The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1865-12-21
Report Of Secretary Sweeney.



wAsn'oros, Dcc n
4 few days ago the House of Representatives
ps,,ei = resolution calling for any information In
posss.sIop of the Executive Department 9Th refer
snce TO so-calied decree b Matfnl1an the French
sSent Ia Noilco under da'e Of soptembcr LAST
Establishing slavery peonsse la that Republic
u spp,as from Tho reply to This resolution, that on
The. 10th Of September " ~ Cor~in. Charge
sAfNr. ssnt copy Of this decree TO Secretary
fe-srd, who requested tho opinion Of Attorney
General spr,d upon that paper The latter
hinra that the broad declaration In Tho hnt
Iesuiaiion that all men Of color a.. tree
territory. II is manifest that In tho sub-eGuent
sela onA grinding and oil Gus form Of slavery s
sought TO be esablishei and he conclude FOL ow-:
have no hesitation in saving that these regulations
u constitute a las which deprive. voisins ulcs of
IN ,yery veil otsanized community Should be rogg r
sd 10 ine-tmabe, inalenAbs and lndr-tnotble,
\ and certainly makes them slaves. The history Of
shi' country. and particularly the history OF the
sIOubos from Shich arc just emerging, shoss
remain peace thin is borders aud with the
outside world these great and important nights
sIe denied to any considerable ass OF mon.
ecetary seward wrote 10 Mluiater Bigelow, on
Oh" lrh OF November, saying the DEGREES had re-
Me law officer had submitted an opinion that II they
vsIe earned into execution they would ineVitably
votkingmen OF the African and Of course such
Of the freedmen before mentioned, ~ with or without
IT, Sg urisScton Of Ssaco The secreiSTy ie1ucsted
Nj Dsclow TO place n copy OF Attorney General
fp eds opinion In the hands OF Drouyn dc rlluys-
an tOasE that the attention Of the French bOVern
nent may BE- directed TO the question which the
. Attorney General has discussed With ability, and
with anxious delfe to arrive ~ Just conclusions.
Mr. BigtiOW has already furnished q copy VI the
. opinion to tho French Government II further
appear, from the correspondence that Mr.. Romero,
tis Mexican Minister, furnished q copy Of the
eecree., with Appropriate com ueni,, 70 secretary
Seward, who under date of Dec. 10TH informs that
Il fenuenAn that measures have Teen adopted which
are deemed proper .omeet the siissneits shch they
I have this subject before them.
A communication from the Secretary Of the Troas-
sry in response TO the Senatos resolution Of the l3th
inst states that tho records Of the department do
I not show that any persons have been appointed to
an, ofico authorized ty existing Law, but admits
that PERSONS have been sppointei TO office who have
not sui scrbed to the oath I, rred 10 under the
toms and revenue laws In tho lstely insu gent
exception lie secretary saws he sought Tor persons
Gr such offices who cou take the oa,h literally but
vino gave 10 aid TO the rebellion until the GoNe
| ment OF the nited states had iaIed TO give them
\ protection, TO which they we're enuued lie believes
] ihat yoJ lew persons not belonging 10 one Of
, These tvo clussos ore holding position. under his
Department and that IN most oi the southern states
nearly every man NJ loE q revenue olAeerl sss al
III some time either eL"s.ed IN hOsiilties against Ihe
Goyornuen, OF the uitci states or holding state or
II Confederate oihee, eliher whlihty or ulNlIlhsy
lie acted upon the presumption that tongrosA would
III modify the Oath' hlu NOT SUBJECT tle Soulh 10 tue
y humiliation, or the revenue system to the odiunl,
q which you'd Ietult from the emp Oyment Ot North
! srn men tai gAtAeTeru. lie suggested the absO-
lutte necessity of action upon the subject ~ valuable
L services have been rendered aud no payments have
III yet teen made such service, aud thc safety aud
II sae.eucy ot the revenue stem Ia the south de-
a pends upon such modification.
I The War Department has Just issued an order,
uustering out Of volunteer white and CO. 10 ed
Infantry, cavalry and artillery, In tho various
military departments, their services being no longer
required. The following the white troops mus
d, tered out;
a Connecticut sth and iith Infantry, the s9th
4 Illinois, l3Uth ludisna, % New Hampshire, ilst,
! Jennsylvania, 9Th Vermont, and the let Virginia
sut;
United States ID artillery; Batteries r and j, Of
abe "a light ATtery; Batteries aud ID, Of the lith
United States infantry regimrnts; the III h, l2th,
18th, Ylst Suth, 3JTd seth, 4Ith, 4sth, 55th, Gist
t3 7Otn Isth, gId, lOOth, lJ+.h, l5oth, l5I Ia and
/ 15sth.
On the llth Of December, Major General Thoma.
commanding the military division Of the Tenne'ree
va. ordered TO reduce the aggregate force Of white
" troops in the Departments Of Georgia, Alabama AND
7 Ais.issippi 70 100 men, regulars included.
The Clerk OF the House of Representatives ha
received certificates OF election Of southern mtmben
only from North Carolina, I; Louisians, 4; Missifs
tppi q Tennessee, 7; Virginia, g. Some Of thes,
have beeu referred to the Select Committee and ais
enc certificate from Arkansas.
Ths WE Department hss received iniormatisl