Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-01-06
XXXIM CONCRESS-2d SESSION.


mineral lands there until the newly elected sens
tors from Nevada take their seats
The communication was ordered 10 lie upo
the table.
The chair laid before the Senate copies of IN,
organic laws OF the territory of New Mexico.
A communication from the secretar, OF Wal
in reply to a resolution calling Tor the report o
Gen. Heron on the condition OF military affair
in Arkansas, was read. stating that the repor, IA
not yet been made
On motion of Mr. Wilson 300 copies of tn
| Coast Survey was ordered TO be printed for tn
use Of the Senate and 80 for the officer superin
tending the coast survey
| Mr.. Conness introduced bill to regulate tn
salaries of steamboat inspectors on the Pacf
coast.
Mr.. Nesmth presented bill to allow milag
to Justices of the Supreme Court OF the Unre'
States, and moved that il be referred TO the com
mttee on finance
Messrs. Foster and ShermA thought it shoulc
go to the committee on the Judiciary, and 1t wa
NJ Ramsax preSAed bill to aid in con
strIctisg telegrN. INES from St. Cloud MINI.
to the British possessions, which was referred L
the committee on public lands
Mr.. Grimes presented the following which wa
adopted.
Resolved, That the secretary of war be>di
rected to inform the Senate the number of ma
enlisted in the naval service of the United State:
who lave been credited or the military quotas o
respective states, and upon what principle and
what manner such credits were made
Mr.. Foster offered a resolution, which Wa:
adopted, instructing the. committee on military
affairs TO inquire into the expediency OF reporting
bill to distribute the proceeds OF the sales Of
cotton. &c, captured in Savannah. among the
soldiers and sailors of Shermsn's army.
On motion of Mr.. Sherman, the pension ap
preparation bill was taken up
4 letter from the secretary OF the interior was
read, recommending supply OF the deficiency il
the applications under the acts OF 1918 to 1853
S65, 900; under the acts of 1855 and 1862. 50,
800, 600 During FIVE months of the present 6s
cal year s.. 929, les have been drawn, leaving
but 1854, I51 unexpended. which will scarcely
suffice for the expenditures TO the middle Of the
present month.
The bill then passed
The Senate then proceeded to the considera-
ton Of Wilson's joint resolution to make free the
wives and children of slaves who enlist in the
army of the United States
Mr.. Wilson hoped the resolution would be
passed to-day. He had received letters from OF
| tcers in the army, now engaged in recruiting
and they all endorsed and approved this measure
He did not wish to detain the Senate by discus
sing the proposition If senator's would refer tc
the Globe of last session. they woul6 End il wa,
debated in the House He hoped action would be
taken
Mr. Doolitte was in favor OF the motion "a
refer the motion to the judiciary committee
Mr.. Wilson said: | cannot consent TO have
this resolution referred to the judiciary commit
tee The senator from Wisconsin tells US there
| is an amendment to the constitution pending
and that he has strong hopes that il will pass the
House of Representatives Monday next.
had hoped last week that the measure would pass
the House.
Mr.. Salisbury followed and in the course oil
his remarks said | shall maintain the doctrine
when this question shall come up for discussion
| in the Senate that not only YOU have no right
TO free the wife and children of negro who
volunteers in the army ii they are from
state where slavery is recognized, but you give
| freedom TO negro volunteers il they are slaves
| There is no principle more clearly recognized
in international law than this, that il a slave
| be captured from his ownsr bv one belligereni
and he afterwards comes back in possession oil
the other belligerent, that he reveris to his
original owner
Mr.. Sumner said that all must confess the hu
manity of the proposition for the enfranchise
ment of the families OF colored persons whS
have become soldiers for their country Al
must confess the hardship of continuing them il
| slavery But the question is asked what pow e
| has Congress 10 set families freel This Is a sin
/ gle point i'm which | shall express opinion
| Ny answer is that Congress has precisely the
same power TO enframchse ia miles that it has &c
! enfranchse colored soldiers The two power;
are cOincldent, and from the same source. i
has already been assumed that Congress NAV
| franchise cOlOreG soldiers.
This has been done by solemn statute without
| fhfa Haacf anne
answer II we never asked the reason for sucl
! Acknowledgement, it must be found first III the
practical necessity that we may secure the ser
vice of the slaves, and second. in its intrineiC
! Justice and humanity. La short, the government
cannot be so imprudent and so foolish "a to at
tempt to obtain the service of the slaves at the
! hazard of life without securing 10 him the boor
of freedom. II Congress can authorize the en-
| listment OF slaves. as il undoubtedly can, il
AT the same time authorize their enfranchise
ment, and by the same reason it may authorize
the eniranchisement of their families
An English patriot nearly two centuries age
| exclaimed in words that be would give his lilt
| TO save his country, but he would not do NEAR
| thing to save il III there be any value in thl:
declaration il may well be inyalued when il j:
! deberated and argued that the national govern
| ment can create an army in this service and car
enfranchse those which 1t enlists. but that il !:
impotent to enfranchse his family. The cas'
is too clear for argument. | cannot close wha
have to say sithout adding my opinion that Con
! gress at this moment is complete master of th'
whole question OF slavery everywhere in th,
| United States
Evening without any constitutional amend
ment il can sweep out of existence precisely a:
! il can remove any other obstruction TO the na
tional Defense and all this by of value and pow
er indisputable, as the power 10 raise armies anC
! to suspend the writ OF habeas corpus, and the
/ future generation will read with amazement tina
J great people, when their national lite was assall
/ ed they hesitsted TO exercise the power sim
/ pie, and the benefit of this amaZemeut will know
/ no bounds, as they learn that Congress haggled
/ for months OH the question whether the wife anc
/ children of colOred soldiers should be sdmitte,
! TO freedom.
The question was then taken in reference L
I the resolution and was decided in the negative
yeas Il, nays 10
At the request of Dir Salisbury, who wish
ed the debate p0s'p1ned, the further conside
ration of the subject was postponed.
I Mr. Wilson called up the bill TO permit alien
who have served one year in the army to becom
! citizens of the United States.
Nr Sherman offered the following amend
Dent.
That 10 alien who had resided In the Unite,
States Eve years continuously before the 18th o
April 1861, shall be naturaized under the law
of the United States after the first day of April
ls65, anything in any act to the contrary not
wthstanding
Mr. Sherman explained the object Of IT,