Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1866-05-22
ALEXANDRIA.
TUESDAY EVENING, MAY %, 1866,
PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS. In the Senate,

he Committee on the Judiciary to enquire in
c the expectancy of providing by law for the
inform election Of Senators by the States
The report Of the Reconstruction Committee,
7hlch Uas TO have been called up, was deferred
:sltiss " ednesday next-to- morrow The House
i'll to reri7e the grade of General in the army
e the United States, was reported with an
amendment. A bill requiring agents Of post
oG;ces to give bond, in certain cases, was intro
:suced. 4 bill to incorporate the American
Cotton Company Of the District Of Columbia
::-as introduced and referred to the Committee
o. The District The design Of the latter is to
cbtail authority to purchase, lease, or improve
property in the United States The amount Of
capital is left underlined. The Presidents veto
f the Colorado bill was called up, and it was
greed to make it the special order for nextTues-
:ay. 4 controversy then arose in regard to
whether the Fertilization bill or the bill tofund
+he public debt should be taken up. Mr..
Sherman urged the consideration of the latter,
out Mr. Fessenden refused to permit it, so the
3ortifcation bill was taken up and passed, and
;ne bill for funding the public debt was made
Inc special order for to-day. 4 number OF bills
relating to the District of Columbia were then
privileges to the Washington, Georgetown and
.lexandria Railroad Company was taken up
and discussed at some length, after which its
.'urther consideration was postponed. The
:.ousc resolution to appoint joint committee
C investigate the affairs OF the Ercedmen's
Bureau was laid on the table The Senate then
;Gjourned.
IN the House Of Representatives. resolution
,!ss passed requesting thePresident to communi-
2fIe to tho House all information in his posses
SION ia relation to the collection Of taxes in the
Coutlern States. The Commissioner ofFreed-
.2en's Affairs was directed to communicate to
he House the reports of Generals Stccdman
::l.t; Fullerton in relation to the operations of
.lhe Treedmen's Bureau, and such other reports
Sc re may have which have not been published.
he Committee on Banks and Currency was
.rstructcd TO inquire into the ezredlency OF ex
oi1 Dting State bank potes from the tax Of ten
yer cent. from July Isl, 1866, to July, 1867.
Tie Committee on Reconstruction was instruc-
-ed to inquire into the propriety Of icvylng con-
.r:butions on the seeding States, to defray the
va TAX that would otherwise be imposed on
re Federal Government. \ resolution was
.>assed declaring that the House will sustain
On the leading ConfederateS. 4 concurrent
'ecolutio1 was agreed to appoint two Senators
tnG three members Of the House to investigate
:a:o the working of the Freedmcn's Bureau in
ne Southern States, and to report to Congress
thereon. Ihc Committee 90 Banks and Cur
>ency was instructed to inquire into the pro
oriety OF repeating SO much OF the National
Baking act, as requires the redemption Of Cir
;uiatiug notes ofState banks abroad The Tax
,cili was taken up, but no amendment of any
Importance 5as acted on. Night SESSIONS Of
he House we're ordered on and after tomorrow
hight The House then adjourned.
Til freedmen S BUREAU-CnCuLAR To
--,55 ooFFIcERs-The following circular has just
!eon :,romulgate by the Commissioner of
E;eadmen's Affairs:
Tl.R DEPARTMENT, BUREAU OF
REFUGEES, FREEDMEN, AND
ABANDONED LANDS
WASHINGTON, May q, 1866.
n order 10 answer the numerous inquiries
ron officers, agents, and others, and, If posi-
,le. prevent misunderstanding with regard to
Tie change Of organization III this bureau: this
circular is issued.
/. The Commissioner recommended, some
Inc since, that the functions Of military com
lander Of a State and assistant commissioner
2e exercised by the some officer, Wherever
practicable this is bciog effected, as in: Nrginia
;li Mississippi 1t is not done in condemna
ion of the assistant commissioners, who have
,coored hard and successfully, but to secure
,loIe prompt and effective administration than
?al otherwise be done
=. The Commissioner calls the attention Of
Il officers officially to the reports IN circulation
&c 10 acts OF severity and cruelty toward the
freedmen OIL their own part, as to caGeiessness
= rendering their monthly accounts and other
CIences. livery officer or agent already accus-
e snail have the opportunity OF . thorough
Indication before q court-martlal. But the oc
3aSion Tor 5rch trials are to be deprecated and,
.ley must be iorestalled By u thorough system
c: Inspection and u prompt removal Of every
I, 2l&;thful officer.
IL. Special attention is again called to the
:iificplc dizzy Of caring for the INDECENT. Where
Intense Anxiety prevails to get rid of the bu-
eat. surely State and county officers will make
aone arrangement to relieve the General Gov
eminent o. lhis neaCy expense. If the county |
o:lcess o. oyerseer of the poor will adopt the |
lGoperlleasures, the industrial and Goyeramcnt
arn!s "hlcr ere now so much complained of
&C.: be dispensed with.
N oiGai re meet al emergency when the
mole system OF labor vas deranged, the Com |
missioner urged the forming Of joint companies
he encouragement Of the immigration of those |
,ccCstomed % free labor, so as to afford |
aae: as many as possible, examples of !!
5ae Successful employment Of negroes under +
zee system. Apparently in keeping with these |
egrIsI'ons, lev, officers have invested their !
I'll means, jointly with citizens. in the nyant-
Is interest. know of no law or regulation
, the army or Of this bureau against this vet |
will almost inevitably lead to corruption, as it
las already to bitter accusation. Hereafter
sccI investments within their own jurisdiction
~ officers on duty in this bureau are strictly
)AohibiteG. e. Q. Howard,
Major General, Commissioner.
General Joseph K. Johnston was, On the 18th |
.est, elected President Of the Alabama and
o22Eessee River Railroad. There was no op-
;ostion to his election; and the Directors we're