The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-02-04
BY TELEGRAPH.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 8.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 8.
Mr.. Spaulding, of Ohio, introduced bill,
which was referred to the Committee on
Commerce, providing for the repair and i'm.
provement Of the harbors Of Cleveland and
Fairport, on Lake Erie.
A bill was reported by Mr.. Stevens, from
the Committee on Appropriations, making
and Judicial departments of the Government
for the year ending June 80, 1865, which was
made the special order of Monday.
The House passed bill providing that
persons in the naval service of the United
States who have lost one foot or one hand
in the line of their duty, shall be allowed the
same pensions as are allowed persons in the
military service who haye suffered similar
losses and also that the provision of Section
s, of the pension law of Dec. 4th, shall ap-
ply to persons in the naval service. The for
mer law was construed not to include persons
in the naval service The design of this bill
is,to equalize the pension law.
Mr.. Washbnrne, of Illinois, proceeded to
the consideration of the Senate bill to enlarge
the powers of the Freedmen's Bureau.
Mr.. Marshall, of Illinois, said it was diff
cult to conceive of a more important measure
than that now pending. Its professed object
was to look after and take care Of a race
which has bedn recently released from bond
age. aud they involved the expenditures of
untold millions of dollars. He denied that
The Federal Government can become the
common almoner of the people, and also de-
MED that Congress could put their hands into
the pockets OF the poor and industrious la
horers, and take part of their hard earnings,
to distribute money among those who may
need it. He denied that the Federal Gov
ernment was established for any such pur-
pose, and further. that there was no authority
or warrant in the Constitution for such an ex-
traordnary measure. He stated at length
his objections to the bill. There was no right
or authority for the War Department estab
fishing in the States system of government
apart from that which should be applicable to
the entire people alike. Could the officers of
the Bureau act rs judges. sustained by mill
tary power, and go into States, enter the
markets and buy up lands, for the purpose of
settling them on freedmen, and protecting
and maintaining them, he supposed, until
they became self sustaining institution.
Mr.. Hubbard, Of Connecticut, and Mr..
Mouton. of Illinois, supported the bill.
Mr.. Kelly. of Illinois, supported the bill.
Mr. Kelly. of Pennsylvania, said that dis
tinguished General of Alabama had called up
on and shown him q newspaper, containing
the proceedings of court sentencing black
man and woman TO death for larcenv, and in
some cases imprisoned for 99 years for the Of
fense and the editor of the paper justified the
verdict saying that the plantation, and not the
city, was the placelfor negroes.
Mr.. Rosseau, of Ky, asked the name of
the distinguished General.
Mr. Kelly said his name was Gen. Spencer,
who as Colonel, raised the first regiment of
loyal Alabamians.
Mr. Rosseau said this was the first time he
had heard of Gen. Spencer.
Mr.. Kelly replied that this was quite possi
BILE, and yet men like Gen. Spencer might be
distinguished. For all the intelligence does
not reach the central part of the State of Ken
lucky.
Mr.. Rosseau said he was in Northern Ala
bama and Tennessee for two years. and he
would not say Spencer was not there, but he
would say Spencer was not distinghed Gen.
eral or anything else.
Mr.. Kelly remarked that he would take the
word Of Tecumseh Sherman in preference to
any gentleman in Kentucky. He knew that
Spencer served with Sherman throughout the
war and was on his staff. He repeated that
they hung black men and women in Alabama
or imprisoned them SO years for larceny, but
no such punishment was meted to white rebels
who steal black mems horses.
Several others spoke against the bill, after
which the House adjourned.