, 1862-05-23
PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS-.
HENATE.
WASHINGTON Mav9 1Hf

!. EENATE. +:
WAsmsGToE, May q, 1861
Several petitions were presented from cfti-
zens Of Maryland asking for the better" en-
forcement Of the fugitive slave law in the
District Of Columbia, that they may secure 8
District. ~ - '
"A resolution calling On the Secretary of the
Navy for reports Of the lste battles on the
mississippi River was adopted.
>Mr. SUMNER offered a resolution that the
Committee on the District Of Co1umbIa be
directed to enquire what legislation is neces-
eary to protect persons Of African descent
from unconstitutional seizure as fugitive
Elavee, or seizure By dfs1oyM persons,
Nh: POWELL objected to the present con-
etderatlon OF tie bill. Laid over.
At one o'clock the Senate proceeded to Of
ganize Itself Into high court Of impeach-
ment for the trial Of West q. Humphrey, Of
Tcu1 eesee, and the Secretary OF the Senate
administered the cath to the Fice President
and the Senator'S The House was notified
that the Senate WIS organized into & high
managers Of the trial for Impeachment
from the House. The managers on
the Fart Of the House, Mesrss. Bing-
han, Pendletop, Locke and Train, then
appeared. Mr. Bingham heard the article
Of impeachment BY the House against West
Il. humphreJs for high crimes and n1isde~
meanors, and demanded in tho 1ame Of all the
people Of the United States ana House Of Rep
representatives, that said West Humphreys be
called on 10 answer to the high crimes against
him.
The Vice President then informed the man-
agers that The Senate wonld take the proper
order Oh The case, and that due notice would
be gwen the House OF the same. Hereupon
the court adjourned for the present.
Mr. WADE moved to take up the bill do
nating lands for the benefit OF Colleges of
AglleultuEe and the Mechanic arts:
hessrs. LANE Of Kansas ard WILKINSON
Of Mimi, opposed the motion.
The bill was taken up, ayes 22e 22e, noes 10.
The tax bill was taken up and an amend
ment taxing whisky 2oc per gallon was
M: FOSTER Offered a resolution that the
the usual form to West &. Humphreys, to an
sWer to an Impeachment madc BY tie House,
the summons returnab]e on the 9Th Of June,
and that the high court Of impeachment :sd-
journ till the 9th OF June, which was adopted.
After further consideration Of the tax bill,
having reached the esd section, the Senate
adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Mr. COLFAx reported back from the Post
Office Committee the bill to secure the speedy
transportation OF the mails by requiring rail-
road companies to enter into q contract with
The Postmaster General, and. in the case Of
failure TO agreesuFonse compensation the SAME
shall be fixed and determined by the Commit
tee on Claims.
to 1iberatc the Government from the combi-
nation OF railroad interests, who noH dictate
their Own terms.
Mr.. OWEN and Mr.. ROSCOE CoNKLING
opposed the bill on the ground that it proposed
nn unjust interfcrence with private rights Is
secured By Law. The bill passed by four ma-
jority.
Tie House then resumed the consideration
Of the eonfiscation bill.
Mr.. KELLY, rising to personal ex.,!.-
PLANTATION, said he found in the Glo5s Language
wlicldid Eenot yesterday hear uttered On this
floor, aEd part Of this language was not on the
notes OF the reporter he caused the alleged
interpolated words to be read as follows:
IN Mr NooRMEEs-" Whichever tho gentleman
Mr.. KE11.Y-" do not yield to the gentleman 7'
Mr., VooAHEEs-.sYou shall yield, I denounce the
members statement as false, and denonncc him
| as q caluninator.''
| THE srgAKEH-The gentleman from Indians il
| out OF order ard will take his seat.
Mr EooRHREs-"1 will allow no man to i'm,
peach ny loyalty to the Government, and especial
| who has efsnalized himself on this floor for moth
| Ing, except for the defense Of thieves
MT. KELLY, after the Clerk haa read the
above, said he did not hear such remarks, anG
they were all noted by the reporter. I'll.
man who could secretly interpolate language
| scoundrcl. Misses and calls to orderl
The Speaker reminded the gentleman that
language ol that kind must not be used in the
Hall, and addressed few words Of scasunablt
advice to the galleries for Kissing.
Mr. VOORHEES, explained that the denil
he yesterday made was to what he considered
an impeachment Of his {Foorhees') loyalty
aId rot as 10 the members Of Buchanan
Cabinet. He uttered thu words US printed il
the Globe, nearly Ill Of which were found il
the notes taken at the reporters desk. H,
did not furnish two pages as the member die
remarks rs printed ; he meant them he stool
By them. {Heze the matter ended.)
NE. WALLACE of Va entered into an elab
crate argument in support Of his position
He urged referring to high authorities tha
private property on land is not subject tt
capture, Seizure, or conlscation. Thos'
taking part in the civil war, their aiders an'
abettors are guilty Of treason, and OF
conviction may be punished by the for
feiiure Of their lives He had n
scrup1es in subsisting our armies o.
supplies drawn from our enemies
He set forth what may be done in time Of ~ar
and incidentally remarked that General F1e
mont's proclamation had drawn thousands Q
Missourians to Gen Prices army but tia
Of the President modifying never came withi1
the lines Of the army. Some Of those who ha'
that II they had not believed the Adminlstra
ton intended to abolish slavery they wuuld no
hare taken up arms against the Government
but slavery Was not the foundation of this re
bellion it WIS the ambition Of a few bad me-
in South Carolina who had been sowing th
seeds from 1880 until now. In the insurgeu
States the non-s1aveholders are the most rit
lent traitors and rebels, they supposing th1
the negroes arc to be eInancipated and place
Oh an equal footing with them.
Mr. BLAIR Of Va, said members were d
vided in opinion on the measures pend ing
but there WAS one purpose on which the ms
jority were united, namely: The Govcrnmen
shall not be curtailed Of its territory by lh
surrender Of single foot OF soil. The peopl
will not tolerate conventional separation
any portion Of the Union. II this was nc
our fixed and solemn purpose, we should NJ
hesitate momont to send Minister to Ricl
mond to arrange terms OF peace The Ws
is to be ended By arms aud not By chic;
merry Of the diplomatists. In the language
the governor Of Tennessee, If ne mnk
terms with tire rebels: We would not haV
peace for sixty days, We must not only enti,
| guish the rebellion, but eae,m,inate tie cau
and dntMatiag princfpze-alage4y,
Emancipation stands On higher grounds. .tha
cophecation- ~
WALLACE favored, and PHELPS of No
| QppQeCA ClllAuc1patlOH. DLalh auQ hpl
LINE Of Mo. favored the bill and KERRIGA
opposed. ,@.''
EVENING SESSION.
Mr.. MENZIE spoke against sweeping col
f1scAtion. The property Of loyal men mu
be protected unless the enemy Is making u;
+ Of it against us.
Mr. FENTON argued in favor of confisc
fion as expedient and just.
Ar. GRIDER Of Ky. characterized the +
bellion as inexcusabIe and conteuded til,
Congress should sustain the army aud nav,
through which alone the rebellion should /
suppressed He opposed the contscati1
bills which would help to extend the rebellion
Adjourned.
Massachusetts Caring for Our Woun,
ed WeSte rn soldiers.
NEW YORK, May 21--Qnitc a number
wounded soldiers of Western State troops, il
cludipg members of Michigan, Iowa, Wfseol
siq. Ohio aud Indiana regiments. have recent
! arrived In this city from the army. In the 81
sence Of any State agents In this city, Colon
. | Frank E. Howe, OF the Massachusetts agenc
has taken them In charge, had their wount
properly attended to, their wants supplied an
; provided them transportation to their hom
! after being kindly aud teudersy cared1or at Il
. New England rooms, the ageut Of New Yol
| State declining to furnish them with transpo