Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-03-01
XXXIXth CONGRESS- First Session
WASHINGTON, Feb. 20.
SENATE.

duty, which was referred to the committee on Mill
tary Affairs. Tho annual reoOrt of heCommissioner
| Of Patents was laid before the Senate.
| Mr.. CONNESS presented the memorial of the
| California Legislature, asking for certain amend
ments To- the Pacific railroad bill. which was ordered
Mr.. STEWART presented the memorial Of the
Nevada Legislature against the sale Of the mineral
lands also concurrent resolution OF the Nevada
Legislature, asking for speedy trial Of Jefferson
| Dayis. Both were ordered to be printed.
Mr. CONFESS called up the bill TO grant public
lands TO aid in the construction of railroad from
Humboldt bay to San Francisco bay, in California,
On motion tI Of Ne. BROWN. the Senate took up
the bill to grant public lands TO aid in the
construction Of a railroad to the Pacific through
Missouri and Arkansas by the Southern, route.
Theb bill Incorporates the Atlantic and Pacific rail-
road company, and authorizes it to construct rail-
road from Springfield Mo-, TO the Pacific road by a
southern route, and grants every alternate section
At the conclusion of the reading Of the bill, the
morning hour expired and further consideration or
| it was postpln until Tomorrow.
reported the Naval appropriation b for the ensuing
year, with certain amendments, which was ordered
Mr. JOHNSON presented the credentials of VIM.
+. Perry, Senator elect from South Carolina which
were ordered to lie upon the table. =,
rerentatve from lately seeded State shall be ad-
mtted until Congress shall have declared such State
entitled to representation was taken up.
Mr. NYE, Of Nevada, took he floor. In the pres
ent crisis he said the best mode Of action was firm
adherence to simple principles; We should not At
combatted treason. Duty requires us to act not for
indemnity for the past, but for security for the fu
| ture. We ought no fail to examine what was the
cause OF the conflict that has filled the land with
| WIDOWS and orphans, and vast accumulation OF
debt that will hang for years like an incubus on the
toll and industry of the country; Il is no time to
gloss over or attempt to palliate the motives in
| which the rebellion originated. 1t is neces-
sary that we should lake hcse motives
into strict account, in order fully to
| rebellion. MIR. Nye here went 10 the CLERKS desk
and caused to be read letter from Mr. Garrett, of
| Virginia, TO Mr.. Prescott, Of South Carolina, writ
| ten before the war commenced, in which it said
| that tho spirit of Democracy was inconsistent
with slavery, and that this was the cause of the re-
belion; Mr.. Nye said that this statement was echo
| ed by tho Southern press before the war, and re-
echoed by the enemies of republican government in
Europe by the press and sristocracy Of Great Brit
ain, and by the Emperor Of France. 1t was unfor-
tunate, he said that the country did not understand
| more fully the true nature of the issue. Had it
been understood in the South that the struggle was
between Democracy and Aristocracy, nine-tenths Of
the people Of that section would have been no SYM
pathzers with the rebellion. ~"
| Speaking of the condition of the Southern StateI
Mr.; Nye said it mattered little whether they were
| technically in out Of the Union. 1t was enough
for him to know that the people of these States had
foresworn their allegiance to the Union Government
and sworn allegiance to the opposition Government
| Without going further in spec fcato ons this was
| Of arms dcci ed that these States and
| Territories, and the people, were of and
belonged 70 tho United States. and to be dnalt
with precisely the exigenc of the case demand
| ed That these Sta es had demolished and broken
| down their own State Governments. and superseded
the States fundamental law is technically, theOreti-
cay and practically true for il will not be contend
| ed that State governments can exist within the
| boundaries of the United States. No State Gov
| ernmcnt can exist that does not accord with the
| Constitution and is not subordinate to the supreme
law Of the land, Neither the President nor Congress-
| nor any department of the Government has vet as
sumed that these seeded States could reinstate
| (fOVnrnmnntg init
| They have been told by the President that new
Constitutions must be made. They have been told
the same by Congress- The people of those States
are well aware that the old Fundamental law was
overthrown, that the pretended new Governments
set up in the place of the old have been demolished,
and tnat the condition of citizenship has been i'm
mensely altered. He (Mr. Nye) said he had heard
it asserted that States could not commit treason lie
denied this, and maintained that State could com
by acts Of hostility, subject themselves TO the pen
atty Of death. lie was proud of his citizenship of
New York, but he was a citizen Of that State be-
fore, under the auspices of modern Democracy, the
Northern wing Of the rebel army had appeared there
to burn Asyums, and by raising mObs to insure the
defeat OF the U ion army.
Referring to tho history of San Domingo he said
II might be profitable to contemplate tho history OF
French aristocracy in San Domingo for we might
yet live to see similar policy undertaken in OuI
country. Though the blacks, as ra"e, are natural
ly peaceabe, they are capable Of being goadcd int
exaspsration; The blacks had been promise free.
dom. They had been taught the use OF arms, and
could point to honorable received in the Uni0I
armies. Absolute impartiality was the only SAFE
guide for the nation. If il was claimed that uni
versa suffrage would lead to of the races hC
would advocate universal suffrage as meaus of ma
tiOnal de 'ense. He would oppose the admission O
the Southern Representatives and Senators unit
they came here in the persons of loyal men repre-
sentng loyal constituencies, which they did moi
represent at present. He felt that he expre sed thu
, sentiment OF majority in Congress when he sic
here at the earliest possible day consistent with the
3 welfare Of the whole country. he was no more q
would be more happy than he to sec peace aud pros
pcrity resume their sway in tho lately rebeiou
: States.
| Mr.. JOHNSON. Of Nd, at the close of Mr.. Nye'
remarks moved that further consideration of thu
subject be postponed till tomorrow.
Mr.. FESSENDEN deprecated the slow manner il
which the debates progressed. He asked how many
speeches vet to be made on the other side? HI
, gave notice that tomorrow he would ask the Senate
to sit till it passed the resolution, however late tina
MIR. HENDRICKS, of Ind, said the proposition o
, Mr.. Fe'senden was unfair. Several speeches wert
yet to be made on his Hendrck's) side of the House
Mr., JOHNSON withdrew his motion to postpone
and MIR. Stewart, of Nevada, addressed the Senat,
on the pending concurrent resolution. He did no
believe the resolution very important in itself nov
or any other time but in the present perturbed con
dtiOn OF the public mind it was of vast Importance
considering the breach between the President ant
Congress. This resolution was like riYulet trick
ling down the mOuntain-side- now Of benj
turaed aside with spade but which it was possibl
also to augment into a current of discord, dashin
down into an ocean OF trouble.
| Mr.. STEWART proceeded to discuss the Presi
dents policy, reviewing it at length aud advocating
e it, preuding his remarks with the statement tina
since dilatory resolutions had been agreed upor
speeches might as well be made upon the pendin
resolution as upon any other He denied that eleve
States had been declared in insurrectiOn. Mr. Lin
coins proclamation declared the people to be in in
surrection. not the States. 1t was Mr.. Lircon'
theory that the people might rebel, but the State
could not. In conformity with this theory he wen
so far as to authorize Onetenth of the people of an
rebel State to form loyal State government. Th
tenance Of the laws and the integrity of the Unio
= and the country, He had campagned in that issu
and met Copperheads on it, and did not propose I
| chew his words now. He denied the power Of an,
State TO withdraw from the Union.
D MIR. G MESS asked Mr. Stewart how many 10y
= al men there was in South Carolina when Sumte
t was fire on or how many when Sherman marched t
I Mr. S rEWART said he had not taken the censu
Of South Carolina. He was discussing general prin
G cples. if there was one loyal man in the State h
had right to tho protection of the Government.
At5L0P n Mr.; GUTHRIE moved to adjourn.
on this notion cas- g. nays 15.
A quorum not voting, Mr.. CLARK moved tina
the Sergeant-at Arms request the attendance of alb
r sent members. ...
q MIR. HENDRICKS moved that the Senate ad
: journ, which was agreed to.
HOUSE.
The House resumed consideration of the propos
U ed Constitutional amendment
f Mr.. DAVIS being entitled to the floor. Mr.. Ste
vens asked him to yield in order that he might hav
an important document read. vT-
MIR. ROGERS rose at the tame time to persona
ID explanation. He said he was represented by the As
I socated Press as indorsing in his speech on NJ IN