The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-02-28
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.
wAsHrNeroN, Feb. q, 1866.
SENATE

of minor importance; one OF Wh1cn
strikes out drunkardS and vagabonds
from the exempted section; another
includes the executive and judicial OIL
GERS OF the States and Territories
among the exempt, but the States are
not allowed to make exemptions. The
companies may consist of from 80 to
100 privates in addition to Ofhcers-the
oath of non-participation in the rebel
lion is stricken out. A new section IS
General of the United States armies to
cause inspections to be made from time
to time both of the militia and the OIL
GERS of the Adjutant General.
Mr.. Howe introduced a bill to sell the
unsold lots of the Fort Howard Militia
ry reservation in Browne county, Wis
consin, by giving Two months notice
by advertisement, and that they will be
sold for cash-referred to committee on
Public Lands.
Mr.. Howe also introduced bill
granting lands to make up the deticien-
CIV of the former grant in aid of the
Lake st, Croix and Lake Superior rail-
road.
Mr.. Poland introduced a bill to
amend an act of March Sd, 1855, rela-
tive to land bounties for military servi-
ces, which provides that in case of the
death of any person who would be en-
titled to such bounty ifliVing, his widow
may apply for and receive The bounty,
ora child or children If there Is no
widow, and She can marry without in
validating her claim if she first makes
her application.
Mr.. Sumner introduced the following,
which was adopted:
WHEREAS, The Senate on the 5th of
January, 1866, adopted n resolution in
the following terms: "ResotGed, That
the President of the United States, If
g.. It. ,,S,t mn
the public interests, be required to fur
nish to the Senate copies OF all papers
and proclamations designating certain
persons as provisional Governors of
States, and an account of the salary, If
any, they may have been allowed the
oath, sif any, they may have taken be-
fore entering upon their duties, and If
they did not take the oath of Office pre-
scribed by Congress for officers of the
United States, then why did not they
take the same; also copies of any COM
nlunications in his possession from
such persons to any convention or leg
islatiVe assembly in the respective
States; also copies of any constitutions,
articles or laws purportingt to have been
adopted in such States, SO far as the
same affect the present condition of
such States and the rights of persons
thereiu;" and whereas, no answer has
yet been received by the Senate, for the
information OF which is deemed so inn
portant, therefore,
Resolved, That the President of the
United States, if in his opinion not in
compatible with the public interest, be
requested to furnish to the Senate the
information called for in the foregoing
resolution.
Mr.. Sumner presented a petition for
equal rights and n republican form of
government in the South, which was
f. to NINn
Mr.. Morgan introduced a bill to ex-
empt from taxation, by State or mu-
nicipal authorities, lands granted to
colleges for educational purposes, which
was referred to the Committee on
Finance.
Mr.. Wilson, from the Military Com
mittee, reported the resolution of thanks
to the officers, soldiers and seamen OF
the United States, recently introduced
by him, which was considered by unan-
imous consent and passed.
Mr.. Davis, of kentucky, asked to
call up the resolution recently offered
by him for the appointment of com
mittee to investigate the frauds by the
agents of the cotton bureau. MIR. Davis
caused TO be read a letter from u former
provost marshal ut Natchez, alleging
that enormous frauds were committed
by the department commanders in the
South. Et-
Mr.. CONFESS, of California, interrupt
ed the reading of the communication to
object to it as censure upon the OIL
GERS of. the Government. The reading,
as part of the proceedings of the Sem
ate; might be taken as an endorsement
of the statement. A vote was taken,
and the Senate decided to listen to the
reading.
Mr.. CONFESS objected to an irrespon-
sible party like the author Of the letter
being permitted to come here and make
stump speech against the officers OF
the Government. He moved that the
letter and Mr.. Davis resolution be re-
ferred to the Committee on Military
Affairs.
The morning hour expired, and the
concurrent resolution, that no Senator
or Representative shall be received in
either House from any of the late re-
bellfous States until such State shall
have been declared entitled to repre-
sentation, was taken up.
Mr.. Dixon took the floor, commencing
his speech with an allusion to the argu-
menL of MessEs. Fessenden, Trumbull
| and Sherman. He did not think it was
much for Mr.. Fessenden to say, as he
did in his last speech, that he thought
the President would not be untrue to
his country. That was not much to
be said of n man with such record OF
anu " All9
| but there were circumstances to be
taken into consideration with what
was said. Tho President was heing de-
nounced in the other House and in the
Senate. MIR. Wade had spoken in very
severe terms concerning him. He be-
lieved that the only means of changing
| the cOuntrywas by the policy adopted
by the President, and believing this, he
was willing to overlook differences OF
detail which might exist between him
and the President rs to the carrying
| out of the policy. He did not believe
there was any principle involved in the
| freedmen's Bureau bill, and in voting
for IL in the first place he did not COM
| nit himself in any way, except as
friend of tho freedmen, which he still
was. The policy which the President
| was now pursuing was the policy which
he (AIr. Dixon) had advocated since the
commencement of the war. 81
z Mr.. Dixon said in conclusion, What
are the differences of opinion existing
between the President of the United
States and those who are opposed to
his reconstruction policy in the two
Houses of Congress. certainly dis
claim of course, any right'to state what
are his his opinions, except as they are
given to us in authentic public docu-
ments. From these obtain his views
that these are misrepresented inten-
tionally or otherwise, should not sur
prise those who consider how seldom n
candid statement of the true question
ut issue is made by the advocate of con
flicting doctrines and opinions. II
would seem impossible, in view of the
frank; and explicit utterances which
the President has often made of his
opinions, TO create in the public mind
a MISREPRESENTATION of his views; yet
this to a certain extent has been done.
He is supposed by many to urge the ad-
rnninninnn Of .dislnnal fnan from the