Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1862-03-12
PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS.

Mr. bright, appeared and took his seat
The bill for the administration of an oath
of allegiance to masters of American YES
sells clearing for foreign and other ports
was passed. A bill was reported from the
Military Committee for the encouragement
OF enlistments in the regular army. The
con6scation bill was discussed.
Mr.. Morril (Rep), of Main, said the bill
hsd been characterized as extraordinary. He
admitted that il not in the class Of ordiz
airy legislation but tho man had better nev.
er been born who shrinks from responsibility
Mt this time. The bill proposes to exercise
the extreme authority of the Government with
the general purI ose To put down the rebel.
lion. The power Of the Government depends
on the actual condition Of the country, wheth-
er peace or war. He contended that the Gov
ernment was in fact in \ state of war. and
while in such q state the Government had an
unlimited power over it's enemies, in order to
preserve itself He said that the Constitu
tlon provided for the Government in time of
peace with limitations, but in time of war il
gave unlimited power to the Government. and
to be 80 construed as to aid every honest en-
deavor to preserve the Government. Assu
ming that the nation was in state of war,
the Constitution provides, beyond question,
that the power of self defence was lodged in
IN Congress. and nowhere else He conten-
ded that among the rights of nation in
state of war was the right Of conGscation of
the property of the enemy. He quoted from
Grotius and the decisions of the Supreme
Court to show that war gave the power of
confscation. The Supreme Court had held
that Congress has unrestricted power. lie
claimed that the question Of the right of the
rebels to control slavery was connected with
this question of con6scation If we have
right to take their property, certainly we have
the right to take away that which supports
the war. and which in this case is the causus
6eth. Yet there are those who think we NAV
take their property, but must not touch their
slaves. There seems to be an attempt to con-
meet the institution and the Constitution q.
gether, and we are constantly diverted from
our attempt to put down the rebellion, with
the false idea that slave property has rights
above all other property. lie denied that there
was any such connection, and declared that
whatever made war against the Government
must be overcome and destroyed if necessary.
But difficulties are continually suggested, and
when at last we are called to advance into the
enemy's country, the great solicitude seems
to be, how we can best do SO with the least
possible injury to the foe There seems to
be a doubt whether it is constitutional to ad-
vance at all, it, thereby slavery is to be en-
dangercd He eontended that the enemys
country forfeited all rights of person and prop
erty. Davis was trying to found on empire,
and break up the Government. and asks 10 be
let alone, and the enemies Of all free govern
ments are holding high carnival We are
told by the malcontents that we endanger our
Christian character by refusing to be ruined
This was q continuation Of the old struggle
for free government and free institu toms
lie would award to the leaders of the rebel
lion the punishment deserved by them But
to the deceived people he would grant an am
nestY. This struggle must be carried through
succc sstnlly. The great interest involved de
mands 1t. 1t is in harmony with the aspira
tlons Of all ages, and the principles of truth
and justice, which are eternal,
In the House the Committee on Elcc
tions reported that Mr.. Fcitch was not en-
titled to seat as representative from the
Seventh Congressional District Of Virginia
The Direct Tax bill was reported from the
Committee on Ways and Means, and made
the order of the day for Wednesday week
a resolution asking for all correspondence
in rel ;tion to the condition Of Mexico and
the designs Of the allied powers in relation
thereto, was passed. A bill to incorporate
the Washington and Georgetown Railway
Company was passed. 1t admits corpora
tors from other cities, and takes away the
control
The President on the 9th transmitted to
Congress the following message:
FelloW Citizens Of the Senate and House of
Representatives: | recommend the adoption
Of joint resolution by your honorable bodies
which shall be substantially as follows:
ReSolred, That the United States ought to
CO Operate with any State which may adopt |
gradual abolishment of slavery, giving to |
such State pecuniary aid, to be used by such |
State in its discretion, to compensate for the |
Inconvenience, public and private, produced |
by such change of system.
If the proposition contained in the resolu- |
ton docs not meet the approval of Congress |
and the country, there is the end. but if it |
does command such approval, ! deem it of |
Importance that the States and people imme !
diately interested should be at once distinct |
ly Notified of the fact, so that they may be
gin to consider whether to accept or reject it. !
The Federal Government would find it's high |
est interests in such measure, as one of the |
most efficient means of self preservation
The leaders of the existing instruction en- |
tertain the hope that this Government will |
be forced to acknowledge the in |
pendence of some part of the disafected re-
gion, and that all the slave States north of t
l. a. IL 4.
we have struggled being already gone, we
now choose to go with the southern section. |
To deprive them of this hope substantially |
ends the rebellion, and the initiation of eman- |
cipatiOn completely deprives them of it as to
all the States initiating it. The point ia not
that all the States tolerating slavery would |
very soon. if at all. initiate emancipation :: |