Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1862-02-21
CONGRESSIONAL.


here and there au interesting passage from
the debates in Congress. On the l2th,
Mr.. Wilson Of Mlss., introduced 4 bill pro-
yidinG for the appointment Of warden at
the Jail in the District Of Columbia.
Mr.. Wilson said he wished to make 8 brief
statement. Some days ago the Secretary Of State
had given an order, the object of which was to
clear the Jail OF a persons held there under the
charge cf being fugitive slaves. That order was
received at that jail, and, Of course, with dispo
sition 70 cvade it, because il Was we'll known that
the iail was under the control Of the marshal Of
the district, and under the superintendency Of
negro thiei named Wise. In evading this order
OF the Secretary OF State, person IN the Jail,
owned BY a man named Chapman, Of Charles Co,
MARYLAND, who was a secessionist, had been taken
out and let down from the jail nearly fifty feet
but he fell and wac taken up by the guards OF the
iail and loaded revolver was placed at hi breast.
lie told then 10 shoot. he would rather die
than 20 bsc4 to his master. He was put Ia dun
geon, then his hands were tied around a harrI.
and be was fogged, as they call It, and yester41y
morning at o'clock he was taken 10 the slave
pen at Baltimore. He (Wilson) wanted it under
stood by the country snd the people that these
crimes against humanity we're committed by tlis
negro thief; that these men control tha. Jail. and
that by our votes responsible for their acts
before the nation anu DtloEc dpl. he NAutti 10
wash his hands and denUunce these crimes, and
take this ail from the care OF Marshal Lamon sod
his negro catching creatures and Put It m tho
hands OF warden.
Mr. Hale said that he also wanted 70 wash his
hands and denounce these crimes and take this
isil from the care Of Marshal Lain0n and bic n
gro catching creatures and put it In the hands Of
q warden. i.e (Hsle) wanted the blame to rest
where it belonged. Ihe senate had by a unani-
nous vote passed resolution stating that Mar
shsl Lamon had committed contempt against the
Senate and had sent the resolution on tho subject
to the President. II Marshal Lamon is no~ in
charge Of the Jail, the responsibility rests With
the President
The bill was referred.
The Treasury note bill being under cJnsil-
Grafton mir. Fcssenden said that at the end Of
this year we shall, probably, have debt of
S750, ,000, 900, and he did not, believe it would
exceed that, for he believed that by the end
of the year the war would be ended. The
conduct Of the war had not been altogether
satisfactory to him but on calm reelection,
it was his sincere conviction that we had
done not only all, but more than could have
been reasonably expected. lie opposed the
legal tender clause but confessed his own
inexperiencc in such matters, and said he
had never found any two Of the eminent
financial men he had consulted. agreed on
the subject.
Mr.. Collamer (Vt.) said the proposition was now
TO issue treasury notes and make them legal ten
der, or payable for every thing. Treasury notes
have been Issued before, but have always been
psysbis at the option of the person in payment OF
public debts. " Q never before attempted TO make
them payable by coercion and receivable By force.
But the bill goes still farther, ard proposes to
make them legal payment for all private debts
with which Congress has nothing TO do. But
what was the meaning OF tender? We only COM
pei those to take them who have debts TO be paid.
We cannot make them tender FOR property. He
may do as he pleases, and they call this equality
We simply say we engage all you who owe debts
10 take this paper, depreciste 1t much as you
can, TO cheat creditors with. This tempo
rizing policy would destroy all credit, public
and private. He referred to and read from " story
on the Constitution" in regard TO paper money
aud from accounts of the state Of things before tue
| adoption tf tho Constitution. Disguise this
measure as we will. it is simply to enable usn
who owes debts 10 pay them al par with deptecia-
| ted paper. Inis really impairiaS the oo!isa.
ton of all contracts; such paper pat out ana
| made payable by coercion depIeciaies. lie rsler-
red 20 the provision Of the Corsti' ution that 10
State shall emit bills of credit, and read tron
debates in Convention on the subject, and contend
ed tha: the trainers of the Constitution intended
expressly 10 shut out the power of the states to
issue any such paper and especially make It legal
tender; and they could not have meant that the
states were not allowed TO debauch citizens, but
Congress would be allowed 10 debsuch every body.
He contended that Congress had no power under
! the Constitution 70 make any thing legal tender,
| exSept coin. This proposition not hAlI 50
| honorable as forced loan. In forced loan tie
| Government takes a mans property and gives him
sertifcate. which it pays time, if 1t Is sbls
but in this case 1t eompels a 10 tAka paper al
4 I.FE r.1n nd s-k flla
by any body. 1t was like young lawyers def
milton Of ''pTina faeis case" 1t was a case ths,
was good in trent bat bad in the 1t prac-
teal deception OF the people, in which be Was mo-
| willing 10 participate. lie did not believe there
was any necessity for this thug.
| Mr. Chandler (iIich.) said there was time
since the first Of November, that the war could
| lot be closed in sixty days. only ose obstacle
stood in the way tor fo1r Iaontas, which COasres
| could remove to-nou0s. !ic bslieTed tao grisi
" RorrsrdP wosld Is EiFea, sad tas var o!essd
by the 6rs. o. Esy.