Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1866-02-16
DEBATE IN THE SENATE on tn
FREEDErEN's BUREAU IN KY.
Remarks by Senators Guthrie and
sherman.

FREEDmEN'S BUREAU IN KY.
RemarAs by Senators Gushri and
sherman.
In the Senate ON Thursday, Senator
Lane Of Indiana, mado q speech on the
Apportionment Of Representation, and
Mr.. Trumbull Of Illinois made some re-
marks about the Freedmen's Bureau.
He was followed by Senator Guthrie Of
Kentucky, who resented an i|mputation
east by Senator Lane upon the loyalty q
his State.
Mr.. Guthrie'sR emarIsS.
] viii say to that Senator, that he does
not know Kentucky that she is not in
the hands Of rebels, and never has been.
A truer and more loyal people TO the
Union Of these States never existed, and
she has testified it throughout this whole
war. That there have been rebels and
disloyal persons in the State of Kentucky,
I do not pretend to deny but what State
in the Union is there that has not con-
tanned some men who were false to their
G0vernment2 The Senator from Indi-
ana, nee a kentuckian, is "A Kentukian
ne longer. He does not know the people
Of Kentucky or their sentiments. /
| stood in Kentucky during this long con-
test, q part Of the time in the very midst
Of the strife, and almost in
the midst of the war, and
I know that Kentuky is loyal to the
core, and since we changed the govern
ment from the existing Governor at the
time the difficulties were breaking out,
we have always had a loyal Governor
and a loyal legislature, and We have at
this day. There are some local differ
araaa1 aNesrnH MON nnn AHHfsaHnnf man NAV
have their friends, and they may defeat
or postpone an election. They did post
p0ne the election when ! was sent here
bat there was no disloyalty that caused
the postponement. There was no dis
loyalty that caused the p-OstpOnement
last year. You cannot trust a better
people, a more loyal people, or a people
who have made more sacrifices for tins
Union, than the people of Kentucky
but, gentlemen, You viii pardon me Tor
saying IL, you treat them as though uley
were rebels, and upon false Information
YOU are led TO believe IL. II Is an I'M
pleasant thing to be told by gentlemen
that we come from a dislOyal state ana
that they are not willing to listen 10 US,
nor give as a fair hearing in the decision
Of questions here. But, sir, we We're
sent here TO help the Government 70 the
best of our ability and Judgment, n no
distrust shall make Us fail in our duty.
LET me saw to YOU, Senators, that you
made n sad mistake when You raised the
Committee Of Fifteen. That was the
foundation of ppstPoning the ackno"l-
edremeut of these southern states
You will have 10 acknowledge Lnese
states and let them I'm, or you viii have
10 do worse. II Is not worth While 10
speculate as TO what will be the cOnse-
L.4r haTrn .wHTf.Nlu IN InFE D
Freedmen'- Bureau Bill and another bill
for governing them for five and twenty
wears as provinces, To be governed ny
military men, and military Judges are
nrovided. from whose decisions there Is
no appeal, with NO provision for a jury,
and the Judgment of the olncef OF the
Fraedmen's Bureau is TO be the sole mea-
sure Of damages. Our experience n
Kentucky is that the Freedmen's Bureau
is a system for plundering the people.
We know an instance where a man de-
clared that it was too much power TO
rive to N one, but he was living upon
the country there and he intended that
mis- books should show a balance. What
is to be done with the fines that are m
posed and collected by this Bureau
This bill does not say. They are TO
90 into the pockets of these officers:
they have gone into the pockets of Ken
lucky: and hence. during this war, we
have been %plundered by Federal officers
who have arrested our people, and COM
PEELED them % pay large fines 10 be re-
leased, and we have been ~plundered by
the rebels when they invaded our Stale.
We have suffered all this, and our pa
triotism and our loyalty have endured
through all these evils. You ave not
treated Kentucky as a member OF tins
Union, and this very bill shows the pref
udices that exist against her. Kentucky
is the only loyal State that is selected by
the bill, as it comes from the House, for
this system Of punishment The gentle
mar from Illinois says that he does not
like Congressional legislation which does
not apply to all the States, but here is a
proposition passed by Congress, which
has no authority to pass anything but
general IaWs, except in the disposition OF
lands in the Territories, confined eN-
Dressjv, if not in terms, 20 n section Of
this Union, which, with the exception Of
Kentucky, il without q representative
here 70 be heard i'm behalf of its people.
tell YOU, gentlemen, that the passage
of this system Of bills is a dissolution of
this Union, and you cannot help it. You
cannot govern them upon this system of
government as conquered states. II
they are conquered, they offer TO come
in. You refuse them yoU are going 70
have guarantees. They fold their arms.
They nave knocked for admission and
you have denied them. Their appeal
now is TO the American people, 10 the
sound sense of the nation, 10 the honest
feelings Of a free people.
/ do not desire TO 90 into a discussion
Of this measure again. l consider il, 50
far as Kentucky is concerned, as a war
rant to plunder our people in the future
as they lave been p|iuuuered in the past.
We have been a patient people, because
we thought that we were making a sac
rifce to the Union. But whentIeU Union
IS not 70 be restored-when there isnuth-
ing Of that feeling to make the people
endure, do you suppose they will endure
forever?
Sir, there were rebels in all the States.
There was i'm the beginning, and will be
again, irvou drive these people To desper-
alton. The Senator from Massachusetts,
If [ understood his language Alright,
threatened us with war or worse if we
did not yield to his suggestions, and the
Senator from Indiana intimated very
strongly the same thing. You have
strength enough TO carry these measures,
if it is the sentiment of the nation; but
we are not a people 10 be alarmed by
words or threats.
I know that the passage Of this Freed
mems Bureau Bill is decreed, and that
the degradation of Kentucky, so far as
she can be degraded by Congressional
legislation. is decreed. ] am prepared 10
counsel peace. to counsel fidelity to the
Union, 10 counsel the people 10 await the
day when a better feeling and a better
sentiment viii prevail throughout the
Union +n..H mill do H[snfrralar rHHEHrEa
Senator saerrnan-s Remarks.
Senators viii bear me witness that,
during this whole debate, / have sat
rather as a spectator than a participant.
I have desired not 10 commit myself too
hastily upon any Of the questions dis
cussed, but to reserve my opinion, and
TO act and vote understandiBglv, without
feeling, or prejudice, or passion. IT was
after full reflection that I voted for the
two bills that have been so harshly
characterized by the Senator from Ken
lucky. I listened with some surprise to
the remarks made by him the other day.
He evinced a degree Of feeling that, /
thought was entirely uncalled for. I
have nothing t0say IN regard TO the pres
ent position Of Kentucky and Indiana,
and the remark made By the Senator
from Indiana: and yet it is true that
Kentucky, al all periods of ia war, has
been full Of rebels; that hundreds and
thousands OF our brave soldiers have
been killed by Kentucky rebels. il
is also true that Kentucky has fur
nished brave Union soldiers and brave
Union men. But Kentucky has
probably furnished more men to the
rebel army than any of the adhering
States. The Senator viii not deny that.
Therefore, in legisiaung for the whole
country we naturally do, sometimes, APP
ply rules 20 Kentucky that We dot apply I
10 OtherStales. He snuuid not complain
of this, because he has been, from the
beginning 90 the end of this war, true
and faithful, loyal and obedieut, 10 the
Government and To the laws. Ia the
early portion of the war hu certainly was
very active and efficient in aiding our
troops and doing all hccould 20 maintain
the Government, and I believe has sus-
tanned that position from the beginning
TO the end. But he VIII remember also
that his feilOw-citizens Of Kentucky gave
Us more trouble than probably the same