Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1865-01-06

municatlon was ordered to lie upon the
table.
The Chair laid before the Senate
copies of the organic laws of the Territory
of New Mexico.
A communication from the Secretary oi
War, in reply to a resolution calling fol
the report of General Warren upon the
condition of Military affairs in Arkansas
was r cad, stating that the report had moi
been made.
On motion of Mr.. Wilson l,200 copies
of the Coast Survey Report were ordered
to be printed for the use of the Senate and
5000 for the officer of Superintendent of
the Coast Survey.
Mr.. Conness introduced bill to regu-
late the salaries of steambost inspectors on
the Pacific coast which was referred to
the Committee on Commerce.
Mr.. Smith presented hill to allow
milage to Justices of the Supreme Court of
the United States, and moved that it be
referred to the Committee on Finance.
Mr.. Foster and Sherman thought it ought
to 20 to the Committee on Judiciary and
it was so eferred.
Mr.. Ramsay presented bill to aid IN
the construction of q telegraph line from
ST. Cloud, Minnesots, to the British pos
sessions, which was referred to the Com
mittee on Public Lands.
Mr.. Grimes presented the following res
oluLion, which was adopted:
Resolved, That the Secretary of War be
directed to inform the Senate the number
of men enlisted in the naval service of the
United States that have been credited in
the military quotas of retrospective States,
and upon what principle, and upon what
manner, and upon what evidence such
credits were made.
On motion of Mr.. Sherman the pension
appropriation bill was taken up.
A letter from the Secretary of the Inte-
rior was read, recommending the supply
of the deficiency in the appropriations un-
der tho acts of 1878 to 1853 at $65, 900,
and under the acts of 1858 to 1862, SO, 3,5OO,-
900. During FIVE months of the present
fiscal year s., 929,l65 havO boon drawn,
leaving but $i64, 457 unexpendeded, which
will scarcely suffice for the expenditures TO
the middle of the present month. The
bill WAS then pAssed.
The Senate next proceeded to the con-
sideration of Wilson's joint resolution, to
make free the slaves and the 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 officers of the army engaged in the
recruiting service, and they all endorsed
and approved this measure. He did not
wish to detsin the Senate by discussing
the proposition. If the Senators would
refer to the Globe of the last session they
would find it was debated for hou1s. He
hoped now for action,
Mr. Doolittle was in favor of the motion
to refer the resolution ~ the Judiciary
Committee.
Mr.. Wilson, cannot consent to have |
this resolution referred to the Committee !
on the Judiciary. The Senator from Wis |
consin tells US there is an amendment to |
the Constitution pending, and that he has |
strong hopes it will pass the House of |
Representatives on Monday next. had |
hoped last week that that measure would |
pass the House. 1 have moro doubt of it |
now. Whether 1t passes or not, the Sena- |
tor from Wisconsin knows, and we all |
know that it cannot and will not become |
part of the Constitution for many months |
for two years at least. 1t may be threa |
or four, but certainly not within the next |
eighteen months. The facts are these:
The Congress of the United States, at the
last session, decided that man who should |
enlist in the army of the United States |
should be free by the fiat of the Govern
ment of the United States. If any one
doubts the constitutionslity of that law let |
himtest it now. Sir, the wives and children
if the men we have made free are held as |
slaves. We were told from army officers
at the last session of Congress, how they
were treated in Missouri. The facts were
to the Senate, and they shocked
the sense of humanity of every one who
heard or read what was going on there.
The wrongs that have been perpatrated
on the wives and children of our colored
soldiers in the past year, would shock the
humanity and appeal TO the Justice of the
people, if told to them. OF the power to
pass such resolution, l do not entertain
q doubt. The most emminent LAWYERS of |
this country have said that we NAV
have to pay for these slaves probably we
shall, but as to our right to do it. there csn
be no question, and think that at this /
tune we ought not to hesitate q moment. |
We read already of what is taking plac
In the rebel States and what jeff. Davis
proposes to do. They propose to give |
freedom to the slaves and to give them an
interest In Rnds. They..who commenced |
the rebellion for the sake of making slsy-
cry eternal are now talking about making
the slaves free and they will fight the
battles of the rebellion.
Mr.. Salisbury followed Mr.. Wilson, and
In the course of his remarks said: l shall |
the doctrine, when this question
shall come up for discussion in the Senate,
that not only have you not the rightto free |
the wives and children of negroes who
volunteer in our army, if they are from
States where slavery is recognized, but /
you cannot give freedom to the negro vol
unteeF himself, if he is slave. There is
not principle more clearly recognized |
in international law than this: "If q |
slave be captured from his lawful owner |
by one belligerent and he afterwards |
comes back into the possession of the |
other belligerent, he reverts to his law
full owner"
Mr.. Sumner SAID all must confess the |
humanity of the proposition for enfrsn- |
ehisifg the families of colored persons who |
have borne arms for their country. All
must confess the hardship of continuing
them in slavery. But the question is asked,
what power has Congress to see the fani.
lies free2 This is the point on which I
shall express an opinion. My answer is,
that Congress has precisely the same power
to enfrsnchise the families, that it has to
enfranchise the colored soldiers. The two
powers are coincident and form the same
source. 1t has already been assumed that
Congress may enfranchise the colored SOL
diers. This was done by solemn statute,
without any reference to the condacs of his
pretended owner. If we never ask the
reason for such enfranchisement, it must
be found.
First in practical nece essity, that we may
secure the best services of the the slaves,
and second in its justice and humanity.
In hria the nnuarnnant cannot hn % IN