Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-04-20
BY TELEGRAPH.
THE DISPATCHES OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
FROM WASHINGTON.

WASHINGTON, April 19.-Col. Wynkoop, Special
Indian Agent. stationed at Fort Laramie. Kansas,
REPORTS TO the Commissioner of the Indian Bureau
| that mail travelling across the plains without an
escort is now attended with danger, the Indians
along the various routes being peaceably dis
posed. The agent states that, in his opinion. il
the Government viii only fulfill its pledges, the
Indians hitherto hostile viii continue to comply
with the provisions Of the recent treaties.
The House judiciary Committee yesterday had
under consideration the question recently submit
ted to them. Of inquiring into the expediency Of
repeating the test oath. The President, few
days ago. sent a special message to Congress upon
the subject transmitting letters from the Secretary
of the Treasury and the Postmaster General.
strongly urging some legislation upon the subject,
and giving the reasons therefor. The committee,
after short discussion, directed the chairman to
report against any modification Of the oath what
ever The chairman will present an elaborate
report upon it, going into the whole question, and
attempt to vindicate the action Of committee by
quotations from the Presidents record. Mr..
Rogers will present minority report in favor OF
its repeal, desired by the Secretary Of the Urea
sury and the Postmaster General
Walter b. Scales, formerly appointed Adjutant
General to Gen John A. McCiernand, has been
appointed Collector of the port of Chicago, in the
place Of Luther Haven, deceased.
Acting upon information supposed to be suth-
cient. the Treasury Department few weeks since,
seized as Confederate property the iron steamer
and blockade runner Coqueae then lying at Bal
timore. The vessel is alleged to have been built
in Scotland, under a contract with Mallory, for
the Confederate States Navy, but is now claimed
as private property. The Department has finally
decided to hold the vessel as confscated property,
and to proceed against her according to law. She
is valued at Sl5O0OO.
The celebration of the emancipation of slaves
in the District of Columbia, took place to-day.
Two regiments of colored troops, and various col
| ored civil associations, with many other colOred
citizens assembled in front Of the Executive man
sion, making a dense mass of colored faces, re-
lievcd here and there by a few white ones.
After the firing of cannon and the playing Of
several martial airs, three cheers were given for
the President of the United States. who, having
been escorted to prominent position by the U.
5. Marshal and his private Secretary, Col. VIM. G.
Moore, addressed the assemblage as follows
My CoLoRED FRIENDS 1 have nothing new to
say to you on this occasion, but to thank you for
this compliment you have paid me on this your
day of celebration. L come forward for the pur-
pose of indicating my appreciation and manifest
ing my appreciation of the respect thus offered
and conferred. thauk you for the compliment
and mean what l say. l will remark in this
connection that the time will come, and that, too.
before great while, when the colOred population
ofthe United States will find out who elected
them as a hobby and pretense by which they
can be successful in obtaining and retaining pow
er, and who have been their true friends and
wanted them TO participate in and enjoy the
blessings of freedom.
The time will come when it will be made known
who contributed as much as any other man, and
who, without being considered egotistical, ] may
say, contributed more in procuring the great
national guarantee of the abolition of slavery in
all the States by the ratification of the amend
ment to the Constitution of the United States,
giving national guarantee that slavery shall no
longer be permitted to exist or be re-established
in a State or jurisdiction ofthe United States l
know how it is to cater to prejudice, and how
easy it is to excite feelings of prejudice and I'M
| kindness. l care not for that. l have been en-
gagged in this work in which my all has been
| staked.
was not engaged in it as hobby, nor did
ride the colored man for the sake of gaining pow
er. What did was for the purpose of establish
ing the great principle of freedom, and thank
| God feel and know it to be so, that my efforts
have contributed as much, if not more, in accom-
plishing this great national guarantee than those
ofany other living man in the United States. En-
| thusiastic applause.