New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-12-14


duty of Congress TO interfere at once. Whatever dif
ferences Of opinion there might be on the ss9ect o.
negro suffrage there ought be none in regard to the
duty Of making good the guarantees oil the "o'cln'
ment.
MIR JoHvsoN said there were serious legal objections
TO the bill nnder consideration. II did not name any
bills or laws but all laws Of certain character De
side IL only repealed all laws already made but the
Southern States in the Union tney have ilgnt 20
make police laws for the future lie had never Deheved
that the Southern States were ont oil the unoI anu nc
was glad 20 in President JOnsons message wDich
WIS one of the abest ever issued concurrence in this
view The people OF the Southern States were now as
anyiou to return they once were 10 aVe Tue Union
lie believed there was as Iiucn pnian,iopy ih ;ne
precision sought be created that the people OF the
South were barb9rous . . go . ..
| Mir Cow,Y did not believe the bill would accomplish
vhet lis author desired. He thought an amendment to
the Const tuition the only way reach the matter
aud he believed such an Amendment would pass 10 Coh
gress within month.
MIR. WILSON referred to certain laws passed in the
Southern States since the abolition of Slavery, which
he said subjected the freedmen to worse bondage
than Slavery itself The condition OF the freedmen OF
the South to-day than ii was the day OF Lees
surrender.
Nj. SHERMAN sympathized with the objects of the
bill He believed II TO be the duty Of Congress TO Sc
cure freedom 10 the em0ncrated slaves but he be-
lieyed such legislation ought 10 be postponed until the
proclamation OF he Secretary OF State announcing the
adopton of tire Constitutional Amendment by the re-
qUise nun her of States Congress had the power he
said, Under the second section o. the Amendment 10
make provision for the freedom of the blacks and there
was anot or eseton of the Constitution under which IT
could be donethh section winch gives iothe cHehs ol
81 tie al the rights oftheczons of the several states
The b before tie Senate did no, define the ciyil rights
which the negroes ought to have, bat stated them IN
general terms In his Judgment Congress ought 20 I'm.
pose the conditions upol which tac Southern states
should be received back into the tDion and they
ought 20 be in the form OF amendments 10 The Ccnsu
ton. Action the bill before the Senate ought 10 be
deferred unit! the report Of the Committee Of fiieen,
provided for 10y The concurrent resolution passed !es1er-
day.
Amendment was before the Senate no Senator caimed
the right under the second section 10 give 10 tie Gov
! eminent The power of q consolidated Government.
! MI 1BU,BULL thought the bill was premature IN the
sense stated by Mr. sherman. There yet 10 ON.
cia information Of The passage OF the constitutional
Amendment and until the adoption Of that amendmdnt
there might be some doubt as 10 the power of Congress
to do wbas was proposed. After the adoption OF the
amendment there could be doubt as 10 the power OF
CONGRESS- If the second section did not confer this
power upon Congress, he would ask the Senator from
Delaware for what purpose II was intended.
Mr. SAULsBURY-I do not know what il meant !
had nothing do with it, but would ask the honor
able Senator whether when it was before this body for
adoption he ayowed in his advocacy Of 1t that II was
meaut for such purpose rs now claimed
Mr. TRyGBULI,--MT President, i never understood
in any other way.
Mr SArIsBr RY-Did you state II so at the timer
Mr. TRUNBuLL-I DO not know that stated So ]
might as well have explained that the clause which de-
clares that Slavery shall not exist meant that slavery
shall not exist could make clearer. reported
If from the Jufcinly Committee for the purpose
OF comforting upon Congress the authority TO see that
the first clause carried out IN good faltb.
Mr.. SALISBURY said he did not see how gentlemen
holding thet the southern States not in the Union
can regard the Constitutional Amendment as adopted
II required threefouIths of the States to adopt the
Amendment and that number could not be obtained
without counting the Southern States.
! ADJOURNMENT.
/ On motion of Mr.. HOWARD the enate adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
CONTESTED ELECTIONS.
! Mr.. DAWES introduced a resolution, which
contested elections or hereafter referred TO the
Committee on Elections be printed ia whole in part
under the direction OF the Committee at their discre
THE VETERAN RESERVE ooRrs.
Mr.. SCHgNCK, from the Committee on Mill
ary Affairs reported Joint resolution that the Presi.
dent be requested 70 suspend any order mastering out
the officers of the Veteran Reserve Corps until Con-
gIess shall time TO consider the subject and take
legislative notion as 10 the future disposition TO
DO made OF said corps
Mr FARxswoRIH inquired whether the were
mustered out
MIR. ScnlNcR replied that nearly all Of them were
leaving; the officers still in the service; nearly
half of these were employed by the Government What
was proposed thai the officers nonempoyed should
not be snmmary dismissed from the service but some
little time should be given for Congress TO take action
as TO whether they shall be incorporated In the Regular
Army provision be made for filling up the corps as
part of the army or be dismissed hereafter Or this
.
verey so although they have recovered. From 10 TO
Is per cent Of them disabled account of sick
ness contracted in the service but from which they
also have recovered IL not proposed TO turn them
ont on The world summariy. Some OF them have faml'
lies depending upon them for support The joint Ieso
Luton he repeated was only to give time for consider
alton
Mr. FAnSswORTH said that the corps was organized
entirely by the War Department and filed from the
volunteer ranks. The men were entitled to DC dis
charged when the was over, and all Of them having
enlisted only for the war. they entitled TO their
discharge The late submission OF the question 10 the
men as to whether they wanted 70 be discharged was
therefore singular. IL was nov asked tnat the officers
be retained in the service when there not the
skeleton Of corps loft They were 10 be continued In
the service 10 draw pay from the Treasury. They
should be continued no longer than they had men TO
command
hir CosKIIyG understood from the gentleman from
Illinois that this corps spiung from the War Depart
ment. He would ash whether the proposed action OF
the House was to be taken an indication that the
cops is 10 be pepetlated or continued ior any pu
MIR. scHEScK referred the gentleman to the language
Of the resolution which proposed Only temporary
supensiOn OF the order mastering out the officers until
Congress should have time TO act upon the subject
Nil CoNKLING said he did not forget the language Of
the resolution, and he propounded another inquiry to
which Mr. SCHENCK replied that the resolution was
agreed to by nearly all the members Of the Committee
on Military Affairs and he further remarked that many
Of the men having elected 10 leave the service the qucs
ton now was what TO do with the officers. They have
claims on the sympathy and justice of the Government
and therefore should not be turned of IN summary
way.
Mr. COSKiING could not agree with the gentleman
that the O1icers,of the corps body fen within the
scope Of the sympathy expressed by him. Many OF their
officers ore quite as able TO maintain themselves and
families tbeseeither in or outside Of the military
seryice-nO doubt large per ccnarelOf them. When
tle question whether the officers should be
tered out or retained in the service he should vote for
the former.
Mr.. ScHEyCK repeated that be had not made up his
mir dusie he he tn1V mr.