Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-03-31
DEPARTMEHT or, STATE,
ri Washington, March "a, 1864

The Secretary Of State whom has been referred the
resolution Of the Senate of the 18th instant requesting the
President communicate he Senate If not incompatible
with the public interest correspondence or other nfoT
nation of the Government relating any plan
plens projected being projected, with view TO
the establishment Central and
South America !" has the honor TO report: 'tni@3
That surmses and jeaouses constnty arising on the
ubjet which the resolution refers which are brought TO
the notice of the Department by representatives abroad
there other form Of information
which furnishes any reliable fctsshowng the existence OF
plans for the pshmen of the object mentioned Amy
which might be regarded embra ed 10 the
resolution besides being very vaRue is in its nature co
DENTAL aud publication the present time would be in
| compatible with the public interest -sa a.. a.s4
| Respectfully submitted. WILLIAM H. SEWARD
To the PRESIDENT. t4.
PUNISHMENT or DEsERTERs
The bill in relation deserters in the army of the Uni
ted States called up by Mr. WILSON ,h..-
This bill proposes to disfranchse th0se who shall refuse
to return the service the call of the President in
proclamation TO be issued immediately after the passage
the act Those who reener the service at such place
and the President designate may do so with
punishment except the forfeiture OF pay and allow
due at the time of deseron and during their abb
sence. Ed g.4 saEstE $500 @gfF srae H4s.sd II
Mr. WILSON said that il had been represented that
there eighty Thousand deserters from our army This
was mistake There not than forty thousand
Many of these had escaped from the army through hOsp
and other Iwas also represented that twenty
during the past months through the provost marshal
stem; and under this system, in connexon with the
enrolment act, there now few deserters from the
army He thought there eight ten thousand de-
ar rters in Canada che British provinces They bad
gone there when deseron not considered great
crime it now, when discipline slack, aud when
was comparatively easy obtain troops He
that many of the deserers Canada anxious to
and their time out the war had lasted longer
than they had expected They find that living in Canada
much harder than serving their country in the field
He thought il the President would such places
Detroit, Buffalo, Ogdensburg, or some points in the
State of Maine where these deserters might come under
the terms Of this bill quite body Of men would return
| Mr.. CLARK said he doubted the propriety and the
power pass this bill We had better leave the whole
of these desert to the President. bill
of this kind would have great tendency to demOralze the
army. There great objection the part OF loyal
and duul soldiers to have, deserters put alongside
of them He hoped that fis question OF parden would
be left with the Executive While these soldiers remain
from the ranks they will roam about with the brand OF
Cain upon their brows. &al tt.e.t
The debate was here suspended account of the
plraton OF the morning hour. 81 Jaw aes a9.g.a 4
MILITARY INTERFERENcE WITH ELECTIONS. /
The Senate took up the special order which was the
bill Of Mr~PowELL to prevent military interference IN
| State elections. s5f f3 s4tt#.H e6s as344rEt
! Mr. HOWARD Addressed the Senate 10 opposition 20
the bill He considered the bill extraordinary n
every aspect The bill provided that officer Of the
army shall have under his control any troops armed
men, within mile of place where any general cleo
the possible efsct Of such clause this Did he fore
that it might happen that rebel force, in full battle
array, might be within the radius OF one mile from the
poll where the election held Such bill this
would, 10 effect prohibit commander from attacking
such rebel force while they in the radius OF such
magic circle, and would make polls sanctuary for
armed rebels 1t impossible that bill containing
such feature could pass the Senate Of the United
States in whole history thereswas not precedent
for it, This measure wss brought forward at time when
the country engaged in civil in struggle against
armed rebellion, which to crush out calls for
the Of all the facilities and powers Of the Govern
ment. ALI those who loyal at heart support the old
overnen MT and should receive its protection, while
those who look upon the contest with indifference or at
heart the of the rebellion ought to he treated
enemies He knew of no other test which could be
proposed between the loyal and doyal than the method
devised and carried out in our elections in States
contain Dg numerous sympathizers with rebellion He
did deny that there might have been in some cases,
abuses or msuses Of military power at elections but the
must be- mighty indeed to demand the passage OF
such by Congress the one proposed He be-
eved that the provisions If this bill plainly obnox
Ious the Constitution of the Unit States He held
that Congress had power in this subject of State ec
tons except that it may prescribe the lime, manner and
place of electng Senators and Representatives. TO Con-
gess The power to regulate local elections one Of
the reserved rights o the States He would inquire from
what part of the Constitution the Senator derived the
~ Congress to punish those who shall Vose State
laws regulating elections Yet the Senator, who ses
himself up expounder Of the Constitution here and
procsms that the old fabric going to pieces like
an old RAFT ever waterfall, now INDUCES the egsa
tive asking Congress punish every person
ia the military snrvics who shall interfere with aState
election Congress bsd right to do this than tp
punish for vio,tion Of other STATE laws he called the
attention Of the Senator to the fact that Gen Mcclellan
the first 10 issue orders relation to military super
vision elections, and quoted from hs order to Gen
Banks at Muddy Creek Maryland, of October u, 1861
nsructing him detail forces al the different polls to
protect Union voters from Intimidation and to hold in
confinement hese who Ia couslon with the rebels
Mr. Howard, without concluding his remarks, gave
way for Executive session. after WHICH the Senate
adjourned. 1Ys3
Mr.. HOWARD continued his speech from yesterday
He reviewed al great length the question of neutrality in
Kentucky at the Of the present struggle
and argued that but for the proper OF the
military of the United States that State wonld IN all pro-
liability have been rebellion this very day. He deend
ed the orders of Gen. Burnside in reference to elections
the State of Ohio He denied that the suborduaes of Gen
Burnside had departed from their Instructions and claim
ed that every OF theirs for the protection Of loyal
and the preservation of the State in the Union. lie
conended that those who opposed vigorous prosecution
Of the war here elsewhere, should be placed the
same footing with traitors in arms. wb
Mr.. Howard, referring to the elections 10 Maryland,
said that when order issued by Gen Mcclellan in
October 1861 requiring Gen Banks to detail forces to
protect Union voters hold ia continent mt those who
in COLLISION with the rebels there complaint
it seeming be admitted at that time ateuchmitary
supervision the election necessary. But when the
famous order No. SO of Gen Scbenck issued great
complaint is made. lie held that Gen Mcclellan and
subsequent order Of Gen. Dx's 10 Maryland, went fur
ther than Gen. Schencks lie regarded Governor Brad
fOrds proclsna iop calling the attention Of the judges of
elections 10 the fact that they the sole judges OF the
right Of persons 10 under the constitution and laws
81 the State, singular IL direct invitation
to the judges aud people Of Maryland to disregard Gen
A.l.