Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1865-12-22
PROCEEDINGS OF CoNGRESs-ALL ABOUT
THE NEGRO.
WASHINGTON, December 20.
sen ATE.

WASHINGTON, December 20.
SENATE.
Mr.. WADE presented a memorial from the Society
of Friends. adopted at meeting recently held IN Bal
timOre asking some legislation on the part Of Con-
! grcss To remedy the evils OF the freedmen IN The
| south. Referred to the committee ON freedmen.
The House bill TO pay S25 OOO 10 Mrs. Mary Lin
coin was taken up. and amended by inserting the
words for the current year" The bill was then
/ passed.
/ Mr. Sumner presented petition from DIR. Cheever
and Others, asking that no State lately IN rebellion
may be allowed representation, except upon gen
crll bass without distinction OF color and ask
ing an amendment TO the Constitution to secure the
freedmen the right Of suffrage. Referred to tie Sc
| ect committee Of hfcen
Mn. MORRILL,. from the committee on the District
of Columbia reported back the bill to regulate the
elective franchise in the District of Columbia with
| an amendment.
| The amendment imposes a fine of 50 600, or one
wears imprisonment, for the rejection of any vote
on account of color and provides that no person
shall bc allowed the right OF suffrage unless able TO
| read and write.
Mr.. Sumner asked the gentleman when he proposed
! to consider the bill.
Mr. Moull-At an early day, but not before the
temporary adjournment
Mr. SUMNER am glad to hear the gentleman say
| So as it is a bill of the utmost Importance, and the
country look for promptitudc in the matter
! Mr. Davis call the gentleman Ia order as there
!
Mr. Wilson moved TO take up Senate bill to main
tain the freedom OF the States lately in rebellion.
/ Mr.. Sumner said that when lie thought upon what
transpired in this hall yesterday lie could say no.
! thing upon anything else. lie remembered many
! wears ago when Il small number of people were sur
rendered to the marshals OF slavery and the action
''whitewashed' by the then President of the United
| States Now similar embarrassing" message is
received concerning the States recently in rebellion
lie alluded to the proclamation OF the Emperor OF
! Russia, upon the occasion OF the adjustment of
slavery in his dOmniOns, and the eniranchisement
of the entire seri population i'll that Empire, and
cOntrasted them TO the slaves of this country of
! few years ago. He also alluded to the West indies,
and went to explain the objects of the BILL how
it intended to benefit the freedmen and to
| him the rights of citizenship, and place him upon an
equality with other citizens, politically and other
wise He advocated the bill at some length, and
| hoped it would be acted upon Immediately.
lie dwclt upon the condition OF the States recently
IN rebellion, and read letters from friends of his in
the South informing him that Wade Hampton and
II. I. Lee the most popular men in the country
to the southern people but that they prefer Andrew
Johnson for President to General Lee that the feel
ing the part Of the former masters OF the freedmen
is vindctve to the cOlored people of all that
section and predicting that in five years they would
! either he in power fighting again. That the
at.cmptt on the part of the rebel communities to
break down all truly loyal men are even more rabd
| than when the war progressing; that prOteSta-
tons OF loyalty may be heard upon every side, but
when once they attain representation in Congress
and the power they will pour out the walls of their
wrath upon the heads Of their opponents that IS not
safe for one to speak his sentiments there and that
| there is more hatred towards the Union men, both
white and black, than there was year ago; that
| the crueltes practced upon the freedmen of
| every conceivable shape and horrible to cOntem-
plate mentioning instances of whipping, and brand
| ing by magistrates and numbering by outlaws of
the unprotected freedmen of the South, and stating
| that there is utter contempt expressed for the
laws of the government and perfect disregard of all
all authority throughout all the southern States;
predicting that unless these crueties cease, they will
gOad the freedmen TO that point when patience
ceases to be a virtue" and an nsurrection will
consequently follow,
Mr.. salisbury said he would not be guilty of the
indisereon of entering into discussion at this time,
but he felt constrained to say that it evidently
fact from the speeches that had been made, both in
the House and in this chamber, that there de-
cdcd antagOnism between Mr.. johnson, President
of the United States and the party that elected him.
He therefore moved the reference OF the bill to the
Judiciary Committee.
Mr.. Cowan said he was not disposed to allow Mr..
Summers speech to be promulgated TO the country
without reply, stating that the gentleman had read
several Anonymous letters from friends in the South,
probably cotton agents cotton steaers, who ciI-
cuiatcd in a limited section, and communicates that
the people set of hypocrites. He was in favor
of reconciliation, not subsection. lie then dwelt
upon the assertion of "whitcwashing," saying that
he did not know what tile gentleman meant by the
word. but, lie understood it, it meant that the
President in official message to the Senate OF the
United States lied that is the plain English OF it,
lie read extracts from the Presidents message re-
Gutng the assertions Of Mr.. Sumner, that the South
ern States were i'll u state Of disorder and turmoil,
regardless of law and government. He enquired II
they were to accept laws from those who hated tho
name and sight of the Southern people, and who had
made this personal war; or from those who had
conducted the conflict in spirit Of leniency, with
view to reconstruction
UOIrSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Mr.. Stevens introduced bill to double the PEN
sons TO the relatives of those who were killed in the
late war and to reimburse loyal States for property
DESTROYED by rebels and TO enforce the conliscation-
laws Referred to the committee oil the whole on
the state of the Union.
Mr. Lawrence, of Ohio, introduced resolutions set
ting forth, with the preamble, that public justice and
national security demanded that 30 soon as it may
be practicable Jefferson Davis representative man
of The late rebellion, should have proper trial be-
fore some or any tribunal in the country, of the
crime of treason. The resolutions also provide Tor
the punishment of all persons engaged as priso :
keepers in the South, and those who participated in
the assassination OF the late President by their in
nuenrc, including all men of prominency through
out the South who engaged in the rebellion. The
resolutions laid upon the table and ordered to
De printed.
Mr.. Stevens ari.c to present The Credentials of
Judge Wammorth, from the Territory of LouisiahT;-
pup0rting to be elected a member of this body by
vote of - 900 ncgroeSl move its reference to the
Committee Reconstruction. Agreed to.
Mr.. Stevens introduced resolution which was
adopted, calling upon Maior-General Howard,
Superintendent of the Frccdmcns Bureau, to inform
this House whether any real estate seized under the
the Frcdmcn'S Bureau has been restored to its OWN
neTS: and. if by whose authority.