The Daily empire. (Dayton, Ohio) 1865-1867, 1865-12-28
A Sensible Speech by senator
Guthrie.

Hon JANIS GUTHRIE, who represents in
part Kentucky in the United States Senate,
when STEVENS Concurrent Revolutionary
Resolution was under consideration in the
Senate, made the following brief, pertinent
and admirable speech: ..l.....
"Mr. Guthrie-L wish to ask the friends of
thls resolution If It Is contemplated that
this committee shall take evidence and re-
port that evidence to the two IIonses. If
they are only to take what is open to every
member of the Senate; the fact that the
rebellion has been suppressed the fact that
the President of the United States has ap-
pointed officers to collect the taxes, and In
some instances judges and other officers,
That he has sent the post-Ollice into all the
states, that there have been found enough
individuals loyal to the country TO accept
che offices; the fact that the President has
issued his proclamation to all these States
appointing Provisional Governors that they
have all elected conventions, that the con-
ventions have rescinded the ordinances of
secession, that most of them have amended
their constitutions and abolished slavery,
and the Legislatures of some of them have
passed the Amendment to the Constitution
on the subject of savery-if they are only
to take these facts. which are open aud clear
10 us all, can see no necessity for such q
committee.
"My principal objection to the resolution
is That this committee can give us no in
formation which we do not now possess,
coupled with the fact that the loyal con-
servative men of the United States, North,
South, East and West, do most earnestly
desire that we shall so act that there shall
be no longer doubt that we are the United
States of America in full accord and
harmony with each other.
81 know it has been said that the Presi-
dent had no authority to do these things.
] read the Constitution and the laws of this
country differently. He Is to take care that
the laws be faithfully executed; he is to
suppress insurrection and rebellion. The
power Is put In his hands, and do not see
why, when he marches into rebel State,
he has not authority to put down rebel
Governments and put up n Government
that is friendly to the United States, and in
accordance with it; do not see why he
can not do that while the war goes on, and
do not see why he may not do it after the
wAr is over. The people in those States lie
at The mercy of the nation. | see no usur-
patton i'll what he has done and IL the
! work Is well done, /, for one. am ready to
accept it. Are we TO send out a commits
| sion TO see what the men whom he has ap-
pointed have done? 1t is said that they
are not to be relied on; that they have been
guilty of treason, and we win not trust
them.
Il hope that no such ideas will prevail
here. think this will be % cold shock to
the warm feelings of the nation for resto-
| ration, for equal privileges and equal
rights. They were in insurrection. We
have suppressed that insurrection. 7ney
| are ROi1 States Of the Union, aud If then
come here according 10 the idlos Of the States,
they are entitled, ia myjndgment, % represen-
| tdtOn, and ,ce haze no right to REFUSE 10.
They are in "A minority. and they would be
in minority even if they meant now
what they felt when they raised their arms
against the Government; but they do not,
and of those whom they will send here to
represent them, nineteen out of twenty will
be iust as loyal rs any of us-even some of
those who took up arms against as.
" really hope 10 see some one move u
modification of the test oath, so that those
who have relsnted of their diSlOyalty may
not he excluded; for | really believe that a
| great many of those who took mp arms
| honestly and wished to carry out the doc
trine of secession, and who have succumbed
| under the force of our arms and the great
force Of public opinion, can be trusted a
| great deal more than those who do not fight
at all. .......
ITO conclude, gentlemen, see no great
harm in this resolution except tile procras-
| tinatiun that viii result from it, and that
will give us nothing but what we have be-
| fore u.s."
An important letter from the Treasurer of
the United States, in relation to the undi-
yided profits of national banks, is pub
lished. He decides that these surpluses
must pay duty rs deposits, and favors a
provision eXempting from duty OF tax sur
plus funds Of banks. TO the extent of 20 per
cent. of their capital.