The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-01-18
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TOrHE
Portland Daily Press.
XXxVIII 00NGREss---First Session.
SENATE.
WAsuINcTaS lam liz

SEN ATE.
WASHINGTON, Jan 1G.
Mr.. Morgan presented petition from the
citizens of New York, demonstrating against
relief Of unnaturalized citizens from the draft
The enrolment bill being under considera-
ton, Mr.. Fessenden said that his opinion OF
yesterday that the payment of the commuta-
ton money did not release State from draft,
was erroneous, and that the construction put
on IT by the Secretary of War was correct.
lie thought it impossible to construe the COM
mutation clause in any other way than that
the procuration OF substitutes, or the payment
of communication money exempted the States
from the draft.
Mr.. Clark offered an amendment, providing
that the communication money thall be applied
by the War Department for obtaining substi-
tutes from the district in which the drafted
persons hail to fill the quota of the State.
Mr.. Grimes did not desire that eolored men
should be enlisted to fill the quota of State.
He would like the word "menn to be con-
strued "white men," The colored men were
enlisted by the General Government, and col
ored men, unless citizens of the State, should
not take the place Of white men. 4
Mr. Harlan thought that this was tax on
the money of the country, not npon the intel
leet. The people of Louisiana, Tennessee and
Kentucky owe allegiance to the country as
well as those from Maine and Massachusetts.
He never had believed that colored soldiers
could be employed with the same results as
white men. The colored man should not be
accepted as substitute for his superior.
Mr.. Davis said that large portion of the
labor of Kentucky was performed by slaves,
and yet the Secretary Of War would sooner
enlist slave than a white man in the border
States, thus stripping those States of its lab
oring classes to serve as substitutes for North
ern laboring men who were kept at home.
Mr.. Wilson was glad that the Government
was about establishing policy in regard to
slaves, which he tWilson) had urged on them
for four months past.
Nj. johnson said that the people of Mary
land did not belieye that colored troops could
do the duty of white men. He then CON-
meuted on the acts of military officers in ref
erence to the recruiting OF slaves and upon
occasions Of elections on the eastern shore OF
the State. Ii such proceedings had not been
instituted, he did not believe the Representa-
tive in the other House, Mr. Harris, would
now hold his seat, as he owed it alone to mill
tary interference in the elections. He John
sonl believed from the representations OF
Northern Journals that there was as much dis
loyalty in the North as in Maryland
Mr.. Grimes would wish the word "white"
substituted in the bill.
Mr.. Wilson did not want the word "whiter
to appear in the bill at all.
Mr.. Grimes thought the negroes should be
put under the protection of the National Gov
eminent. His amendment was intended to
stimulate enlistments of negroes, so that there
would be no occasion for another call ON the
States
Mr.. Grimes amendment was reiected-2S
to IA.
Mr.. Doolittle offered an amendment, provid-
ing that veteran troops re-enlisting shall be
tN.s.i4 al. -. -