Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-04-30
CONGRESSIONAL.
W4sHISGroH, April 80.
sufficient


Mr.. Grimes presented the memorial Of
Alanson Penfeld, Clerk in The Treasury
Department, praying for the construction
of reservoir for supplying the Upper
Mississippi with medium stage Of water
for navigation throughout the dry summer
months, and canal from the head Of Lake
Superior to The Red River of the Worth, via
Sandy Lake, distance Of sixty miles,
thence via Grow Wing Leaf River and OF
tartol Lake to Breckenridge, total dis
tanee OF 240 miles, thus opening navigs-
ton by Red River and Saskatchewan for
two thousand miles to the base of the
Rocky Mountains, and furnishing an out
let to the Hudson Bay Region. This
would require an improvement Of 43 miles
less than the Fox and Wisconsin River
Canal route, and eighty miles shorter
than the Illinois and Mississippi Canal.
Ramsey introduced s. bill for the benefit
and better management ofIndisns, by which
the President is authorized TO locate them
upon new reservations, Congress retaining
the power to vscats such reservations, when
the President can locate them again, and
sell their lands.
Dooli.le presented 8 memorial from the
| GlLlLEEb VI " Ab0pAEAA tHhAAh6 w. aA III
crease Of 10 per cent. on foreign wool.
Referred to Committee on Finance.
Doolitttle also presented q resolution of
the Legislature of Wisconsin asking for
improvement of locks on the Erie canal.
Referred to the Committee on Commerce.
Mr. Harlan introduced the resolutions
Of the lows Legislature, asking fer in
creased mail facilities in that State.
Mr.. Henderson offered joint resolgr
ton TO provide for the printing of eports
of the Commission of which Maj Gen.
Mcdowell was President to examine into
cotton speculstions and frauds on the
part Of officers in the West
A modification Of Mr.. Grimes, request
ing the Secretsry Of War to transmit th'
report was Bcsepted.
On motion Of Mr.. Lsne, OF Kansas, thi
words not incompatible with the publl
interests" were added.
The amendment Of Mr. Grimes, request
ing all touching the persons supposed t.
be implicated in the report, was adopted
Wilson, Fessendon and others though
the resolution had best not 6e adopted now
Mr.. Henderson said that the information
on the subject was desired now as itWoul,
bear on the bills now pending before thi
body, and that this was the only suthenti
way to obtain it. He had read letters tn
last three days from the Red River ssyini
that our defeat there was on account o
} speculation. The cavalry in advance, o.
( that occasion, numbering 5000 men, hs
265 wagons which became entsngled an
confused and brought on disaster.
Mr.. Wilson wanted to know if the Sena
7 tor charged thstith Red River expedition
E was undertaken for the mere purpose Q
gathering cotton.
Mr.. Henderson said that it was no sue
! thing, he merely wished to know what thi
brigade of cavalry wanted Of 265 wagon
unless 1t was to gather up the products {
. the country.
Mr.. Conness stated on what he consid
q cred the highest authority, that these was
ons were part Of the regular train Of th
p army, and whatever might hsv
been the defect of generalship whic
: brought them there, the statement tbs
they were intended to bring in cotton wa
not correct.
: Mr.. Henderson made no charge himsel
but it was singular that the disaster hs
followed the statement and predictmeI
of the newspaper writers. He read
letter, from Grand EcOre, dated four dsy
4 before the battle, alleging q conflict
authority between Banks and Admiri
Porter, and stating that the latter wi
seizing cotton on land as naval prize, an
predicting disaster.
10 Mr.. Conness denounced the 5tstemel
l. read as 8 cruel and base slandeE on A
mirsl Porter, which he had the highe
authority for denying.
The resolution as amended was tn
adopted
E. Mr.. Nesmith called up the Senate bill