Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-04-21
CONFEDERATE STATES CONGRESS-

AS tho "Enqri,er's" report OF the pre-
ceedlngs ct TIE House on Tuesday was neces
sarily condensed, On account of the length q
the debate, and ,ss tho tenarka Of Mr.. Ton
RAD, of La ,weEo particularly brief, ws sppsn
short sddition, to free us from the inputs
tation Of placing the gentleman and those wh
voted with him, in falso position {:
Mr.. UoNEAp said he hal listened with grea
attention to che arguments thst had hesl
urged IN favor Of :he resolution on tn
tshi". I'm. they had failed to convince hin
IT rho propricty Of adopting it. Thst officer
OF tho pmy, had, in luany INSTANCES, exercised
powers that did rot belong 10 them, and
in some instances, bsen guilty of out
RACES on the rights Of cjtizeus, be entertained
no doub. tbnt this was not the prope
gay to remedy that evil. Let us take
for example: the casa alluded II by III
gentleman from Arkansas (AIr. Gaa
IArD) aud tho gentleman from Tennessee
tMr. FoorE.l According to the statements o
tuese gentlemen, Gan. iiIndu,an, the officer il
bneu guilty Of acts towards tho citizens 0
Arkansas TIA: were not only illegal, but IL
somu inatsncc,, criminal. Bat, supposine
these statements to ku correct, the actI cGu,
planned OF were not authorized by martis
law or by any law whatever; they wore pal
paole usurpa:ions Of power which he hoped
would Ieceive ccnGign punishment. lie would
AJAX she gentleman from Arkaneas, who hoe
depicted the wrongs of his constituents j,
such glowing colnra, where wss the CIV.
a:u"r Of III, State that no had not into .poset
for the protection OF its citizens against th,
NJ bisrary and illegal acts Ct that Officer? -
Where wer- its judges that they did not in
tmf.re To protec. tbs liberty Of its citizen.
Why was II tha. tho gentleman himsef
whose zeal AND &C iviy Isl ali t!,st atf eta TIT
interests Of hia constituents sra weltknuwr
10 ua,sl' why was j: thst hs has not comru
nicate,i tho W:ensa he has mentioned to ihs
pres!dant or the SECRETARY uf War, and do
Tuanied that the an,har Of item b; srreste6
and made to snsSor far his acts
Mr.. GAHlAsD said shat MEASURES IF this
sort Ind benz ndopicd.
MIR CoaRip Haii 10 WAS 1tlDiced to learn
1t. What does the resolution do Does il
sascs sny new law on this suh!ect No!-
Deer it amend tho cid law? No! Does il
impose airy rsn,liy not hore!' frn imposed
on Tho per pei' s;o.8 Of such acts! No! ],
is simply string Of abstractiona, which az
powerless Tor good, bas lnsy, perhaps, if nit
UNDERSTOOD be- patent for evil which ion.
pose 10 cal :nd effective check OH . bad Off
Cor, but msy csuGe serinns embarrassment tt
coed one.
On fist hearing ihe resolution read, it h,d
appeared to him 10 embody correct exposi
ton Of tho law on this subject, bur, on 4
more careful examiHat 10 had CON, to 8
d ffsrent conclusion. ua concurred entirely
IN the first peoposiIon of the committee, bu
the second one vas, in his Judgment, incor.
rect.
Mr.. CoSE.p hen commented st some length
on the lad .egrler lsw, (Shaa afirms that
there il no such thing as martial law in thin
cOunlry) e,,d agreed that msrtial law was 9
something Vt hich, if MT called by that name
is substantially the Saline thing, has Away
existed E'.i must always exB:, without and
iade; evidently If positive Legislative enact
me,ts, in all ccuntfirs where armies exis
aad wars sro Carried on; and thst it's exist
cnce in tbs Country had been recognz ID by
tie &c ;isibrs Of tue Supreme court Of tht
Urited States. The SIT. in TACT, tho fourth
propo. itiou Of the Comntteo, conti'cted viii
tho second. It,s proposition declares Eek
trsordinary powers" may sometimes he vest
ed in military commanders. Now, what arr
these "exIraorrinnry powers ;"
They a-e, said Mr.. T., "mstt;.l lsw"--neithe,
moro nor loss. These extraordinary powers,
which the committee admits are vested II
military powers under costsia clrcupstancss
ara precisely thnee powers to which the tern
'Ipsetisl Law ia usually applied: 50 that tn,
resolution. while it repudiates the name, &C
.know,edses the existence Of the thing. Fol-
thase Z, sgons, Mr.. o. you'd feel compelled t.
vote against the resolution, unless the propo
sitians conisin.d in It could be divided and
vote taken on each ono separately.