Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1866-03-15
xxxIxTH CONGREss-FIRsr SESSION.

SENATE Mr.. Riddle, from the Printing
Committee, reported resolution TO print 10000
copies of the report of the JOINT COMMITTEES on
Reconstruction. with the accompanying testi-
mony, for the use OF the Senate The commit
tee recommended the printing of GOO instead
OF 1O,0O0.
Mr.. Wade hoped the amendment of the COM
miitee would not be adopted. This was an
important document and ought to be circu-
lated.
Mr.. Riddle inquired if Mr. Wade knew the
cost of printing.
Mr.. Wade SAID il would only be the differ
ence between GOO and 10000.
Mr.. Davis.-l would like to know upon what
principle Of justice and impartiality the evil
dence is taken. One gentleman of North Caro-
lima, one of the truest and most honorable in the
land gave me this information, IN relation TO
The State of North Carolina. He informed NE
that the evidence Of some men connected with
the Freedmen's Bureau had been taken. He
addressed lie. ter to a member Of the commit
tee, requesting that witnesses whose names
had been suggested by those who claimed seats
III the Senate and House should be allo wed 10
give their evidence before the Committee When
L last conversed with him he had received no
such privilege as that. If just, and intelli-
gent, and impartial Committee would seek for
the truth, the whole truth, and nothing else
but the truth in relation to this matter, the
inquiry would be subject of deep interest to
the country and the result OF their labors
should be presented TO the country. But il
that committee proceeds upon the principle OF
suppressing eyidence-suppressing the truth
and silencing is at least refusing to hear evil
dence In behalf OF the gentlemen who claim
seats in the two Houses from the eleven ex-
cluded States, tori one am opposed 10 pub
fishing ST the public expense the results OF
their labors, do not believe, atleast have
very little faith in the various letters and iii
formation read to the Senate BY the honorable
Senator from Massachusetts presented TO this
body. / nave NO confidence whate yer, or very
little, in the testimony which the men in the
employment Of the Freedmen's Bureau give
in relation to the state Of public sentiment IN
southern
Mr.. Davis then said that as a sample Of the
kind of evidence furnished by those employed
by the Freedmen's Bureau, he would read
from a speech made few weeks ago by Gen.
Clinton b. Fiske IN Cincinnati, and publi5hed
in the Cincinnati Commercial. He character
lied the statement in it in relation to the treat
ment Of negroes in Kentucky as false and Ca
luminous.
Mr. Wilson said that since the Senator from
Kentucky had risen he had cut ont of paper
speech made by Colonel w. p. Thomson,
now at the head of the Freedmen's Bureau in
Louisville, Kentucky, who was formerly a
member Of the House Of Representatives from
kentucky. Col. Thomson says in his speech,
sit is said there is necessity for the bureau
IN Kentucky. Our Senators in Congress have
asserted that all the rights of the freedmen are
protected by State laws. Now, my position
enables me TO say that neither General Pal
mer's letters nor General Fiske's speech in
Cincinnati has told more than a fraction Of
the truth upon that subject Our State laws
do not protect colored people"
have simply to say In regard to General
Fiske, that he is gentleman of talent and
character, and a Christian man, whose word
will 90 further in this matter than the assertion
of every rebel sympathizer in Kentucky. As
TO General Palmer, the country knows that he
is an eminent citizen Of Illinois. He is a native
of Kentucky; a man of capacity and high char
acter. He knows what is going on in that
State.
Mr. Wilson then referred to the fact that
military tribunals had repeatedly convicted
men OF cruel and inhuman treatment of negroes
in Kentucky, and the evidence taken before
these tribunals could not be- controverted.
After further discussion, the amendment 70
insert 6,0C0 instead of 10000 was disagreed to,
and the original resolution was passed.
HoUsE.-Mr. Smith, OF Kentucky, by unan-
imous consent, made a personal explanation,
in the course of which he caused to be read by
the Clerk an extract from the Pittsburg Ca
zefte. which he claimed reflected on himself
Such attacks, be said, arose from the infamous,
untenable and damnable heresy uttered in this
House that certain States were out OF this
Union.
Mr.. Broomall, Of Pa, called the gentleman
to order. The gentleman had no right to char
acterize the opinions Of this House as "dam.
nable heresy."
The Speaker sustained the point OF order.
Inc House then decided, by a vote Of yeas
S. nays 20, not to allow the gentleman from
Kentucky to proceed.
MIR. Smith, of Ky, then obtained leave to ex-
plain that certain previous remark Of his
was intended personally for Mr.. Stevens, Of
Pa, and not for the House generally.
Mr.. Stevens, Of Pennsylvania, rose and re-
marked, mereiy.that what no gentleman would
utter, no gentleman would answer. [Sensa-
ticn1
Mr.. Stevens, from the Committee on Appro-
prlations, reported the Indian Appropriation
bill, which was referred to the Committee on
Appropriations.
Mr.. Mccullough, of Missouri, introduced a
bill to authorize the construction of a lateral
branch to the Baltimore q Potomac Railroad;
which was referred to the Committee ON the
District of Columbia.
The House then took up the bill intended to
protect u. :. officers from civil suits and pros-
ecutions for acts committed by them during
the rebellion, and providing for the transfer OF
such cases from the State Courts to the United
States Courts.
Mr.. Harding, of KY, opposed the bill, de-
claring that IL was an CT post fdcto law and un-
constitutional.
Mr.. Conkling, Of NY, urged some legisla-
ton to protect the Secretary of War from re-
sponsibiiity for acts committed by him during
the rebellion. or TO indemnify him for the con-
sequences of such responsibility.
The morning hour having expired, the House
resumed the consideration of the loan bill