Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1866-04-19
XXXlXTH CONGRESS.
GOVERNMENT REWARDS
The Postofice Appropriation Sill,
CONTRACTORS FOR IRoN,GLADs.
SENATE.

| WASHINGTON, April IS. 1866.
| ''RINDERPEsT"
| Inc Chalr laid before the Senate communication
from the Chief of the Bureau of Agriculture in re-
spouse to the resolution of the Senate conceTnin tbe
anaee9est or cattle plague. Laid on the table and
| :, ARMY OFFICERS.
ear. "lson presented several petitions from army
red to the Committee on Military Affairs.
| \, =, BRFyET APPOINTMENTS
=, MT. sherman offered a resolution requesting tho
| President to communicate to the Senate the rennrt
| OF the Military Board which sat at St Louis on the
SbeSC Oh prevet appointments in the regular army
| INDIAN TREATIES.
IN motion OF Mr.: Doolittle, the joint resolution
making an appropriation to enable the President to
nesotlate treaties with certain Indian tribes was
| taken M up. 1t appropriates Sl2l 900.
IT. sherman was opposed to the present system of
| nua aS n treaties with the Indians.
Mr.. McD9ugall said the Indians should be whipped
should earn his bread BY the sweat IF hi bH a.
| much as any other man. 90
=, The Chair announced that the morning hour hay
ing expired the special order being the bill to amend
the act relating to the habeas corpus,
~ common consent the special order was laid over
The consideration of the joint resolution was then
proceeded with.
Considerable discussion took place, participated IN
py MeSSrs, Doottie, sherman, Ramsey and Nesmith.
MT Doouttle explained that it was better to treat
with the Indians than to fight them. 1t would be
lmPosSlole TO oVertalie them the immense plains
was enormous.
The Joint resolution having been read three times,
was passed. ON'
CONTRACTORS FOR IRoN-CLADs.
me SPECIAL order being the bill to reimburse con-
TRACTORS for certain ronclads for losses incurred in
fulfilling their contracts, was then taken m the
RNendllng question being on the amendment Of Mr.
Nye 70 insert ftteen per cent instead of twelve in the
Mr. johnson addressed the Senate in support of the
bill; He said that Poole d Hunt, of Baltimore, had
built the machinery Of the Mackinaw, and it was
acknowledged that the machinery was as good not
better; than any before manufactured Poole Il
Hunt had not sought this contract, but had been soil
cited to take it. Everything had gone up so amazing
y after the contract was made that they incurred
heavy loss thereby. They had made no charge for
their own labor and time, but only asked to be REIN
bursed for the actual additional outlay. Some of the
claims 81 theTe contractors were not just, but others
were lie Mr.. D. did not feel disposed to give what
the Committee asked, but would vote for fifteen per
cent.
On motion of Mr.. Hendricks the further considera
ton of the bill was then postponed until tomorrow
49, GEN. HANCOCK.
. On motion of Mr.. Wilson. the House joint resoIu-
ton to extend the thanks of Congress to Major tJen
Winfield Scott Hancock, was taken up and passed
unanimously.
Qn motion OF Mr. wilson, the joint resolution ap-
pointing managers for the National Asylum for disa-
DIed volunteer soldiers, was taken up and passed
. PoSFoFFICE APPROPRIATION.
On motion OF Mr.. sherman, the Postotiice appro-
prlal0n Dill Tor the fiscal year ending June 3d. 1867
was taken up and read, and certain amendments re-
ported by the committee were agreed to.
Mr.. Henderson offered an amendment that no
money shall be drawn from the Treasury to pay the
salary OF any postmaster after the adjournment of the
Senate, whose nomination has been rejected or not
consented to by that body.
Mr.. Johnson said that it had always been tho prao
tee OF the government that officials whose appoint
menus nave been shall be paid up to the time
OF the adjournment of the Senate.
Mr. Henderson said his amendment was not in
tended to Interfere with that practice but 0n to
pronlDlI the payment OF any salary after the ad-
Mr.. Nesmith asked if persons who had been reject
eG could not be reappointed, and thus draw their
Mr.. Henderson-I do not know.
Inr. IrumoGll hoped not, as that would make the
amendment OF no value. If the President had the
power to reappont any persons whose nominations
mad been rejected as as we adjourn il is of no
use to pass the amendment | think il oueht 70 be
worded to put it out of the power Of any 0er
sons appointed without law to receive the money of
the people.
The further consideration of the bill was then most
poned.
HABEAs CORPUS
On motion Of Mr.. Clark, the bill to amend the act
relating to habeas corpus was taken up.
number of amendments were made
Mr.. Edmonds offered amendment excepting
from tie provision of the BILL acts done in States
represented In Congress, and where martial law did
Mr.. Edmonds said that while he was willing to
protect all officers of the Government who acted hon
esty IN the discharge of their duties he did not think
ltJust to extend complete amnesty for acts done in
the loyal States and where martial law did NOT nra
vail. He did not think it right that men who had
ing redress In the time of that King who was called
the rs gentleman OF Europe, and who was the worst
monarch, the British Parliament had passed a law
somewhat slmarto this but the British courts would
not execute it.
Mr., Cowan said he was much struck with tho re-
marks otthe Senator from Vermont. Mr. EdmondsO
Were they to throw the mantle of oblivion over ali
acts done by military officers during the war when it
IS well known that many of these acts were instgated
by private malice? He thought thatioyal men in the
rehe0us States should not be prevented from obtain
ing redress II they had been wronged. 1t was no
where, if man was disloyal, he would very likely
have been suspended to lamp-post but in the South
it was evidence of stern virtue and heroic courage
who hos
committed malicious and unjustifable per
haps from private animosity, from the consequences
to which the law would subject him? lift does then
this Senate Of the United States the very last
body on earth where such proposition should be
that no innocent man should be prevented from OBJ
tanning redress and officer who had acted Impair
italy and honestly IN the discharge of his duty, should
Because rebellion had existed in one part of tho
country that was no reason why military officers
should override all law in another part of the coun
try:
Mr.. Clark hoped the amen dment would not be
agreed to- 1t limited the provisions of bill to these
States. where the habeas corpus was suspended and
officers in other States who had obsyed the orders Of
their Superiors to take their chances of civil
suits The provisions of the bill were then explained
by Mr.. Z. In one single State, State which had NO.
yer seeded, he had been told that there were now
pending over 5000 suits against loyal men, who had
assisted to put down the rebellion. One of the courts
of thi same State had decided. that order issued
from a rebel officer was.
Mr.. Johnson-What authority have you for the
Mr.. Clark-The authority of the member of Con-
gres for that district, who in the court and heard
it. He (Mr. 60 was surprised that such proposition
should come from the Senator from Vermont, mir
Edmonds but not at all surprised that il Should
be endorsed by the Senator from Pennsylvania. (Mr
Cowan9
Mr.. Edmonds hoped the amendment would not be
dlshon9red it was good because of the poorness of
the endorsement. (Laughter)
Mr.. Cowan trusted his endorsement would not in
Jure the amendment
Mr.. Nye-What good will it do it,
Mr.. Cowan-The Senator from Nevada has shown
that he thin Ks it is of some good.
Mr.. Nye, never ask the endorsement of any one
Mr. CLARK SAID such propositions this had not been
in the habit of coming from Vermont. Continuing
his argument, some side talk took place between him
used The chair (Mr PomeroyJ Gentlemen wi" viii
address their remarks to the chair
M. Cowan, will. when | don't talk latin.
sufficiently broad to cover all loyal from respon
sibifTy for acts done in pursuance of their duty.
Mr., CONFESS merely wished to say that when al
most universal amnesty was extended to unrepentant
rebels he thought it not unreasonable that protec-
ton should be extended to the gallant defenders of
Mr.. Edmonds said that passionate legislation al
ways returned to plague those who enacted it. In
our hasy zeal to protect class of the community
let not injure another class. Let us protect them
by Indemnity, not by an arbitrary edict He was as
country but did not think true friend of our gal
liant soldiers would wish such bill as this to pass
D a Bow5d s spG6 R p Of the
Without disposing of the amendment, the Senate
went into executive session, and at its conclusion
adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
GOVERNMENT REWARDS
The Speaker laid before the House communion
ton from the Secretary of War; Iansmittng the re-
port OF the Commission appointed to adjudge the
claims Ut parties to the rewards heretofore offered for
the apprehension of the assassin of President Lin
coin and his accomplces, and the capture of jeff |
DAVIS. The Secretary says that while some of the |
findings may be excepted to by the claimants, he |
nevertheless calls the attention of Congress to the
necessity Of making appropriation to meet the /
April 10, 1865 is considered substitute for the
of the day before and the parties are therefore
decided to be entitled to half of the sum named in
the two Offers which is ten thousand dollars.
Ihe Commission next state that it is observed that
before the date of the reward of April 90 1866 there
were then in the custody of the Government of the
eonsplrators and accomplees of Booth-besdes |
Payne SurTatt, Mudd O'Loughlin, Arnold and |
Spanger The of the arrests of these criminals
alluded to not clearly made within the terms
of the offer of that date, and it has been concluded
the apprehension of one of the five named who had
already been arrested on suspicion, though subse-
quently ascertaned to be cOnspirators are entitled
to any reward. In the of Atzerott specific re-
ward was offered and the fact that he was taken on
the same day offered should not it is conceived
exclude his captors from the reward and they are
declared entitled to the SIS 900 offered
The Commission then add that the rewards in cues
ton payable generally follows: To the parties
who effected the arrest of Booth the sum of SIS 0O0
those who arrested erold $ O0 to those apprehend
ing AtZerott, $4,000 to those who furnished any in
formation prior to the arrest of each prisoner in each
Jharo row nr1 10 ,lal