Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1866-03-13
sEMNEs AND DAVIS.


sEMMEs AND DAVIS.
The history of the case of the Confederate Adm
raj Semmes is briefly this: After his arrest the mat
ter was referred to the legal officer of the Navy De-
partment for investigation The officers OF the
Kearsage and Others were summoned to Washing.
ton and thsr testimony obtained, and Colonel
Rolles Solicitor and Judge Advocate Of the Depart
ment prepared full statement Of all the facts fol
the information of the President. The President
was opposed to any trial of rebel officers OF either
the army or navy by military court except for con-
duct in cOntraventiOn Of the rules OF war. II was
proposed by the Navy Department to try Semmes iol
destroying lighthouses for burning merchant YES
sells without bringing them to port for adjudication
by prize court, and for violating his surrender u
the Kearsage, he having without exchange joined
the army oil General Johnston; and these charges
it was recommended, SHOULD be brought before a
mixed court of military and naval 9tAceFs. Ihe
President referred the document to the Attorney
General for an opinion upon the points OF the case
and he decided that the parole of Semmos is binding
upon the Government, and on this decision Semmes
is to be set at liberty
The Boston Trapeiler, commenting on the above
says:
I'VE have reason to believe, on good authority
that the course adopted in the OF Semmes indl
Gates the policy of the Government in the case Of
Jefferson Davis, though the day OF his liberation
from prison may still be far distant II, however
after the legal restoration of peace by Presidential
and try any indictment found against Mr. Davis In
Virginia there would probably be no interference
upon the part of the Executive.
NOMINATION OF L. D. CAMPBELL.
Several attempts have been lately made in the
Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs 20 take up the
nomination of Lewis d. Campbell, as Minister To
Mexico but each time they have failed 1t IS doubt
full ifany confirmation is made. The Senate are con-
frming but very few appointments. They rejected
-. L., I'D Marshall ROnifont Of Mary.
land, a particular friend of Montgomery Blair.
THE INDIANA OONsPIRAFORs,
The argument in the case of the Indiana cOnspi
ratOrs was concluded in the Supreme Court to-day, by
ExAtorney- General Black fol- the petitioners, and
Ben Butler for the Government. Mr.. Black declared
that Military Commissions commenced with Herod :
slaughter of innOcents, and waited on roadside
murder as BanquO's ghost. Mr.. Butler, in his re-
ply alluded to the right of secession, and declared
that the Federal Government had no power to pre-
vent State from leaving the Union. All through
the personalities of counsel were very spicy.
PREPARING FOR THE CHOLERA.
The United States Senate Committee on Com
merce have acted quickly on securing proper mea
sures TO prevent the entrance OF the cholera and
proposition empowering the War and Navy pepart
mens to use their best eXertons to that end will be
reported Immediately. The duty of the Navy De
paltment will be- in part to station suitable vessels
near all the prominent sea-ports and cities which
shall be used for enforcing the most absolute qua
rantine against all vessels coming from countries oil
districts that are infected with the scOurge.
ADJOURNMENT IN MAY.
1t is rumored that resolution will soon be offered
in the House, providing for the adjournment of the
present session in May. There is no probability Of
the adoption of any such proposition, unless the
Asiatic cholera should appear in the country In the
meantime. From present appearances, the session
promises 10 be much longer than usual.
CONGRESSIONAL SPEECHES FOR DISTANT CONsUMP
TIoN-MR. STEVENS ELABORATE EFFORT-HIs RE
FERENCES TO THE PRESIDENT AND REcONSTRUC
TION-COHGRESs WITHOUT A PLAN-THB PREsI
DENTS PLAN FINALLY TO PREVAIL, &C.
Correspondence of the Baltimore SUM-
Speeches are now deliberately prepared in the
closet anu are ready for the press before they ait
read in either House. They are intended for distant
readers, and will be circulated by thousands through
the country, with view TO influence the elections
| vi this description was the elaborate speech OF Mr.
Stevens of Pennsylvania, read by him in the HOust
Yesterday. The practice Of reading lessons the in
trest of the auditor but Mr. Stevens speech is ad
dressed to remote readers. He cOntended that The
Executive had no power over the subject OF recon
structon the terms OF peace, and that all this be
Onged to Congress. His personal remarks upon thu
President were so managed as To raise laugh
This portion Of the speech seemed to attract NOR
\ attention than anything in the argument.
| Granting that Congress alone has any power owe
the subject of restoration of the Union il becomes
matter of interest to know what their plan is. s.
far as we know after the three months they are in
capable OF perfecting plan TO suit themselves. Mr.
Stevenss plan, so far the projects OF the Recon
struction Committee disclose it, does not meet will
| the approval of more than bare majority of tn
Senate, and could not probably again command
| two-thirds vote in the House. The Senate mus. b.
| expected TO understand the subject well as tn
House, and in that body as was shown on Friday
there are almost as many different minds as men,
| The President having in view no sectional o
party interest, being elevated above the eetng pas
sions and prejudices of Congress, and having ais
| the advantage of better information than any indi
vidual can have as TO the condition of the country
| has proposed a plan of reconstruction, and, soone
or later, Congress will be forced By the popular vii
to adopt it. Nothing that stands in the way of en-
tire pacihcation and restoration of the Union vii
long be tolerated. The Stevens-Sumner cliqu
| kicks against the bricks"
Fred. Douglass lectured last night at the AsSembl
Rooms, on The Issues Of the Day" before a yer
large audience, goodly proportion of which wa
composed Of white persons, including a number
members of Congress. Hon. William D. Kelley,
Pennsylvania, presided. Douglass argued at lengt
in favor OF the capacity Of the negro for sefcultuI
and advancement and the obligation resting upo
the country TO bestOw upon him the right of su
frage He alluded TO the course Of the President
terms of severe condemnation. Senators Wilson,
Massachusetts,, and Yates Of Illinois, and MajO
General Howard also spoke and strongly advocate
the claims Of the colOred race.