The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1866-04-19
Aatiuual grpnblitau,
CONGRESSIONAL REPORTS.
xxxrxTH ooSeBEss-F1Rsr SESSION
wAsHNaros, Arm is, 1865.
SENATE.
THT cATTLH PLAGUE.

Inc Oh0ir lhld before tue cenhte n cOmmunich-
tlon from the Chief Of the Bureau Of Agriculture,
In response 10 tho resolution Of the Senate
ing the rinderpest or cattle plague Laid on the
table and ordered to be printed.
wAsHrsoToH CANAL TAX, ETC.
Mr.. Riddle introduced bill TO authorize special
tan for the improvement Of the Washington canal.
Referred 10 the Committee for the District Of Co.
lumbia.
Also a bill 10 authorize the Corporation Of wash.
ington to regulate the width and improve the ave:
nues Of that city. Referred 10 the Committee for
the District Of Columbia.
OFFICERS PAY AND DRxvEr APPOINTMENTS
Mi. Wilson presented several Petitions from Army
officers asking an increase Of pay ,~which were
ferred to the Committee on Military Affairs
Mr. Sherman offered q resolution requesting the
President to communicate to the Senate the report
Of the Military Board which set at st. Louis on the
subject Of brevet appointments In the regular ARMY
which was adopted.
PAY DEPARTMENT or rHE NAVY.
Mr. Grimes, from the Naval Committee, reported,
with amendment the bill to provide for the bot
ter organisation Of the pay department Of the navy
As reported, II Is as follows:
Sac. l. That from and after the passage Of this
act the active sof the pay corps Of tho navy shall
consist Of eighty paymasters forty passed assistant
paymasters and thirty assistant paymasters. Pay
masters shall be regularly promoted and commits.
stoned from passed assistant paymastos, and passed
assistant paymasters from assistant paymasters,
and all passed assistant psymasters authorized by
been appointed and commissioned assistant pay.
masters, and all assistant paymasters hereby au-
thorifed TO be appointed shall be selected from
those who have served as acting assistant paymas-
tiers for the term Of two years. and who were eligi
bio to appointment In that grade when they were
appointed acting assistant paymnsters aforesaid ;
subject, however, to such examinations as are now
required by law. and such may be established by
the Secretary Of the Navy.
SEC 2. That passed assistant paymasters shall
IL hnnAa EaRt ha fail If ali
duties in the sum Of fifteen thousand dollars; and
that their annual salary shall be, at sea- fifteen
hundred dollars; other duty, fourteen hundred
dollars on leave or waiting orders, twelve hundred
dollars.
On motion Of MI, Doolittle the joint resolution
making appropriation to enable the President to
negotiate treaties with certain Indian tribes,
taken up. It appropriates $l21,925.
Mr.. Sherman was opposed to the present system
Of making treaties with the Indians
Mr. McDougall said the Indians should be
whipped into good behavior, and not bought. An
Indian should earn his bread by the sweat Of his
brow, rs much as any other man.
GOAT ISLAND.
Tho Ch,ir announced, the morning hour having
expired, the special order-beiDg tho bill to amend
tho act relating to the habeas corpus.
By common consent, the special order was laid
over informally.
Mr. MoDougall introduced a bill to authorize the
President to transfer to W. P. Rogers or his asso-
ciates Goat Island In the harbor Of San Francisco
Referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
THE NOBLE RED MAN, AGAIN.
The consideration Of the joint resolution was
then proceeded with.
Considerable discussion took place, participated
in by Messrs. Doolittle, Sherman, Ramsay and
Nesmith.
Mr.. Doolittle explained that It was better to
treat with the Indians than to fight them. Itwould
be impossible to overtake them on the immense
plaina and tho cost of maintaining troOns the
frontiers was enormous.
The joint resolution having been read three times
was passed.
THE LOSING CONTRACTORS
The special order being the bill to reimburse
contractors for certain iron cads for losses incurred
In fulfilling their contracts, was then taken up, the
pending question being on the amendment Of Mr.
Nye insert fifteen per cent instead Of twelve In
the amendment Of Mr. Grimes.
Mr. johnson addressed the Senate In support oil
the bill.
THANKS TO GENERAL HANCOCK.
On motion Of Mr. Hendricks, the further consid
Grafton Of the bill was then postponed until to-
morrow.
On motion of Mr. Wilson, the House Joint reso
luton to extend tho thanks of Congress to Majol
General Winfield Scott Hancock, was taken up ant
passed unanimously.
DISABLED SOLDIERS ASYLUM.
On motion of Mr.. Wilson, the joint resolution
appointing managers for the National Asylum fol
disabled volunteer soldiers taken up and passed
POST OFFICE APPROPRIATION DILL.
onmotion Of Mr.. Sherman, the Post Once Ap
preparation bill for the fiscal year e.dlng June 80
1857 was taken up and read, and certain amend
ments reported by the Committee were agreed to
Mr.. Henderson offered amendment, that nj
money should 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 II had always been tn,
practice Of the Government that officers whose ap
pointments have been rejected shall be paid up Il
the time Of the Adjournment of the Senate.
Mr.. Henderson said his amendment was not In
tended to interfere with that practice but only tC
prohibit the payment Of any salary after the ad
jourument
Mr.. Nesmith asked If persons who had been re
jsoted could not be re-appointed and thus draw
their salariesl
MIR. Henderson. do not know.
Mr.. Trumbull hoped not, as that would make thu
amendment Of no value If the President had th,
power to re-appoint any persons whose nomination
had bean rejected, as soon as we adjourn, II is o
no use to pass the amendment / think 1t ough
to be so worded rs to put it out Of the power o
any persons appointed without law to receive tn
money Of the people.
The further consideration of the bill was thel
postponed.
HABEAs CORPUS.
On motion Of Mr.. Clarke the bill to amend tn
act relating to the habeaS corpus was taken up.
A number Of amendments were made.
Mr.. Edmunds offered amendment excepting
from the provisions Of the bill acts done in State
represented in Congress- and where martial law di'
not prevail.
Mr.. Edmunds said that while he was willing h
protect all officers Of the Government who actet
honestly in the discharge of their duties be di,
not think 1t just to extend complete amnesty fol
acts done in the loyal States, and where martha
law did not prevail He did not think 1t RICH
that men who had been really wrouged should b.
debarred from seeking redress. In the time o
that king who was called the FIRST gentleman o
Europe. and who the wise monarch, the Brit
ish Parliament had passed q law somewhat simila
to this but the British courts would not execute II
Mr.. Cowan said he was much struck with tn
remarks Of tho Senator from Vermont Mr.. Ed
munds. We're they TO throw the mantle Of Obly
ion over all acts done by military officers durin
the war, when II Is we'll known that many Of thes
acts were instigated by private malioe2 1t was n
merit to be loyal In New Hampshire or Pennsyl
vania, where, If man was disoyal, he would YER
likely have beer suspended to a lamp.post but d
the { Outh II was evidence Of stern virtue an
heroic courage. Does this bill exempt any militar
officer who has committed malicious and UNJUST
fable outrage, perhaps from private animosity
from the consequences to which the law would sub
ject him? If 1t does, then this Senate Of the Uni
ted States was the very last body on earth wher
such a proposition should be entertained II