Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-04-07
CONGRESSIONAL.
PROCEEDINGS IN THE SENATE
Extracts from Our Daily Reports.

i Extracts from Our Daily Reports.
=, THE CIVIL APPROPRIATION BILL
Mr.: FESSENDEN, from the Finance Committee, re
ported back the House bill making appropriations for h,
legislative executive, and Judicial expenses of the Govern
for the next fiscal year. with amendments raising the
appropriation for clerks and messengers in the
the Acjustant General, Quartermaster General Paymas
Ter General Commssary General and Col Of Ordnance
5000 0OO These understood to be for persons hose
after to be appointed The reductions Of House appro
prstions for the Department Of Agriculture are over
etc collection of agricultural statistics $8 600; seeds
$4,000; expenses for seed SIG 900; for expert.
mental garden on reservation No and expenses $4,000
T. MONTANA TERRITORY.
Mr.. WADE called up the bill from the House to
provide Temporary Government for the Territory Of
Mr., WILKINSON moved to amend the fifth section BY
striking out the words in regard to voters every white
the United States ard those who have declared their in
tention TO become such, above the age of twenyone
years"
Mr. JOHNSON said that the purpose was evidently TO
give the elective franchise to colorsd men, and If those
now being freed were go to these Territories they
would hardly be fitted at once for that privilege Tho
matter should be left to the people of those Territories
The amendment was adopted by the following vote:
YEAs-M Messrs Brown Chandler, Clarke Collamer Con
ness Dixon Fesfenden Foot Foster Grimes Hale Harlan
Wade, wilkinson, and Wilson-22
NATs-Messrs Bucksew, Carlie, Cowan, Davis, Hard
ing Henderson johnson, Lane Indiana Nesmth Powell
Riddle, sauisbury Sherman, Ten Eyck, Trumbu Van Win
kle and Wiey-l7
The question being then the passage of the bill
Mr. POWELL inquired how many inhabitants were in
the proposed new Territory
Mr., WADE replied that there twelve thousand
inhabitants on this side OF the mountains and twelve
the other and that the population was rapidly increasing
on account OF new discoveries of gold II
Mr.. SUMNER inquired what had suggested the name
of the new Territory-Montana
Mr.. WADE said he could not answer the question.
Mr. HoWa RID said that by reference to his old Latin
dictionary he found that the word referred to mountain
country such this described to be- Laughter
THE RIGHTS OF NEGROES
The question still being on the passage of tie bill
Mr. SALISBURY called for the yeas and nays, in
sequence of Mr.. WILKINsON'S amendment which he said
not only makes negroes voters but gives them the right TO
hold Office after three months resdence negro might
thus be elected Governors but that, he presumed
people Of that Territory would have good than
" do
Mr. JOHNSON suggested to Mr.. Wilkinson that if he
wished to have all black vote and that they should
have equal political rights under this BILL it would be bet
ter to express this purpose in plain terms rather than
the words citizen of the United States because in
of the decision Of the Supreme Court in the Dred Scott
that negroes not czsDs of the United States
thsre would arise some question in the matter
Mr.. WILKINSON said he desired to let his amendment
stand in the form which had been adopted so that
neither the word white black should appear in the bill
Mr.. SUMNER thought each branch of the Government
should construe the Constitution for itself Congress
good judge the Supreme Court and should not be
bound by decision which had disgraced the country
Mr. JOHNSON said the decision had been made by the
highest tribunal of the land and by abIes ursts Yet
dam was the gentleman really f..oisr with that de-
clsion1 There are many mon equal to the honorable
Senator, to say the least, aud however may
gret that our Constitution s 80 framed to require
the Court to decide DID, they yet regard the authority
of that high tribunal There Is at least much pausi
bity in that decision that aoy honest may well
spsot il.
Mr. JOHNSON went on to speak Of the preudices which
had existed against Chief Justice Tauoy when first ap
pointed aud referred the fact that Mr. Clay had been
hpts hnra
his high character and abundant ability to the
mine 1t light thing to assault the Chief Justice Of
the United States. We have, urp udence has, jusce
the country has interest in maintaining the charac
tor of that tribunal 1t was light thing to pronounce
decision of that tribunal Disgrace, aud he could
stand and hear it thus unnecessarily done-especisy by
the gentleman from Massachusetts, whose voice heard
all the land-without proes ting against 1T.
Mr.. SUMNER said that the multiplication table says
that two and two make four, and if the Sup Court
to declare that two and two make five, there
for his acquiesclng 10 it, He familiar, too ia
miar, with the Dred Scott decision and Chief Justice
Taney dwared in bis opinion by the side of the opn
ions OF the other Justices that 1t false in
Jurisprudence, and false in its facts of bis fellow
Justices showed The Dred Scott decision Of
the strongest influences bringing about the rebellion and
Congress to be put In the straghtscket OF that de-
| cson
Mr.. JOHNSON said he had not defended the Dred
Scott decsoubad uttered opinion of his own that
headbut simply referred to the bad taste Of denouncng
a decision of the Supreme Court disgrace To the
country, when done by the gentleman from Massa-
chuses, VINO always sees ana VINO
wrong The gentleman had been the guest of Chief
Justice Marshall but did he learn from him to assa
with vituperatve epithes the decision of the highest
tribunal of the land Marshall had been denounced IN hs
day. and the distinguished persons who did So ere he
co,ed his earthly career regretted it, With all his
pect for the gentleman, and recprocatng his courtesy
hm heretofore he should have to adhere in all matters Of
legal opinion to the decisions of Judge Taney rather than
| those of the Senator from Massachusetts.
Mr. HALE said that he perhaps had no better opinion
of the Dred Scott decision than the gentleman from Mas
sachusetts, but he disagreed with him blng-he did
not think disgrace to the Supreme Court Of the
United States.
The bill was then passed-yeas %, nays 8.
/ SLAVERY.
Yesterday being joint resolution to amend the Consti-
tuition to abolish slavery.
Mr.. DAVIS, Of Kentucky, addressed the Senate at
length in opposition the resolution The general
assigned for this measure-hat slavery the OF
the rebelion-struck him very unsound He would be
very willing acknowledge the guilt of Massachusetts
and South Carolina, and abolish both of these States
il had done thirty years ago this would have
occurred He opposed to the present measure for
many reasons 1t strikes at of the vital and
essential Of principles Of our mingled system of nationa
and State governments. He held, when State was ia
the performance Of its duties in obedience TO the Cons
tuition that entitled to immunity from the nfracou
Of ts local laws the part Of the General Government
Any other principle would be despotism These amend
ments would destroy fundamental principle of the Con
loyal State where slavery exists of their unloubted con
sutona rights 1t would Also he argued deprive then
Of their right regulate any Of their domestic
He said Of Upo