The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1865-01-24
ADDITIONAL FROM 7HEN0RTM

We have received New York dates Of
the evening of the 10Th. Gold was quoted
at 212 38.
THE ILLEGAL ARRESTS BY LINCOLN.
In the Yankee House Of Representa-
tives, Mr.. Ganson, Of New York, offered
a resolution calling for disappointment
of a special committee to investigate the
cases of persons now illegally held in
prison by Lincoln. Winter Davis, Of
Maryland, supported the resolution and
denounced the conduct Of the Admins
tration.
Mr.. Cox, of Ohio, said he. with the
gentleman from Maryland, would enlarge
the scope of the resolution. He would
like to know whether the requirements
of the law were regarded, and whether
lists of prisoners had been furnished to
the courts, or whether the law is dead
letter, or even the legal department had
endeavored to set aside the law for their
own purposes. lie had cases in his own
cye-not only that of Vallandigham, to
which the gentleman from Maryland had
alluded, but others-whcrc the Secretary
of the Treasury, under some peculiar
higher law unknown to the statute, had
caused to be arrested men suspected of
counterfeiting grcenbacks, or shinplas-
tiers, and held them in the Old Capitol
Prison, month after month, on the sole
order of the Solicitor of the Treasury,
without giving them the right of trial.
Is there no remedy for the notification
of our laws, or shall We not have an in
quiry into abuses?
Mr. Coffroth, Of Pennsylvania, said
that in his district a brave officer, who
had been wounded and had limb am
putated, has been for long time in pri-
son without knowing what charges have
been preferred against him.
Mr.. Cox said he had not submitted his
remarks with any partisan designs
The law authorizing the suspension Of
the habeas corpus was passed by the
other side of the House. They sus
pended the writ, but with such qualih-
cations as to guard against irresponsible
arrests. lie appealed to the gentlemen
on the other side to sustain their own
law, and not let it become dead letter.
1t was their duty to find out by whom
the law had been broken.
Mr.. Ganson said he had been credibly
informed of several cases, in addition to
those already mentioned, where civilians
as well as officers had been illegally kept
in prison. He felt it to be his duty to
offer the resolution, especially when some
of these persons arc kept in prison al
most within speaking distance Of the Ca
pitol. The House should have all the
facts to determine the necessity for fur
Their legislation. He did not. undertake
to cIi.icis,c tho nets Of any Official, his
desire being simply to discover whether
such abuses exist, and, if so, to rcctify
them.
Mr.. Stevens said that the gentleman
had assumed as fact that the persons
so confined had been illegally arrested
and held for long time contrary to law.
If the Department deserved censure, he
was willing to censure it. There might
be some things in the cases not for the
courts to pass on. The resolution, as it
now reads, was direct censure, though
not so intended. Hence he lad sug-
yestcd reconsideration, with view to
amendment Of the resolution.
Mr. Kasson, of Iowa, added his tcsti.
mony to the propriety of the investiga-
ton proposed. The time had arrived
when it was due to the people of this
country that Congress should inquire
INTO the extent of the power exercised
BY the Secretary of War, and especially |
when, as he knew, an order of the Pre-
sident to the Secretary of War for GER !
tain thing was met with the reply, 81
'han't do it," and when an explanation
vas asked for, he was met with the reply.
: don't propose to argue the question
am responsible to the President. and
% him alone" When representatives of
he people are met in this way, it const:-
uted no objection to him that the reso.
ution might be construed to embody a
:ensure on the Department. lie urged
he adoption of the resolution for the
eason that by general order no infor-
nation could be obtained from the War
Department., excepting from the Secrc-
ary himself, or by his order. If some
'oor woman has had son killed and
lesires information concerning him, it
ould not be obtained save in the way
ust mentioned. The Committee should
INQUIRE how far the arbitrary habit OK.
ends. He would be the first to vote for
he exculpation of the Secretary if found
nnocent. The army may tremble under
lis power as absolute Dictator, but Con-
reSA has a rioht RI invoct;roto ,,L. A.