Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-02-05
Saturday Nights RepoEt.
XXXIXthCOngress,
HOUSE.

fnrther that there was no authority or war
rant in the constitution for sueh an extra
ordinary measure. A willing and abjeei
majority were here 70 record sdicts of dicta.
torshiP which has been established over
every department Of the government. He
stated at length his objection to the bill
there was no right or authority for estah-
fishing in States q system Of government
apart from that which should be applicable
to the entire people alike. BY what war
rant in the constitution could an efieer OF
the Bureau act as judge, sustained by mill
tary power, and go into States and enter the
markets and buy up lands for the purpose
Of settling thereon Freedmen, and project
ing and maintaining them until it became
q self-sustsining institution.
Mr.. HUBBARD Of Connectieuta and Moul-
ton, OF Illinois, supported the bill. ar
Mr.. KELLY, OF Pennsylvania, said that a
distinguished General of Alabama had
called upon him and shown him newspaper
containing the proceedings of the Court,
sentencing black men and women to death
for larcefyy or imprisonment for 90 years
for the offsnse. The editor of the paper JUS
titled the verdict saying that the plantation,
not the city was the proper place for ne
grees. ll0aa -I gl7-f : . -ilc1oggC
Mr.. ROUSSEAU, Of Kentucky, asked The
name Of the distinguished General.
Mr.. KELLY replied it was General Spen-
Ger, who, a. Colonel, raised the Ist Regi-
ment of loyal Alsbamians =
| Mr.. ROUSSEAU said this was the first
time he had heard Of General Spencer. 1i
Mr.. KELLY replied that it was quits pos
sible, and yet General Spencer might be Q
distinguished General for all that. The intel
ligence Of the world does not reach the cen
tral part Of Kentucky. : q u III f1a1
Mr.. ROUSSEAU said he was in Alabama
two years, and would not say Spencer was
not there, but denied he was distinguished
General, or anything else. H r5a1l u3s-'
Mr.. KELLY remarked he would take the
word Of Tecumseh Sherman as against that
ofthe gentleman from Kentucky He knew
Spencer served with General Sherman,
and thought he was on his staff. He re-
peated that they hung black men and wo-
men in Alabama, or imprisoned them for 90
years for larceny, but no such punishment
was meted to white rebels who steal black
mems horses '- 20
Mr.. M0ULT0N resumed his remarks in
favor of the bill, and said no Republican
| government can or ought to exist while four
millions of people are deprived Of their
rights. i -p ga-
Mr.. RITTER, Of Kentucky, spoke against
the bill.
Mr.. KELLY, in explanation of what he
had said at previous stage Of the proceed
ings, read an extract from the Tuscaloosa
Observer, Of December last showing that 0
number Of freedmen and women who were
convicted we're sent to the PenitentiAry for
various Terms for larceny, while maA who
stole horse was sentenced to be hanged.
The editor added, unless the negroes reform
there would be necessity for penitsntiary
IN every county henegro ought to be kept
q y eOngregSting in towns the true place
iot them being the plantation. Separated
from the plantation, they cannot obtain sub
sistence, and hence 1t became necessary for
them TO steal to satify the wants of nature.
Mr.. ROUSSEAU said he did not Justify
any wrongs, but rose to discuss the bill IN
der consideration. He was opposed to 1t,
not from Q personal spirit, but because If
this oppressive measure should be passed, it
would tend to the injury Of those il claimed
10 protect. he was not q Republican, but
had acted with the Union party, and he was
sorry to say that the Union and Republican
parties were not always the same during the
last four years. He had voted with the Re-
publican party to suppress the rebellion, and
had given it q hearty and honest support.
The object Of the war was at the outset de-
clared to be TO suppress theTebellion, defend
the Constitution, and to restore all the States
TO their dignity and rights which they en-
joyed previously. He believed that the
Republican party would save the Union be-
cause they expressed the will Of the people.
There were now no armed rebels to make
war, and should they, with such standing
armies as they could always obtain, talk
about war with unsrmed men and women
of the South2 This bill was an absolute
disgrace, not only in his Judgment, but in
that OF those who would suffer by it. Take
care, he said, Of the negroesj he would
stand by those who would do so, but do not
place such power in the hands Of bad men
who would be sent into the South. The
whole thing was without warrant and wash
ed away the constitution and laws of Ken
lucky. He then remarked that there was a
Freedmsn's Bureau in Alabama, but il could
not prevent the hanging which Mr.. Kelly
referred 10. So far as be understood the
Frsedmen's Bureau in Kentucky, it by its
indecisions, harrassed loyal men. Let US
do right ourselves before we demand It from
others. There wat no reason whatever, for
the illegal and unconstitutional legislation
proposed after all the sacrifices Of Union
men to put down war. They had been told
by the gentleman from PennsylVania, Mr.
Stevens, and by tho gentleman from Ohio,
Mr.. Shellabarger, and other extreme men,
that the Southern States are out Of the
Union, and that the constitution must be
amended to keep the Republican party in
power. With him (Rousseau) Northern and
Southern secessionists are the same. He
held position from which he could not be
driven, which is that every citizen Of the
y. s. owes paramount allegiance 70 the
general government, and that such allie
glance when given, entities every such citi-
1en to all the protection which could be af-
forded. The war was, he repeated, for the
Union, and this purpose was declared by
Congress directly after the battle Of Bull
Run, but now they were gravely told that
the Southern States were out of the Union.
He referred to the refusal Of the House to
admit the members elect from Arkansas
even to the privileges Of the floor, and TO the
members from Tennessee being denied
their seats. Theto men were earnest in
their support Of the Union cause, and some
of them rendered efficient service in the
field.
Mr.. DELANo, Of Ohio, made an sxplana-
ton, whicn was called forth by the remark
of Mr.. Rousseau, and said he repudiated as
utterly groundlsss the assertion that States
are dead. They live, and by the blessing
Of God they will live ss long as the United
States shall live as q part and parcel of cur
common country. He was ready to admit
the members from Arkansas and Tennessee
to this floor, and it was due to the country
that this be done speedily. [APplause.l
Mr.. R0SSEA q concluded his remarks, de
Union. Secession was bad at the beginning
of the war; but we are now told by the gem
tleman that it was good thing. The very
ground that jefferson Davis occupied, that
the States could secede, was now occupied
by gentlemen on this floor, but, said Mr..
Rousseau, We will appeal to the people to
some back to the old platform Of the Union,
Constitution and the enforcement Of the
laws. loud applause
Mr.. SPALDING, OF Ohio, introduced q
bill, which was referred to the COMMITTEES
| on Commerce, providing for the repairs and
Improvement Of the harbors Of Cleveland
and Freeport on Lake Erie.
The bill reported by Mr.. STEVENS, from
the Committee on Appropriations, making
appropriations for the legislative, executive
and Jadielal-iebts Of the Government, was
made the special order for the morning ses-
sion. -.
The House Passed bill providing that
persons in the Laval service Of the United
States who have iost foot or hand, in the
line OF duty, sha9 be allowed the same
pensions as is allowed by law to persons in
the military service who have suffered
similar losses; and ais. the provisions of
section FIVE Of the penshn Law Of July 4,
/ 1854, shall apply to persols in the naval
service. The term "militaTJO in the former
J law was construed not to inelsds persons in