The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1863-12-16

1851 /: also the 24th section OF the act for
enrolling and calling out the national for
ces, passed March 5, 1863.
Hendricks Introduced bill to extend
the time in which States may avail them
selves Of the grant Of land for agricultural
and ipdustrisle collegs.
Davis, of Kentucky, called up the res
olutions in relation to the exchange Of
prisoner, arguing vehemently against
the policy Of refusing to exchange our
suffering white soldiers. the. languishing.
starving and diseased white men, because
the rebels refuse to exchange the negro
captives. He denounced 1t length the
policy of the Administration upon the
several points in which the negro Is affect
ed. characterizing its position as monstrous,
and referring to the present era as the
reign OF Abraham l. He averred hat his
own loyalty was unspotted that he hated
with sincerity the crime Of secession
1t was evident that this policy was only a
part of that design to perpetuate the par
ty power of the Administration. He clos
ed with an indignant and earnest protest
against the refusal Of the Administration
to liberate thousands of starving and dis
eased white men for the sake of few ne
groes.
Johnson deemed it perfectly clear that
humanity, which is the highest policy,
demanded the continuance Of the exchange
of prisoners. He proceeded to combat
the opinion IF the Senatur from kentuaky,
Davis.) that those men should he pro.
tected. and corrected his views OF the
power of the President by quoting from
the Constitution relative 10 the executive
and legislative powers.
Davis replied, saying the preamble Of
the Constitution confers no power on the
Government. The Supreme Court had
so interpreted He also claimed tie Pres
iden, had no right to suspend the writ Of
habeas corpus. whi,h was legislative.
and not an executive function. The pow.
ers to be exercised arc conferred by the
Constitution alone, and there are no pow
ers vested in the Government which are
nst conferred BY the Constitution. Hence
the President cannot rise troops or al
mics. nor has he tie power to organize
ans measure to put down insurrection
without the assent of Congress. 1t was
The determination Of the party in power
that the war should continue till the next
Presidential election. The war would
have been brought to a close long ago il
the ADMINISTRATION had singiy and in good
filth devoted itselfto the principles an
nouneed ip the. Crii,snden resolutions,
aud il the commanders of the armies had
not been selected. not because Of their
hostility TO the rebels, but because Of their
opposition TO slavery.
Hale, OF New Hampshire, rose TO indig-
nantly deny that II was the desire OF gen
tsemen on tbs floor 10 continue this war
In or'er 10 il finebce the next Presidential
election. A more strocions allegation
against honorable men never was listened
to from the beginning OF time TO the pres
cut moment If the allegations Of tie
Senator we're true he would sooner take
into lis own hands the hand Of man
from the charnel house, reeking with
pestileoce, Than the hands OF those around
him. If the allegation was true. every
Senator was stamped with the foulest
treason and perjury The destinies of tie
country have been submitted TO the gen
tlemen around him, who are bound BY
their cath TO sustain the country sad the
constitution. aud to defend The fresldes
and homes Threatened by invasion. The
Senator from Kentucky says they are
bypoerites, and do not mean 10 sustain
those objects.
Davis explained that he had reference
TO those in power
Hale replied that the Senator had made
an allegation which embraced every Sem
ator. 1t Was an allegation which, If true,
would disgrace the vilest inmate of PEN
ltentiary. The character of the President
was also included in this allegation. He
believed one thing met sverybody's as
sent. that Lincoln is eminently an honest,
patriotic man. To-day, for the FIRST time,
he had heard the honesty and patriotism
OF the Exc utive questioned.
Ii the Government has called for black
soldiers to take up arms, and calls them
out to fight the battles of the country, it
is bound to protect them at all hazards
by every agency it can put forth. The
Government having used them, and they
having become prisoners, if they are
abandoned to their fate, i. is guilty of
baseness unheard of in history. The
party in power has one aim, and that aim
is the country; but one purpose, and that
is the salvation of the country. The
idea that the Administration and it's
supporters desire the continuation of
the war in order to control the next
Presidential election "A terrible war
with its cries OF anguish; our sons given
to slaughter, our widows in mourning,
and our kinsmen brought to restitution,
is an insinuation so base that he wondered
it found its way even into the fertile brain
Of tie Senator from Kentucky. Tap
piause in the galleries.
Lane, of Indians, remarked that he un. |
deastood the Senator from Kentucky to
say a Maj. General had declared it was
proposed by the President to retain his
power, even though the election should |
~ AGAINST b;r. II tb.t /. a. A., |