Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-02-28
VOL. XX---NO. 4S.
introduced BY him, which was unanimously

from Provost Marshal at Natehez, allee
ing that enormous frauds were committe
Dy Department Commanders in the South.
Mr. CONNESS, of California, interrupte,
the reading of the communication, to obiec
to it as a censure upon officers Of the gov
ernment, the reading Of VIII ia, as a part o
the proceedings of the Senate, might b.
taken as an endorsement of the statement
vote was taken and the Senate decided t,
listen to the reading.
Mr.. G0NNESS objected to an irresponsi
BILE party like the author Of the letter bein
permitted 10 come here and make stunt
speech against the Opposers of the Govern
ment. He moved that the letters and Mr.
Davis resolution be referred to the Commit
tee on Military Affairs. .--
The morning hour having expired the
concurrentresOlution that no Senator or Rep
resentative be received in either House
| from any of the late-rebellious States un I'll
such State shall have been declared enti-
tied to representation, was taken up.
Mr.. DIXON took the floor, commencing
his speech with an allusion to the argu1
ments of Fessenden, Trumbull and Sber-
man. He did not think it much for Mr.. Fes-
senden to say as he did in his last speeeh
that he thought the President would not be
untrue to his country. That was not much
/ to be said of a man with such a
record Of devotion to his country, but there
were circumstances to be taken into con-
sideration. When this was said the Presi-
| dent was being denounced in the other
House. In the Senate Mr.. Wade had spoken
in very severe terms concerning him. He
believed the only means Of saving the
country was by the policy adopted by the
President, and believing this he was will
| ing to overlook differences Of detail, which
| ~ - I 4 ~.
As to the carrying out this policy he did
not believe there was any principle in
volved in the Freedmen's Bureau Bill, and
voting for it in the first place he did not
commit himself in any way except as a
friend of the freedmen, which he still was
The policy which the President was pur-
suing was the policy which he (Mr. Dixon)
had advocated since the commencement of
the war He voted for the freedmen's bill
though he thought it Objectionable in MANY
respects. He was not of those who believed
that because a man was conservative he
ought therefore 10 hate ths negro. He was
willing to vote money as freely for the
black men as for the white and so were the
constituents he represented. He would
never ask whether a suffering man was
white or black. It was enough for him to
know that there was suffering, and that
they were human beings who suffered.
As for himself he did not believe
the President would have vetoed the bill
on account Of the objections contained in
the last part of the message, but that he
had been prompted to do 80 by fifteen other
objections to the bill itself, which were ably
set forth in the message.
Mr.. FESSEFDEN, interrupting, said that
the clear inference from the language Of the
veto message was that the Senate had
Il l.. L. Il. 4 4 !
Senators but examine their credentials; that
it had nothing to do with the condition of
the rebel States. 4
Mr.. DIXON said that the Senate of the
United States had exclusive jurisdiction
over its own members and their qualifca-
tions. 1t was a matter for each house to
examine for itself
Mr.. TRUMBULL said-Suppose that in
time of peace the Legislators Of Tennessee
is disloyal and swears allegiance 10 Maxi
milan, does the Senator from Conneetieut
deny the authority of Congress to declare
such an act invalid
Mr.. DIXON replied he desired to ask Mr..
Trumbull question. Suppose the Tennes-
see Legislature should elect Maximilian a
Senator, and the Senate should decide to
receive him as such, could Congress inter
fere in the matter; could the House of Rep
resentatives interfere?
Mr.. TRUMBULL said if Mr.. Dixon
means to ask him if the Senate had physical
power to do what he suggested, he (T.) had
no doubt the Senate had the same right to
do so that a jury of twelve men had to bring
a verdict directly against the testimony Of
hundred witnesses and 10 peIjure them
selves.
Mr.. DIXON said that a State had no
more right nor was no more apt to perjure
itself than Congress. He was eontending
for hte right of each house To judge for it
self.
Mr.. KIRKWOOD asked Mr.. Dixon if he |
held that the Senate had more Jurisdiction |
over the question of receiving Senator'S from |
South Carolina than it had in the case Of |
Senators from Iowal
Mr.. DIXON said the question upon re-
eeiving the Senators from South Carolina |
was one to be determined by the Senate |
When her Senators came here there was
no doubt Of the power of the Senate over
the matter. He Dixon did not believe |
any act of re-admissiOn was necessary. |
After some further remasks, Mr.. Dixon |
said in conclusion: What is the difference |
of opinion existing between the President |
of the United States and those who are op- |
posed to his reconstruction policy in the |
two houses of Congress? I certainly dis |
claim, of course, any right 10 state what are |
his opinions, except as they are given to US
in authentic public documents. From |
these obtain his views That these are |
Intentionally or otherwise, |
should not perhaps surprise those who con
slider how seldom a candid statement of the |
question ~ 'a-~0 ia r1a@~ hv the advocate of |
conflict Hg doctrines and op MONS. Itwould
seem inI ,.-.-.,.o AZ -, .. the frank and |
explicit utteranees which the President has |
often made Of his opinions, to create in the |
public mind a misrepresentation of his |
views. Yet this to a certain extent has |
been done. He is supposed by many TO urge |
the admission of dislOyal men for the rebel |
States to the two Houses of Congress. He |
is charged with a purpose of bringing into |
their former places in this body, the bloody |
handed rebels. He is said to wish 10 throw |
open the doors of Congress and fill these |
seats with TRAITORS fresh from the battle |
fields of the rebellion. What is his true |
position2 ! might refer to the published |
statement of bis views in his remarks to |
delegation of Virginians, in which he ex-
plicitly declared as his opinion, that only |
loyal men should be appointed to Office. But |
prefer to take his latest authentic decla-
rations. I shall read from his veto mes
sage. find in that document the following: 4
81 hold it my duty to recommend to you,
in the interests Of peace and the interests of
the Union, the admission of every State to
its share in public legislation, when, how
ever insubordinate insurgent or rebellieus
its people have been, it presents itself in an
attitude of loyalty and harmony, but in the
persons of representatives whose loyalty
cannot be questioned under any existsng
legislation Such is the Ian
yuage Of the President in his veto message.
Can it be misunperstood2 Can it be mis-
What are constitutional and
legal test oaths but an oath prescribed by
The constitution, and a still stronger test
path prescribed by law. Having stated
what he recommends, the President states
what he is opposed to do as follows:
at is plain that an indefinite or perms-
1ent exclusion of any part of the country
rom representation must be attended by a
ipirit Of disquiet and complaint. IL is un-
wise and dangerous to pursue course OF
measures which will unite a very large sec
ion fthe country against another section.
However much the latter may prepsn-
lerate the course of the emigration,
he development of industry, and
business and national causes will raise up
men at the South as devoted TO the Union
IS those of any other part of the country.
But if they are excluded from Congress, if
n a permanent statute they are declared
lot to be in full constitutional relation 10
he country, they may think they have
ause to become united in feeling and senti-
nent against thesGovernment." This is
What the President is opposed 10. We
laye,- therefore, what he recommends and
What he disspproves. He recommends the
Omission Of men TO Congress who can take
he required oaths, provided they come
rem States which present themselves in an