The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-01-19

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On M, ion OF Mr. WAsHrUR. (rep ~ Mas. tho Com
mitee Of W ys ana Means was instructed to inquire
s fscSdn IN, By law a. where
Secretary OF he Treasury may issue duplicate thereof
courts ~ NEVADA
Mr.. WILSON (rep) Il lows, reported bill which wa
passed. providing Circuit ana District Court fos ht
ARafrR my ArnRsrs
Mr. GASsoS, OPP Of N ", offered We following reeo
Resolved That tho Military Committee be and they are
Sonn.S IN p. <. Ola csUa u sns
sa;n :ssh Tss:
Of saeh psr.oas Officers army and have
~ % 3. % ss s
and Wheeler Sny 50 IN Prison ones Without
5S ~ nov s IN -. prison. had
nsy ws,s :Ss s and ~, hs ssss
authorized to send for persons aud papers.
The resolution adopted
NJ srsv.@ lrep Of Pa, a Subsequent stage Of the
solution instruct the oommhee 10 INQUIRE into
the expediency Of the inquiry.
en- S1sS %ss said la fro New Yo who had
prison since tina 9th Of October last and Was altogether
ignorant Of thu charges any against him He called
quire into has case but in the prsence of tho tarnkey
w99 So between them. He held that to DO personal
Mr. srsvEss said he sorry the gentleman thought
tst w. peraond indignity But doubt the turnkey
SsS s s tho Ss Srs
had tho sanction OF the Chairman Of the Conm ee "a
auirp into fse expectancy Of the measwes
Mr. GASsor--The House is satisfied a. 70 the exped-
Mr. srrvHw--I RIM not
Mr. DAVE trep.J Of Md, said II was the right Of the
House. and than that the duty of the House, TO
soc that the liberty OF the citizon not unswfuy
violated II persons have been confined IN PRISON pc
You'd the period allowed by law tho House has toe right
10 know IL and apply the remedy The gentleman from
Now York (Mr. Ganson had instarced two cases The
law suspendng tho writ Of habsas cops was too much
committed TO the discretion of the Presidents yet being
the law of the land II must e obcyed The law said any
who shall be arrested under the order OF the res
ident OF military officer may lie helt some time in
confinement bus when arrested In State where tho
courts were open, and rebellion existed the names OF
such persons must reported by tho Secretary
of State, Secretary of War; the Circuit or District
Court and after Grand Jury shall have met or alter
Indictment the persons shall be discharged
less prisoners OF There not few persons in
Maryland confined under circumstances similar &c these
mentioned and who held in custody by order o. lie
gal commissions. He wanted the Committee on Military
Affairs to spread the truth before the people, and to asceY
tain whether any law TO autborzethc confinement Of any
Mr. Cox, (oppl Of Ohio sad he, with the gentleman
from Maryland would enlarge the scope of tho esou~
ton He would Ike to know whether the requirements
of the law regarded, and whether lists Of persons
had been furnished to courts or"wheher the lawwas
deavored set aside the law for their purposes
He had cases in his oyenot only that Of vailan-
alluded but Others the Secretary Of the Treasury
under peculiar higher law unknown TO the statute,
suspected
ing greenbacks or shnpasters and held them in The O
Capitol prison month after month the sole order OF
e Solicitor Of The Treasury without ~, sns snf
our own lsws Or shall We not have an inquiry into these
abusess
Mr. CoyyaorH (opp) Of Pa, said that In his district
brave officer who wounded and his mb amputated,
was confined in prison without charges having been pre-
Mr. Cox said he had NOT submitted his REMARKS with
any partisan view to find fault Tho law authorizing
with the concurrence Of the democratic members, but
by the votes OF republicans Il was their law They
fed II in such way to guard against undue and IRE
sponsibic arrests He appealed TO gentlemen on the
other side 10 sustain their own law and not let II be
dead letter 1t thor duty find out Ia what respects
and by whom the law had bcen broken.
Mr.. GASsoX said he had been credably informed Of
several other cases than those which he had already
mentioned where civilians as well as army officers were
Illegally held in prison He felt II TO be his duty TO offer
the resolution especially when these prisons within
speaking distance Of this hall The House should have
legislation 10 required the subject He would not
dertako to criticize the acts Of any OF the officers Of the
government his desire being to discover whether there
are abuses, and If SO TO rectfy them
Mr.. Eden, (opp.) Of ILL.,, said tho gentleman had
arrested kept there for long time contrary to law
If the department deserved censure, he was willing
should be ccnsured There might be some things the
not for the courts TO pass The resolution, as II
now read direct censure although NOT intended
Hence he had suggested an amendment
the property Of the investigation proposed The time
had arrived when II due TO the people Of this
power exercised by the secretary OF War; especially
when he knew order Of the President TO the Sec
rotary Of War for certain thing met with the
ply:-sI shan't do M and when explanation was
asked he met with the reply:"I don't propose to
s ssue 70 t hm when Of The people
was met in that way constituted objection him
that the resolution might be construed TO embodya
sure on the Department He argued the adoption Of the
resolution the that by order In
formation whatever could be obtained from tho War De-
partment excoI ny the Secretary himself by his
order. II some poor woman has had a son killed and
desires information concerning him, II could not be OBJ
tanned In the way just mentioned The committee
should inquire how far the arbitrary habits extend He
would be the first vote for the excupaon Of the Sec
rotary II no should be found Innocent The army may
tremble under his power as absolute Dictator Con-
gross has right TO investigate where the liberties OF the
people concerned IT. in June last when prisoners
OF exchanged from to twenty thousand Of
them left TO perish in rebel pens he found another
reason why the transactions OF the War Department
Mr. DAVIS, OF Md, said arrests were made by provost
marshas almost without complaint and ut unusaable
times Tho American character being broken down.
Under the pressure Of the investigation became ne
cessary Gentlemen had repeatedly applied 10 him 70
Mr. DAVIS, (rcp) Of Mass, remarked that tho gentle.
man from New York had said TO his knowledge persons
illegally confined, and the gentleman hereby asked
for examination into the facts. II he IN Dawes) had
made such statement, and had asked for an cxamna
ton, he should have been very much asonshed " had
been refused He did not see what ground Of objection
could be urged
tion already commenced by the Committee ON Military
Affairs should be continued. Congress had passed q
law of the sor. wsT IN q Inc ins
enable them TO be driven out But was afterwards
thought by the House Of Representatives that the law
might be safely repealed This law mischevous.
II officer could be dismissed without trial. merely
the recommendation Of his superior officer had tho
tendency TO make the subordinate sycophsnt and toady
The Senate, however had not yet acted upon the BILL
II had always been The law that when an cncer
arrested and confined for eight days. the charges against
him must be put into his hands Az TO the
confined i've months, and has tried In vain 70 learn
| for what he Is detained. Swift vengencc has
fallen upon him like hunderbolt from clear sky.
| Similar cases numberlcss where calling
himself colonel agent Of the War Department lays
his hand persons and thrusts them into prison
the victims kept there until the agent OF the
War Department some other power releases them. II
we are In places let the War Department do
az II pleases He did not say the War Department
responsible for these abuses knew Of them But they
L he trpop eubordnatee Ho mad no