The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-02-20

TCSOlutlOu VI tutukS u NeISTAl SuefMAO,
his officers and men WAS passed.
On motion Of Mr.. WILSON the Senate's
resolution eQualizing the pay of soldiers
was taken up.
An amendment by Mr.. WILSON was
adopted equalizing the pay of colored
troops, retaining the provision of the bill
to give them an additional IS per month
from Jan. lst 1864.
An amendemnt offered by Mr.. Doc
LITTLE deducting a per month for sup
porting their families and friends is under
discussion.
A report from the Secretary Of War was
received in answer to Il resolution of the
Senate relative 10 officers Communication for
quarters and fuel. 1t shows there are 5S7
officers here drawing such communication
Major Generals, Is Rrigadier Generals.
"a Colonies, Is Lieut. Colonies, "a Majors.
l26 captains, As Lieutenants, 26 Surgeons,
aud 70 Paymasters.
Mr.. HOWELL presented memorial
from the Milwaukee Chamber Of Com
merce representing that within a few
months more than 25 millions of dollars
have been mined and are waiting egress,
and asking aid in the construction of a
wagon road. with military protection thro'
Central Minnesota. Referred
On motion of Mr.. WILSON the Senate
proceeded to the consideration of the. bill
equalizing the pay of United States SOL
dierS.
Mr.. CONFESS withdrew his amend
ment combining the benefit to those in the
service at the of the passing Of the amend
ment.
Mr.. SUMNER offered an amendment
providing that in cases where the Secre-
tary Of War shall be satisfied that persons
Of color have been mustered into the SER
vice Of the United States at the rate of
$l2 per month, they shall be paid at
that rate for previous services.
Mr.. GRIMES hoped the Senator would
withdraw his proposition and that from
this time forward every soldier would re-
ceive the same pay. He hoped the bill
might be allowed to stand on its own mer
it. without making it retrospective
Mr.. WILSON moved to strike out the
clause in the bill of the Committee giving
cOlored troops the same pay &C., except
bounty, during the whole time they have
been in the service, and insert latter JAN
LIST 1854"
Mr.. SUMNER would not withdraw his
amendment without explaining that the
provision would only apply to a few regl-
ments and there would be no great deficit
in the Treasury.
Mr.. FESSENDEN here claimed the floor
and from the Finance Committee reported
certain amendments to the House deficien-
cy bill. He asked that they lie over till
Monday.
Mr.. JOHNSON, in reply 20 Mr.. Sum-
ner, said if the black men of Maryland
were rs good as the black men enlisted
elsewhere. why make exception If JUS
tice was done, according 10 the views of
the Senator from Massachusetts, some
$500 Coz would be taken from the Treasury
or, as he understood it, $3.50, 900 All should
be paid alike. Why did not Massachusetts
pay these troops.
Mr.. FESSEN DEN understood the paw
bad 49,
fused 10 receive it, with the ex planatior
tina: the circumstances under which the
colored troops had refused TO receive their
pay were they held the Government to the
pledges made them and wanted full pay of
$l3 per month or asked to be discharged
from the service.
Mr.. JOHNSON said they were eolored
gentlemen of extraordinary sensibi!lty.
Mr.. GRIMES said that from the verv
outset he and his colleague (Mr. Harlan)
were in favor of putting negro troops on
an equality with whites. He was on the
record, in this respect, before the Senator
from Massachusetts Mr.. Sumner).
Mr.. SUMNER said that in y public
speech he had said that he was in favor of
carrying the war into Africa, but he was
more in favor of carrying the African into
the war. Laughter.
Mr.. GRIMES was not only in favor of
carrying the African into the war bat of
paying him Sl3 per month and for placing
him on u footing wGh the other soldiers
II we were going back to pay these colored
troops from Massachusetts,, &C., why not
pay those from Tennessee. He was in
formed there were some thirty regiments
OF these troops there. He thought there
was trouble in the future to be apprehend-
Ell from making retrospective the character
of this bill in discriminating. He SYM
pathized with the gallant and patriotic
Aff tN<E ~ -, NJ
sets colored troops, but he could not help
believing it was on account of their action
that the cOiored men of South Carolina
regiments refused to receive their pay,
Mr.. COWAN said if We were going back
for these cOlOred men, he was also in favor
OF going back in favor OF white men, who
were the earliest volunteers and had borne
the heaviest burdens of the day. Ho WAS
not in favor of overriding the statute to- do
justice to those negro troops until effec-
tive and exact justice had been done to
the veteran white soldiers. When the
country should be restored to its wonted
prosperity we could do justice--now it is
exceedingly dangerous
The amendment of Mr.. WHITESTON
was then adopted.
The amendment of Dir. DOOLITTLE,
providing that from the monthly pay of
colOred troops mustered into service in in
surrectiOnary districts, the sum Of s. per
month shall he reserved to reimburse the
expenses incurred by the United States ia
feeding aud clothing the widows, children
and parents OF deceased soldiers, was re-
jected.
Alter debate, Mr.. SUMNER proposed u
proviso, that in ali cases of past services of
colored troops, where it shall appear to the
satisfaction Of the Secretary OF War, from
actual papers of enlistment that they were
enlisted under the act OF July 1861, they
shall be allowed the pay provided by that
act. This was rejected by ayes, IS, nays
u.
Mr.. COWAN offered substitute for the
bill as amended, that from and after the
passage Of this act, all soldiers Of the Uni
ted States, of the same arm of the service,
shall receive a like compensation. Mr..
COwan supported his amendment ut some
length. He claimed that the negro must
be recognized as a citizen under the Con-
stitutiOn, as he received the protection of
the laws.
Mr.. SALISBURY said if that was the
basis of Senator Cowan's substitute, it was
abhorent to his (SaulsbUry's) view, and he
would not support it. The old-fashioned
term was negroee-now they were called
citizens.
NJ HOW tod IN ooh - tho r,ayvooc