Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1864-03-11

ate all the unpublished correspondence IN
citation to the said exchange.
Mr.. Davis,0 of Mass, objected, and so the
resolution lies over.
z Mr.. Alley, from the Committee on Post
Offices and Post Roads, reported bill requir-
ng ali sailing vessels between the United
States and foreign countries and to carry the
mail for such reasonable compensation as
may bedeemed proper, authorizing the POST
master General to contract for four years
carrying of the mail matter other than letters
to the Pacific coast. etc. The, bill passed.
The House proceeded to the consideration
Of the Sena.es amendment to the deficiency
biz. Ec13z1 TsgE zET gsvo sotE@a
On motion of Mr.. Doolittle the bill granting
lands to aid in the construction of railroad
from st. Paul to the head of Lake Superior
was postponed until Thursday.
Mr.. Brooks made q speech denouncnp the
in military expenditures.
MIR. Stevens thought if the terms in this
bill were improper, the gentleman could note
them down.
M. Smith, Of Ky, advocated the item of
$50, 900 for the medical attendance of con-
trabands.. rs. = ,.ga r5i,lsssss. b.. ..7.
Mr.. Mallory, Of Kentucky, opposed it,
wishing to confine the appropriation to those
actually employed in the army.
Mr.. Brooks stated that among the appro.
priations for the Quartermaster's Department
were items for transportation of troops to
different States, who were thus sent in the
interest of the administration to carly cleo
tons by outvoting the conservative power.
lie appealed from the majority of this House
to Almighty God to reprobate such proceed.
ings. Ho would not vote one dollar until
such items were made clear.
Mr.. Stevens replied to Mr.. Brooks saying
as to his appeal from the majority of the
House to another tribunal, he (Stevens) did
not know that either party had standing in
that court to try issue. Mr.. Stevens explain.
ed the bill, saying that when it was first re-
ported the call for 100000 more troops had
not been made, and the Ser ates amendments
were not made to provide for the equipment
of those troops.
The item Of $3o,ooO for medical attend
ance on contrabands being under considera.
ton ELECTED some debate, during which Mr..
Smith, Of Ky, said, he would be ever ready
to give aid and comfort to any slave who
would escape from his rebel master and make
him free man. The government, if want
ing in means to put down the rebellion, was
at liberty to take his horses, negroes, corn, or
anything ele. 90 ...e. 90. ..,.,.--..s,,-.....r.g
After long debate, involving political
questions, without action, the committee rose
and the House adjourned. o. 'esz.a. .
WASHINGTON, March 8.
SENArE.-A Petition presented on Mon
day was incorrectly stated to be in faver of
the passage of q law confca, ing lands of
rebels and distributing them among freed
men. The petition in reality asks Congress
to confiscate, utterly and without reserve, the
lands of rebels. and to give off the same
without other formality than occupancy 160
acres to each man in the naval service and to
each man in the rank and file of the Union
army, and Of the rebel army who will take
the prescribed oath of allegiance to the United
States, and that the lands hereafter remaining:
be open to settlement under the homestead
law.
Mr.. Powell called up the joint resolution
requesting the Secretary of War to transmit
the report and evidence of the Military Com
mission of which Gen. Mcdowell was Presi-
dent.
Mr.. Wilson opposed the call for these pa
pers, as they were necessary to be withheld
that they might be used in the prosecution
of officers who were culpable. The resolu-
ton was informally passed over.
Mr.. Grimes said the whole proceedings of
the Commission were grossly IN violation Of
the articles of war, which provided that no
such Commission should be created except by
the President, and he was wholly ignorant Of
such formation. He [Grimes1 considered it
nothing but commission to fill up tes imony
derogatory to officers in high standing in the
army. He referred to the case of General
Curtis, who was arraigned on er parte testi-
mony without his presence. He had been
informed that every particle of the testimony
rejecting on Gen. Curtis, taken by the Com.
mission, was disproved by testimony now in
possession of the President. So satisfactory
was the evidence that the President nnounced
at once that Gen. Curtis was free OF all blame.
If this resolution passes it should be accom-.
panied by request for any testimony which,
should properly accompany it. He did not
want any er parte statement to 60 out to the,
detrlment of soldier, when the records of
the War Department entirely exhonerate him..
Mr. Sherman said the evidence in the pos.
session of the President abundantly vindicat-
ed Gen. Curtis from the charge of speculation
in cotton. He had it from the lips of the.
President himself that the removal of Cen
Curtis was from another cause. ..# 20
Mr.. Powell said the Senator from Kansas
had stated that if he was the President or
Secretary of War, he would want no higher
eulogy than his censure. If he thought the
Secretary of War was performing his duty,
he would have no word of censure. OF one.
thing he was certain that the brains of the
SQnatOr from uror1l 10 L..
ing to the President and his War Secretary.
Mr.. Lane, of Kansas, said he hadIbeen here
three years and had never heard one word
from the Senator (PowelD in depunciation of
the leaders OF the rebellion, while he heard
daily denunclations of the officers OF oveIn-
ment
Mr.. johnson hoped the Senator from Mas
sachusetts would withdraw his objections to
the passage of the resolution as amended.
Gen. Curtis was not the only officer whose
reputation had been damaged in public esti-
nation by the Commission. Nine-tenths of :
the evidence before it would not be received
10 court of justice. .a..1 -
Mr.. Wilson would resist the passage Of
the resolution after the adoption of the.
amendment eff the Senator from Iowa request
ing the President to transmit the evidence, &c.
The subject was informally dropped.
On motion of Mr.. Lane, of Kansas, q resa.-
luton was adopted directing the Committee
on the Pacific Railroad to enquire into, the,
Of constructing a railroad from,
Fort Leavenworth to Lawrence, Kansas.
Mr.. Carlisle reported back from the Com.
mittee on Public Lands bill to confirm osa>
tain land claims in California. Referred.
The special order was taken up, it being
Mr.. Browns amendment to the bill to pro-
mote enlistments. -
Mr.. Brown proceeded to address the Senate
at length in support of his amendment and
the freeing of the slaves as war measure,
and claimed the existence of the power in
Congress and the Executive to free them