..
BRIGHT to Mr, Fitch, dated $ pt. Z, i,Gi in which
he tliiiyhy said he was opposed to the coercion
policy uf the Government, and h. the nbotonists
lie twillins"n) considered the last letter Of Mr.
Bright as even more Objectionable than the first
When the war hal assumed gigantic proportions
and every loyal heart WAS enlisted In the success of
the Government, then the Senator from Indi,na
boldly declares that he is opposed IN the cnarcive
POLICY Of the Government. Believing as he twill
kinson) did that the evidence before him cnnclu-
-iv"ly proved that the Senator from Indiana gym
rnthi2ed with the enemy, le would never consent
that the senator should take part Ia tho secret de-
libcrntions II the Senate.
Mr.. B,yard tDely said that If the Senate WAS go
ing u eNpel the Senator for writing lettor, they
must INTO tfinHliefhtlnu al circumstances
oi the case. Mr. Lincoln, to whom the letter was
given, very old friend and client NJ Mr..
B-ghts for more than twenty years. lie tBHghy
had given NJ Lincoln letter uf Introduction to the
Secretary ui War here and simply gave him an in
trplucton IN President Davis. lie tBrghy gave
him DNi-) the title which lie claimed, without al
mttinR hi, right a. any such title or In any way
Intending e. aid M Davis IN tie war against tho
government. lie tBaynrg did not believe that the
war would ever affect the restoration of tho
Union, and lac always meant b. claim the right t.
4
| freely what he thought. lie said ais IN uo spirit
NJ defiance or from any factipus opposition H. the
will - the maIurity. lie hal always thought that
UmciliHtun WAS more potent than force ~ win back
men and Should continue to think 80 still. In re-
gard 10 the other letter n Bright he tBayardg hoped
TINT the time had not ytt come when II wis disoynl
a. uupu-e ahultiouism. II was one Of the prin ipl
evils which had brought tho country n its present
dcpluthblo state. II the Senate took that ground
fr the expulsion Of the senator from Indiana they
| would have 10 eNpcl several others besides
| MI Morrill, wa conteniod that M the time the
| letter was written, We were actually in state "i
| civil war, and - called government had been es-
| tl ished, AMI Davis was elected President In Feb
| ru.rv and. on the first uf March, he tDayi-9 was
| aiding Davis Ia such nn attempt WIS treason. ~,
tMprrilg cpntendel that addressing letter h. IIis
ENcelency, jefferson Davis, Pirsdent Il the Con-
ieIrrnte States WAS recognition of Davis, on ,ialy.
| II also recognizes ravis In a friendly manner
! The language Of the letter was not only that Of
friendship, but Of q cuutter and on a fair ntrrpre-
tati"n It was absolutely trc,sofHhc. The Senator
lrum Indiana knew that Davis was traitor, yet the
honorable senator gives a letter commanding Mr.
Lincoln to Davis As friend reliable in I'LL respects
and the letter II also marked priytc aud conhIen-
tnl,"
Mr Bright said he wanted 10 say onlya word.
| The letter not marked, and the chairmtn of
| the judiciary Committee would bear him out In his
statement.
Mr. Trumbul tI) said that tho Judiciary Com.
mittco had swurgrupy # the original letter, and
IN that copy these words III 4 not appear.
NJ. Blight said, that he had stated repeatedly
| that be had uo recollection of writing the letter.
But this letter had gone g. the world marked "pri-
vute and confidential" and all the prcildices uf ID
attached To him lie wrute no private and conf
dental letter. lie had given another letter b. Mr.
Lincoln, introducing him H. Captain Franklin, then
IN change ui the extension Of the capitol, and that
letter was IN very similar phrtseolngy.
| Mr.. Trumbull said he was In the minority Of the
committee, and tho majority had not seen ht
u bring all the facts oi the case before the
Senate In their rcimt. lie read Hihliyits
Of the Ulcers who arrested Mr. Lincoln In Ohio for
treason, and copies of the letter to Franklin aud
| Davis. This Thomas u. Lincoln today is charged
| with treason. This frlcn Wy Senator from InditnA
| before the LIST Of March, when actually de-
carei against the Government the StAr of the West
hrtd thtn the Treasury robled, forts soi2ed, and
We had troops In this capital ts defend IL from the
attacks ~ traitors, N the chief NJ all traitors. the
| senator fiom Indiana write a letter, comm.nding
his friend, who is under arrest for reason. In
his tTrumbullQ opinion ii WA the duty " tho Sc
nate not Ia suffer the Senator a. r, main here after
| Ia any WAY attempting ~ aid traitors.
Mr.. PearCe Thought IN n the Senator was entirely
| mistaken n saying thai the country was in state
| Of war when the letter was written. lie quotei
from dispatches of the Secretary - State the for
riHn Mihisers tn show that no existed. lie
thought thnt the letter was Ia such terms rs are
| common and usual in writing t, direst foe. Al.
| rurnei.