Newbern weekly progress., 1863-01-17
PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS
Sen ales

Senate.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 6, 1883.
Mr.. Ten Eyck Rep., N. J) presented Pc
tition in favor of uniform bankrupt law.
FRAUDULENT CONTRACTS.
Mr. Wilson (Rep., Mass, } from the Commit
tee on Military Affairs, reported back the bill
to suspend temporarily the act to prevent and
punish fraud on the part of officers intrusted
with making contracts for the Government,
and moved that the bill be put upon its pas
sage.
Mr. Powell Oem., Ky.) hoped the bill would
not pass. There was some very curious his
tory about the bill. 1t was passed at the extra
Session, and then suspended because some OF
the heads of the bureaus were opposed to it.
He moved to refer it to the Judiciary Commit
tee.
Mr. Trumbull Rep., nl.) said there had
been great complaints of frauds, and this bill
was passed. But on representation Of heads
of departments, it was suspended If Congress
could not pass bill to punish fraud without
its being constantly suspended in this way, he
thought it better be repealed at once.
Mr.. Grimes Rep., Iowa) contended that the
bill was, in effect, to establish a Bureau of
Returns and to provide a punishment for false
returns. He did not think the bill could be
carried into effect in time of war
Mr. Hale (Rep., N. H.) suggested that the
operation of the bill be suspended until the Sd
of March, thus giving time to amend it and
make it practical.
Mr. Salisbury Dem, Del.} moved to post
pone the bill indefinitely.
Mr.. Fessenden (Rep., Me.) hoped not, and
argued that from the immense number Of con-
tracts it would be almost impossible to carry
out the bill, except at vast expense. There
was already good law making contractors
liable TO military laws, by which they could
be punished.
After further discussion, the subject was
postponed.
PAYMENT OF THE ARMY AND NAVY.
Mr.. Wilson Rep Mass, y from the Commit
tee on Military Affairs, reported back the
House joint resolution for the payment of the
soldiers of the Army and the seamen and
marines of the Navy, with an amendment
authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury to
issue $50, 900, 900 of Demand Treasury Notes,
in addition to the amount authorized by the
act of July, 1862.
Mr.. Fessenden (Rep., Me.) moved that the
resolution be referred to the Committee on
Finance.
Mr.. Wilson, Qep.) Mass, said he had no OBJ
lection to such reference, but thought it was
high time our soldiers should be paid. Many
of them had been waiting for months, and some
had gone home into the poor house, and their
families were paupers, because they had not
been paid as promptly as they should have
been.
Many men have deserted from solcitude for
their families. He thought the Government
ought to be furnished with the means to pay
these men Immediately.
Mr.. Howard (Rep.) Mich, said nothing had
been more disparaging than the failure to pay
the volunteers their money when due; and he
hoped this stigma would soon be done away
with.
The bill was referred to the Committee on
Finance.
Dzsctarye q State trssorsers.
On motion of Mr.. Wright, (un.) Ind, the bill
concerning the discharge of State prisoners was
taken up, and he proceeded to address the Sen
ate at length. He said he should not vote for
the amendment of the Senator from Kentucky
(Mr. Davis) to strike out the section authorIZ-
ing the President to suspend the writ of habeas
corpus. 1t was at times necessary to make
rests, and he was not willing to give the Re-
publcans the credit of this bold, but necessary
measure 1t was principiple of the old and
true Democracy. jackson and Jefferson both
asserted the truth ofths principle. He quoted
from letters of Jefferson, also from the speech
es of Douglas, in support of this assertion. He
was sorry to see men discuss these questions
in such way as to embarrass the Govern
ment, Notwithstanding their own boasted 10y
atty. The Senator from Kentucky (Mr. Pow
elD and others loudly declared that they were
loyal to the Constitution. 1t was only few
months ago that few Democrats issued call
for party organization, and from this had
arisen many of the troubles which now per-
plex the country. In times like these every
good and true man should ask how he could
best serve his country, and not stop to inquire
what some Abolitionists had DONE The Sena-
tor from Kentucky (Mr PowelD had rejoced
over the result of the recent elections. But
those elections had been brought about by
means not calculated to produce much. 1t was
by discouraging enlistments, especially of those
who could Stay at home and vote, by making
charges against the Government, by opposing
the contscation acts, by opposing taxation for
the expenses of the war, by impressag the
Northwest with the great Importance of the
Valley OF the Mississippi; and all these men
yaunted long and loud their loyalty to the
NGoTernment.