The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1864-12-20

uoSosssiy iVt ueionb0 On tho lak9o and
frontiers.
| Mr.. Wilson presented petition from
officers Of colorsd troops asking in.
crease Of pay. 90. Referred to the Mil.
itary Committee.
Grimes presented petition from citi.
ssne OF lova asking for the repeal of the
Reciprocity fresty. Referred I'd the
Committee on Foreign Relations.
Trumbull presented petition from cit
iseDs Of Cook Co., Ills, asking thb pas
sage Of bankrupt law. Referee to the
Judiciary Committee.
Hendricks presented . petition from
citizens Of California in relation I'd pre-
enption claims in that State, which was
referred 70 the Committee on Public
Lands.
Mr Doolittle asked to have his resolu-
tion authorising the Psesident to expend
SIC, ,OO0, 900 for defence Of the frontier
referred to the Committee on National
Affairs
Sumner suggested that it be eferred
to the Committee on Foreign Relstibns.
Doolittle had no objections to such .
reference.
Sumner said the question involveH was
already before the Committee on Foreign
Relations.
Mr.. Sherman said the reference to the
Committee on Foreign Affurs would be
the best that could be made. He hoped
the Conmistee would report speedily up
on the subject of general defense df the
border. There was great deal of aDxi-
ETY. on the subject of border defense, and
he hoped it would be acted upon
promptly.
Mr.. Howard. / concur entirely with
the Senator from Ohio, that the co nmit-
tee to whom this bill shall be referred,
shall make as early . report as praciicabl
on the subjhct, for as has been Justly OBJ
served By the Senator from Ohio, the ere is
great anxiety along the frontier. We are
hourly in danger Of a repetition of these
raids.and outFsges which have bedn so
frequently committed upon peaceful ci,i-
zens OF the border. / think ii is high
time there should be an expression or
opinion and of feeling on the part Of the
Congress Of the United States, at leakt by
way OF remonstrance, against these raids
aud outrsges to which | have referrad -
We must. in order to keep peace along
the border show our power; the lion
must show his teeth on this side OF the
border. and teach the men who have been
harboring these rebel vipers in theit bo-
sous thar even Canada with ils pretended
oeu.rslily cannot be permitted to be a
place OF refuge for s1ch characters
desire to say this much on this occation;
when another occasion shall present itself
shall 60 more extensively into the con
sideration Of the subject
Mr.. johnson said il Was immateriAi to
what committee the resolutions were re-
ferred. Either Of the committees I'd med
could bat consider the subject properly.
If the raiders we're committed there was
no doubt that under the law of nations
the parties could be arrested within the
lines Of the United States or pursued into
the adjoining territory. He believed that
right 80 be settled as definitely as any other
question in international law. II was
under thst PROVISION that that excellent
and patrsotic soldier. Gen Dix, issued an
order authorizing his officers to pursue
those men if they crossed the border, but
he (Johnsop) saw by tue papers that the
President OF the United States and the
Secretary of State. better informed be
supposed az to what would be the course
of the home government, had directed
Gen. Dix TO rsscind that part of bis late
order. The country was a good deal
excited by the release Of the ST. Albans
raiders. He had no doubt that The Cana
dian Judge acted honestly in the matter.
believing that he had no jurisdiction .--
That this decision was erroneously be
(Johnson) was satisfied from the time il
was announced. He was now further
satisfied, because he saw the colonial
government had pronounced i. erroneous
and bad directed the issue of writs for the
earrest of the raiders. Whether the
arrest could be made was doubtful, blu.
he, johnson, had no doubt the whole
power of the colonial governmtnt would
be exerted 70 prevent such raids ia future
Still it was perhaps proper for the Senate
TO take every possible precauion to pre-
vent repetition OF such acts and to en-.
able rs to vindicate ourselves either with
10 our own limits or across our frontie.
These raids could never be tolerated BY
the United States and neither should they
be.
Mr.. Doolittle said the practical expedi.
tion by land which niSht be organized
and carried out if things were permitted
to 60 on as they had on the Canadian
| fronlir, would be disastrous to the live.
and property Of our citizens, but an,
land expeditions that conld be organized
we're as nothing compared with wha
might be the result should the rebels b
able to get hold Of vessels on the bay
around lake Huron. put cannon on boart
Of them and ell the engineery Of war t
destroy our cities on the lakes. It woult
enable them to lay the city of City 0
Chicago in ashes and the City Of Mil
waukie and the other cities. There va
no WY in which We could prevent thei
passage through the straits Of Mackinaw y
| The Senate ought to put in the power Q
the President to build floating batteries +
defend the Straits OF Mackinaw and th
u II