The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1865-12-23
not a greater commingling of the citizens of

Freedmen $ Bureau are referred to and many
defects cited. bnt in the main he thinks it
behilcent to both the planters and the freed
men. ami believes that if made Il part of the
military organization, with the Assistant
Commissioners required to report to the
commanders Of the departments in which
they may be operating, it would prove far
more efficient. The reading Of the report
OF Gen. Schnrz was called for, bat objection
was made, owing to its ledgih, and ON Il mo
| ton to PRINT the message and accompanying
! reports, an exciting debate occurred. Mr.
Sumner styling the Presidents message as
- like the whiewa,hed message Of Franklin
Pierce with regard to the atrocities in Kan.
| sas. Messrs. Doolittlc, of Wisconsin,
Foster, of Connecticut, and johnson, OF
Maryland. expressed their establishment al
the use OF such language regarding the Pre-.
! sident. when Mr.. SumLer said he did not
accept the construction placed upon his Ian
guage by the Senators named above. He
had no reflections 10 make on the patriotism
or the truth OF the President of the United
States. Never, i'll pablo or in private, had
he made any such reflection. and would not
begin now. When he spoke he alluded to II
document that had been read at the desk
and he characterized it as he thought il
ought to be characterizcd. The message
and reports were then ordered to be printed
MIR. Wilson introduced blll providing for
| the reorganization Of the militia of the
! United States.
In the House, on Tuesday. Mr.. Farms.
worth offered preamble reciting that Ben
inmin &. Harris. Representative from the
Fourth District of Maryland. was convicted
before court martial Of giving aid and com
fort To the public enemy, and melting them
to continue the war against the United
| States; declaring sympathy with the enemy
and opposition to the Government of the
| United States in its efforts to suppress the
rebellion; that he had expressed his regret
that the assassination OF President Lincoln
came too late to be Of any use TO the rebels
and that he was sentenced by the court mar
tlal to be forever disqualified from hereaf cr
holding any Office of honor. trust. or protii
under the United States. Appended to the
| preamble was {. resolution instrucling the
committee on elections to investigate his
| right TO seat in the House, empowering il
to send for persons and papers. The bill
regulating the transportation of passengers.
etc, between the several States was passed
Mr.. Thomas. of Baltimore, asked for the
poStponement of the bill. which the House
refused. During the debate Mr.. Wash.
burne, of Illinois, said the people had suffer.
ed long enough from the tax of fifteen or
Jersey and Maryland. The bill provides
that every railroad N the United States is
authorized to carry upon and over its con
nccllons passengers and pro erty on their
way from one State to another State. 1t
will be remembered that by the charter OF
the Camden and Amboy Railroad Company
other roads are excluded from CARRYING pas.
sengcrs between Philadelphia and New York
through the State Of New Jersey. This bill
will abolish this monopoly. and will also
affect other lines of railway. A proposed
amendment to the Constitution Of the Uni.
ted States, prohibiting any tax ever being
levied by the United States, or any of them,
for the purpose of paying any debt or liza
biIity incurred or suffered in aid Of the late
rebellion. was debated at much lenght. some
of the Comprehend members opposing it,
passage as an infringement upon the rights
Of the States. The first section of the
amendment, prohibiting the United States
from levylng any tax to pay the Rebel debts
was passed. The committee OF the judiciary
was instructed to inquire what lcgi 3!allon is
necessary to enforce the liberty Of all per,
sons, under the operation OF the Cunstitu
tlonal Amendment.
In the Senate, on Wednesday. Mr.. Wade
presented the memorial Of the Society of
Friends of Baltimore, asking that something
be done in behalf of the freedmen of the
South. The bill for the pny ment of SO.
0Uo to the widow OF the late President lin.
coin was passed. Mr.. Morrill,. from the
committee on the District of Coluubia re.
ported the bill to regulate the elective fran
ch,e il. the District, by removing define
tons Of color as a qualification f,r its cxer-
else. The bill to maintain the freedom Of
inhabitants OF the States lately in insurrec-
ton beng III der consideration, Mr.. Sumner
addressed the Senate in favor Of the bill. -
lie said that when he thought of what oc-
CURED in tie Chamber ON Tueslav-un
attempt to wniewaSh the unhappy condition
OF the Rebel States, he felt that he ought to
speak Of nothing else to-day. He proceeded
to speak Of the right of Congress to pass the
bill, and read "a number Of letters from the
South. private and public, to show that the
spirit of rebellion still existed there, and
that the rights eft freedmen were being dis
regarded in all the Southern States. The
debate was continued by Senators Salisbury
and Cowan. The question Of the holiday
adjournment was settled by committee of
conference, who reported a resolution,
which was adopted by both Houses, provi,
ding for an adjournment from Thursday to
the 9TH of January.
In the House, on Wednesday. Mr.. Morrill,
from the committee on WAYS and Means,
reported bill authorizing the Secretary of
the Treasury q appoint Assistant Assessors
OF Internal Revenue, which was passed -
Mr.: Stevens introduced "a bill to pay pensions
and damages to Union property by Rebels
out the proceeds of coniiscated property. it
was referred to the committee of the Whole
on the state of the Union Mr.. Lawrence.
OF Ohio, offered series Of resolutions to the
effect that Jefferson Davis. the representa-
tive man Of the rebellion, should be tried
and punished, and also those who starved
Union prisoners, etc, and instrucling the
committee on the judiciary to inquire wheth
er any amendment of the laws is necessary
to further such trials. On his motion the
resolutions were laid on the table and order
ed 20 be printed. On motion Of NJ. Stevens
resolution was passed directing the super
intepdent of the t'recdmen's Bureau to
inform the House whether any lands conGs
Gated from Rebels had been restored to their
owners and freedmen driven off such lands. |
and by whose authority such restoration has
been committed.
- The Secretary of State has sent a des-
patch to the Provisional Governor of Ala. |
bana, directing him to transfer the pronertv |