Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-12-29

shin in this District is strange proposition to me
should like TO know from one the good reason LOT H.
We have been here most OF during the whole period
of this war We have seen no disturbance here. We
have heard of going to the Capitol prison. &C., but
we have disturbance we have seen nothing thar
required any particular legislation TO compel the people Oh
the District of Columbia who deprived OF portion
Of the rights of American citizens by virtue eli their resi-
dence do things which are not required oil the otne
citizens of the Republic H. cannot m
than look upon it, oppressive and wrongful act VI
course this is only resolution of inquiry but gu these
things tend agitation say that to-day our Pocy Is OF
should be policy OF Cancellation
Mr. HENDRICKS Mr. President, when the Senator
from Iowa yesterday submitted this resolution ielt u 10
be my duty to object to its consideration al thst une
do not intend to enter into THIS DEBATE ~ any engh
but wish to say that the suggestion which ne mas made
mat bis mas h,t an inquiry is sufficient argument
to suppot his resolution unless IN addition TO that ne is able
ia stale 10 The Senate that the true interests OF the Gov
eminent REQUIRE the people of this Dtrct TO be placed IN
an attitude not occupied by the rest of the citizens OF the
United States Does the Senator say that he has NOT
said il 40 far as have heard his argument When this
war broke out have doubt that there were many Gu
zsns Of the District Of Columbia who sympathzed with
the Southern movement but the proceedings OF the Ad
mnstraon not then supported by law IN many instances
have sent many OF these people 10 the nave
been sent across the nesand now within the last year.
the Senator able to say that the people OF the District
of Columbia are less true TO the Government IN the dis
charge of all their obligations than the citizens OF any DINER
portion of the country
take it, sir that although this ia inquiry the
adoption OF the resolution casts suspicion upon the hde
y of the people of this District to their obligations to the
Government Ii the Senator from Iowa proposed reso-
luton instrucug one of the committees to inquire into
the proprety of requiring the citizens OF Indiana TO take
such oath is not required OF the rest OF the people
of the country would it not be my duty and the duty oil
my colleague if that proposition were not supported by
strong array of facts to justify IT, TO protest against an
mpuaton by the Senate against the fidelity OF the people
of that State to their Government H. them as the re-
preventative of that State such would be my duty is it,
not the duty Of the Senators who do not believe that the
people of the District of Columbia are untrue to their OBJ
legation the Government to protest. as their representa-
tVes They have special representative on this floor
there Senator here whose duty Is specially 10 stand
up for their honor think il is the duty then, of every
Senator to that unjust imputaon is made against
them. When instruct committee to inquire into a
thing of that sort the presumption arises that there Is
some ground for that inquiry. What is the ground? Men
have been arrested here they have been sent to prison
They have been arrested in the Senator's State they
have been charged with dsloyay there, and have been
sent TO the prisons but is that arbitrary conduct on the
part of the Administration any reason why the Senate
should place brand OF suspicion on part OF the people
of this country
As i suggested yesterday am opposed to resolution
that contempates the increase OF oshs IN this country
Why does the Senator intimate by his resolution that 1t B
necessary to pass law require the people to take
oath of this sort Have these oaths been required OF the
people without authority of law all the country Ii
mas been done in Indiana in Kentucky and venture to
say the Senator'S State without authority of law
Then does the senaor by this inquiry intend to be under
stood as saying that the Administration has pursued
course not authorized by law in this respect Very many
men, very many honest very many true citizens have
been required subscribe oahs to protect their persons
and their property The Senator by this resolution init
mates that that is all wrong and illegal grant that it s
II is shame thst without authority Of law any has
been required to take an oath which Is not required Of the
| rest OF the people
But sir in my Judgment it does not promote the fidelity
of the people the institutions of the country 10 require
oath like this 1t tends to promote and encourage per-
jury. Swearing upon every trivial occasion does not
promote the of truth, 10 my Judgment and think
Of the evils of the country that require men to
upon almost every when entering into the
unmportsn office and dischaTging the most trivial
duties find my views upon that particular point go well
expressed by of the abes writers language that
will read from Bukless History Of Civilization in
England" short extract 1t is from the first volume,
page 259:
IA th. suspicion az to the motives Of others which has
England the boy cole forced to swear about mat
are unable he wards goes Parliament he
must again swear about his religion
Az We Senators required to that true
TO our country.
And at nearly every stage political life he lake
fresh oaths soemny which il ftsn strangely
with the trivial functions which they the
ude SOLEMN adjursiOn of the Deity beog thus de al
turn il has happened, might have been expected
oaths eniUned matter OF have at length de-
genetated into \ OF form What is lightly taken is
eAsy broken the beet observers Of EGgsh society
obssver whose characters different and who
hold the opposite opiuonsars all agreed this that
the perjury habuay T-aCticed in England aud of which
Government is the immediate creator IS general that has
become source Of )nal couupuon has diminished the
ue Of human testimony shaken the confidence which
naturally place in the word Of ner fellow creatures
Whist does the Senator from Iowa wish to reach by his
propositions the opinions the conduct Of men IL he
wishes 10 strike the conduct Of that is properly
reached through the courts If the District Of Co
umba have been guilty Of such acts the law condemns
the courts the District OF Columbia open they
be tried and convicted If the Senator wishes reach
opnlons the ctions OF citizens protest against
policy which has proved preudcs and hurtul to govern
il has been adopted You cannot correct
the opinions Of by requiring them to take oath 1t
one OF the evils that England Tor the last twenty years
has been abandoning, aud hope that country
VIII adopt policy which experience has shown that
the older Governments Of the world ought to abandon and
| are abandoning.
Mr.. HARLAN The Senator from Indiana addressed
himself very directly, and thought somewhat personally,
| 10 me. lie propounded number Of inquiries one of
which was whether disposed TO cast suspicion
the people Of the District Of Columbia as to their loyalty
do think that this s legitimate logtnS conclusion
to be drawn from the adoption Of the resolution
than il would have been from the passage Of the law
curing members Of Congress TO take similar oath did
infer from the passage Of that law that any vot
ing for 1t supposed that majority OF the members Of this
body, any Of them uniahiul to the Government;
but supposed BE- barely possible that or
persons might present themselves here and claimed
seats who had been engaged this rebellion and for the
purpose OF erreDg out the few possible the general
adopted requiring all TO take the prescribed oath.
Now cir this is unusual 1t il unusual for COM
munities 10 institute search OF every house in town
where burglary may have been committed not that lie
supposed that the majority Of the people of the town
burglars but because known that the law has been
aud that there probably thief in the community and
for the purpose OF ferreDg out the thief and ascertanng
where the goods all the citizens submit 10 search
No man permitting his house to be searched supposes he