Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1862-01-10

iurtner supporting the motion.
The matter was then laid on the table for
the present
Mr.. Wilson presented petition from citi-
zens OF Pennsylvania that j. q. Fremont be
appoint d Lieut.. General
Mr.. Wilson also presented petition in ref
erencc to Gen. McKinstry, representing that
he was confined in prison clearly in violation
of the rules of war.
lloUsE.-Mr Oonkling, rising to question
OF privilege, called altentlon to the fact that
on the second day Of the session, q resolution
was adopted with referel ce to the battle of
balls Bluff. The reso ution proposed no in
vestlgation into any future transactions
whatever. 1t simply requested the Secretary
OF War to inform the House whether any
steps have been taken to ascertain who was
responsible for the disaster. H (Conh ling)
| was unwll ing to believe that Commander-in-
Chief had read the res luton, because he
could not impute to bin the design to tr,he
with the House and return such an answer.
If he did read it, he certainly understood its
purport. He seemed to have received the
! impression that future inquiry was to be
instituted, and that Of very genersl char.
acter, and he accordingly expressed an opin
| ION to the Adj't General, which was reported
10 the Secretary Of War, ami by the latter
transmitted to the House. The answer to
the resolution did not inform the House that
steps hal been taken to show who was to
blame for the Balls Bluff disaster. The
response was evasive. Now this was a dis
| reg ard of the privileges of the House, which
ought to receive md requires a prompt
notce, unless we consent to a trampling on
Va ..bo ,~,stl
we, the right of wholesome enquiry The
enquiry related to great National calamity
| and to the most atrocious MILDLY murder
yer committed ir our history, and the mes
humiliat,ng triumph of the rebelion-a blum
der so gross that every one sees il, and no one
mas ever dared to dee. it. Besides the de-
feat the large loss Of arms and munitions of
| war, there was sacrifice of $50 men. The
resolution to which be (Conkl.ng) referred,
| wos proposed out of respect to the memory OF
those ms II, "a nd in Difference to the public prop
| eIty and self-respect OF the Nation. 1t was to
inquire whether the IN litary authorities had
| taken any steps whatever to ascertain who
IS responsible for the slaughter of the sons of
New York, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania.
| Gen. Stone, who was at the time in COM
nanh, was member Of the regular army.
| Col. Baker was a volunteer. The respective
friends OF these gentlemen have raised a
question as to the merits of the case. involv-
| ing the efficiency Of regulars and volunteers.
He (Conklng) had no liberation for such a
controversy. An inquiry was absolutely
necessary. The man that is to blame should
all upon his knees and ask pardon. If Col.
Baker was res ponslble, most lsmentably has
he suffered. If Gen. Stone is responsible, a
greater weight Of guilt never rested on any
other man than him.
| WASHINGTON, Jan. 7.
| SENArE.-MesSrs. Pomcroy and Chandler
presented petitions for the emancipation OF
| slaves.
| Mr.. Hale gave notice that he should intro.
duce bill to punish frauds on the Treasury
| Mr. Powell introduced a bill to abolish the
frank;ng privilege.
Mr. DAVIS offered resolution that the Secre-
tary Of. War be requested to report to the
Selatethe aggregate number of three years
volunteers, and what classes they serve.
| On motion of Mr. Sht rman, the bill to in
be taken up The question was on the
deficient in their bodies 1t was disagreed to.
Mr. Trumbu'l opposed the passage of the
bill. He believed it was owing to West
Point officers that the war has languished as
it has. He was opposed to increasing the
number of cadets, especially at this time.
Mr.. Lane, Of Kansas, said the greatest
trouble was we had no army-board to sep ,rate
the stupid from these who have brains. The
greatest trouble we have is the stupidity Of
army officers-their want of common sense
Mr. Doolittle thought the best reform that
could be introduced was to see that promo
ton came up from the ranks of the army
One objection to West Point was its exclu.
sivencss.
Mr.. Wilson was ready to abandon the bill
on the ground of economy He thought we
should begin 10 economize. and, if necessary,
to reduce the salaries in the army but on nc
other ground would he vote against the bill.
On motion of Mr. Wilson, the bill IN rcla-
ton to the arrest of prisoners who claimed to
be held to service Or labor by officers of the
army and navy was taken up.
| Mr.. Salisbury moved to postpone it in
definitely, which was disagreed to-ayes Is,
nays %
The bill provides that any officers detain,
rg such persons be discharged from service.
On motion of Mr.. Carlisle. the bill was
| postponed Tor the present.
On motion of Mr. Porter. the report OF the
committee Of the judiciary on the Kansas
contested seat was taken up.
Adjourned.
| tloUsn.-A message was received from the
President, with documents, in reference to
The Trent affair,
Mr.. Vallandgham took occasion to express
his dissatisfaction at the course pursued by
! the Government in delivering Mason and ST.
| dell, re arking that in less than three months
we would be at war with Great Britain, or
| else We will tamely submit to the recognition
of the Sou hen Conftderacy, and the break
! ing up of the blockade.
Mr.. Hutchins replied, saying that his col
leag e had heretofore been opposed 70 coer-
! cion as to tie South, while he IS against the
delivering up of Mason and Sldel The po-
sition of his colleague was lab to the s,ls-
,icion that bis bcIligerent attitude was on,
that would benefit the rebels, by getting up
L war between England and the United States,
u war which rebes desired wit, that view.
MIR. Thomas, Of Mass argued to show that
the justiticati n of the capture of Mason and
wrong in making the demand, which was un-
just ana lnSOe.,s IN spirit One mas core
that which has implanted in the American
heart sense of wrong which will await the
opportunity to strike the blow of retributivc
jus tice.
The message and documents were referred
to the committee on Foreign Affairs.
Mr. Hutchins said he might have misun-
derstood his colleague. At all events, when
and where had his colleague, from the COM
mencement Of this reb lion, ever voted for a
measure for subduing the rebellion and to
establish the authority Of the United States !?
The records Of the House scarcely show a
vote or 81 eeeh Of his colleague in which he
had not opposed the war ever since its com