Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1866-02-05

NJ ISTEEiEAL Ii!L IMPROVEMENTS, PETITIONS, &C.
Mr. Sbaldlng INTRODUCED bill, which was referred
| TO the Committee on Commerce, providing for the
repair and Improvement Of the harbors OF Cleveland
| and talrport on Lake Erie.
| -hf. Hoger' OF New Jersey. presented petition
from soldiers of Paterson, \. j. for tho passage OF
law nI congress giving soldiers who enlisted or vol
| slTen to such as volunteered after that time
| Ihe bill reported by Mr. Stevens from the Commit
~ ~ On APPROPRIATIONS, making appropriations for
me leslsalve. executive and judicial departments,
| Of the Government for the year ending June Both
1861 was made the special order for Monday
| - PENSIONS TO DISABLED SAILORS
-. The House passed bill providing that persons in
the naval service of the United States who have lost
one foot and one hand in the line of their duty shall
be allowed the same pension as is allowed by law TO
persons IN the military service who have suffered
ton $. of the pension law Of July 1851 shall AMY
to persons in tho naval service The word military
IN the former law was construed not to include per
sons IN the naval service. The design of this bill is to
| eQuallze the pensi N law
| POWERS OF THE FREEDMEy's BUREAU.
M: Mr.: Wahburne of illinois, in the chair. Pro-
| large the powers OF the Freedmen'S Bureau
Mr.. Marshall, OF Illinois, said it was difficult to
pending Its professed object was to look i
take care of race which has recently been released
from bondage and this involved tbe exnen5itnre 81
untold millions of dollars He denied that the Fed
eral Government can become the common amoner
OF the people. and also denied that Congress could
put their hands into the pockets OF the poor ana in
dustr0us labOrers and take part of their hard earn
| lngS to distribute the money among those who may
|
was eStabllShed tor any such purpose, and further
that there was no authority warrant in the Con-
| stlfution for such an extraordinary measure.
| ms House had become revolutionary tribunal
as iawlesS as that OF the Jacobins in France which
| brought the unfortunate Louis XVI. to the block
ana was animated by similar purposes. For the ex-
preston of generous sentiments the gentleman from
New York (Mr. Raymond. was to be inundated and
dragged down. and such epithets hurled at him as
were never before heard in deliberatve assembly,
| A willing and abject majority were hero to record
the edcts of a dictatorship, which had been estah-
QeD1rtnent q
lie stated at length his objections 10 the bill There
was right or authority for the War Department
establishing system of government apart from that
which should be applicable to the entire people alike
BY what warrant in the Constitution could the Off
GERS OF the Bureau act judges, sustained by the
military power and into the States enter the mar
kets, and buy up land for the purpose of settling
them? He supposed, until they became a self sus-
daaiag institution ms the bill should be called act to
military power and domination.
Mr. Hubbard, of Connecticut, said it was impossi-
bic for bill to be framed which, in the outset would
ne SATISFACTORY to every one was to be expected
that gentlemen on the other side would be opposed
to all legislation the subject and that they would
indulge III very sharp criticism; but he considered
the bill perfect they could now get it. The ACT
would always be under the control of Congress and
subject to amendment or repeal One object was t@
give employment to the emancipated and 10 secure
the advantages of labor to those 4len who were now
wandering over the country homeless and friendiess
and another was to give them the opportunity of
learning to read and to protect themselves in rea-
Sonabe way in their civil rights.
when the country needs their labor. 1t was not heir
crime or fsu that they poor, for they have for
centuries been robbed Of their earnings In reply to
Mr.. Marshall, he said there was authority in the Con
stutlon for the passage OF this bill for Congress was
given power to pass all proper laws to carry out the
lie welfare.
Mr.. Moulton, Illinois, understood that the object
OF the 9'll was to protect four millions of men, whose
rights have been denied in the Southern States and
Who are dependent to some extent upon the aid Of
TINS government Ills colleague Mr. MarshaiD had
argued against this bill a violation Of the Consti
tution but the House had continually heard such
expressions Tor the last four from that side.
They were united whenever any measures were to |
be passed here for the benefit of the country and the
defence OF our rights. If gsntlemen or the other
side are simply desrous of keeping the negroes from
the tree States they ought to join the majority in this
ed men are fully and completely protected in their
rights, they Will never visit the North and every
Northern state would be d3i leted of them. They |
should be protected tfOn the damnaple violence OF
the traitors IN the Southern ttates.
NJ Kelley. of Pennsylvania, said that distin- |
anu SHOWN him newspaper containing {uUq qa2 99iQ2-
lngs OF q court sentencing BLACK men and women !
death for larceny Imprisonment for niuety nine |
years for the offence. The editor of the paper usti-
hed the verdict saying that the plantation not the
city, was the proper place for negroes.
Mr. Rousseau asked the name of the distinguished |
Mr.. Kelley replied, General Spencer, who, as
colonel raised the irs regiment of loyal AabaIniars
Mr. Rousseau said this was the first tine he had |
heard OF ten. Spencer
Mr. Kelley replied that was quito possible and vet |
Gen. Spencer might be distinguished general for ali
part CT Kentucky.
Mr. Rousseau said he in North Alabama aud |
Middle Tennessee for two years, and he would not !
say the Senator not there. but denied that Spen-
Ger was distinguished general or anything else |
-. Mr.. Kelley remarked he would take the word OF |
iecun1seh sherman as against that OF the gentleman
from kentucky lie knew that Spencer serv ed with |
General sherman, and thought he on his STAFF |
He repeated, they hung black men and women in |
Alabama, Or iEhbrlS0nad item ninety years for
larceny but no such punishment was metCd to white
rebels who steal black mems horses.
MI Moulton eSumed his remarks in favor of the |
ball No republican government can or ought to ex-
Isl Whle tour millions OF people are deprived Of their
Mr. Ritter (Ky: said the bill proposed to establish
a government within a government 1t was NOT for |
the benefit of ALL but for only part of the people 1t
not fJr the whites but for the blacks. The anor-
NOUS amount 81 money required was TO be paid by |
white people. Why continue this extensive eStab- |
lishment to force hard worked, honest people, |
from twelve millions to perhaps hundred or two |
hundred and ty millions Of dollars and all this for
the reason that slavery has been abolished,
He asked why the unlimited power contained in
this hall should be extended to every State unless it
was to increase political power? This machine opened
vast field for the retention OF military in time
of peace and it made absolutely necessary to re-
tain large army, Ii for no other purpose than spY
to protect the agents aad employees connected with
the Bureau. According TO a statement of General |
Howard, seven hundred and nine-nine officers were
connected with II.
If this number was considered necessary when the |
operations ol me Bureau were confined to the South,
how much greater would it be when its machinery
was extended to all the etates? Whether it waE the
design of the bill or not the effect womb be maHse
colonies or negroes who would ultimately drive out |
the white people from five of the States and fill their
places with the black race No more eEfectual meas
ure could be introduced for that purpose. 1t could
not be expected that the two races could thus live |
together contenty, and the whites would be compelled
TO seek other homes.
Mr. Kelley, in explanation of what he had said at
previous stage OF the proceedings read an extract
from the Tuscaloosa Observer, of December last, |
showing that number OF freedmen and freedwomen
were convicted and sent to the pententary for vari
Gus terms Tor larceny, while man who stole horse
was sentenced to be hanged. The editor adding: |
Unless the negroes reformed there would be neces-
slty penltentaryin every county that the negro
ought to be kept from c0ngregating in towns the |
true place for him being the plantation Separated
from the plantation they cannot obtain subsistence
and hence it became necessary for them to steal To
satisfy the wants of nature
Mr.. Rousseau, of Kentucky, said he did not Justify
any wrongs but rose to discuss the bill under con-
sideraton. lie was opposed to IT net from personal
spirit, but because this oppressive measure should
be passed. it would lead the injury of those which
it was Claimed to protect. He not a Republican
but had acted with the Union party and he was sorry
to say the Union and the Republican parties were not
always the same. During the last years he had
voted with the Republican party to suppress the re-
heiliOn, and had given it hearty and honest sup
port Inc OBJECT OF the war was at the outset de-
clared to be to suppress the rebellion defend the
Constitution ana TO restore the States to the dignity
and rights which they enjoyed before the contest be-
lie believed that the Republican party would save |
the nlon because they expressed the Will of the F!
people. There were now no armed rehels 70 make |
war; and should they, with such standing armies as
they could always ootain talk about war with un-
armed men and women of the South? This was an
absolute disgrace not only in his Judgment but in |
that OF those who would suffer by it. Such extraor-
binary powers had never before been conferred |
Take care, he said OF the negro and 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
to the Southern States The whole thing with
out warrant, and wiped away the Constitution and
laws of Kentucky.
tie showed what difficulties would arise from the
operations OF this bill producing conflicts between
whites and blacks and then remarked that there was
Ereedmen's Bureau in Alabama, but it could not
prevent the hanging to which the gentleman from
Pennsyva MIR. Kelley referred So far as he un-
derst0od the Freedmens Bureau in Kentucky it by
its ndiscretion harassed loyal men, Let US do right
ourselves INST, before We demand il from others
There was no reason whatever for the illegal and un
constitutional legislation proposed after all the sac
rifces OF U mon men to put down the war
They had been told by Messss Stevens and Shella-
baTger, and other extreme men, that the Southern
States are out of the Union. and that the Consttu-
tion must be amended to keep the Republican party
| in power. With him, Northern and southern seces-
sionists are the same He held the position from
which he would not ne driven that every citizen in
the United States holds paramount allegiance TO the
General Government and that such allegiance when
gyen entitled the parties to all the protection which
| could be afforded.
| The war was ne repeated, for the Union and this
purpose was declared by Congress directly after the
battle Of Bull Kun. But now they were eraveiy told
that the Southern States were out of the Union He
referred to he refusal of the House to admit the
members elect from Arkansas even to the privileges
of the floor and to the members from Tennessee be-
! inc denled admission their