The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1866-02-14
NAsuINoroH. Feb. 6.

tion, which was adopted, instrua,ing the
Committee or tn. judiciary to ,e5ort a
bill for the payment Of loyal citizens OF
the lately rebeIious States for quarter
masters stores taken from them for the
use OF United States armies.
Mr.. Sumner ;esumed the floor in con
tinuation Of his argument OF Yesterday,
and spoke at great leng h. lie said .ha,
the principles he con,ended for, despite
harsh and perverse counse's, would tri
umphan'y prevail.
HousE.-The uouse resumed the con
siderstion OF the bi, extending the pow,
ers Of the Freedmen's Bureau. The frs,
amendment voted on was ,ha; none of
the provisions of the act should extend to
or he in force in the State of kentucky.
1t was rejected. The substitute for the
bill presented by Mr.. Srevens WAS also
rejected. 1t provided. among other things,
that The freedmen shall retain tho land
on the basis Of the homestead law, not
exceeding forty acres each, and that the
occupants OF the lsnl under Sherman's
special field order are confirmed in their
possession, ard no person shall be dis
turled or ou.ta ed therefrom unless a set.
Element shall he made with said occupants
by the former owner ta,sfa actorv' TO the
Freedinsns Bureau. The bill was passed
yeas l5G, nays 53.
WAsnINGroN, Feb. Z.
SESA1E.-Mr. Clarke reported bill
providing for punishment Of persons con
victed OF kidnapping negroes.
Mr.. Fe3senuen made q speech in sup
port Of the joint resolution in relation to
representation.
UoUsE.-The House considered a bill
setting apart all public lands in Louisiana,
Mississippi, Florida and Arkansas, for
homes,eals Of eighty acres to be given
without regard to class or color. Several
Republicans declared that the freedmen
thus located would preserve the spirit Of
liberty against their former oppressors,
while on the Democratic side il was con.
tepded ,ha, the bill Disseminated against
the white men who desired to emigra,e
to the South, and ,hs. i, excluded b ON
its beneti those who had taken part in
The rebellion, but who had been pardoned
10y the President There WAS 40 acton
cn the bill. Tie fIou.e also considered
the Navy appropriation bill. Nearly all
the items for the Norfolk yard were
stricken out.
WAsrINGroN, Feb. 7.
A delegation Of coored men. headed
10y Fred. Douglas and Il. ii. Downing,
called on tie President to-day for the
purpose Of expressing their IDEAS on the
questions now being considered affecting
their interests, and also TO learn the views
entertained BY the President in the same
connection. II, wa, addressed by both
Downing and Douglas, who strongly
urged that the colored race should be
endowed with all the rights, privileges
and immunilies OF citizens Of The Uuiled
States, and desired that the right of suf.
frage be given to them, not only in this
District, bat all over the land.
The President responded, saying If his
past cour,e was not evidence Of bis good
will to the coiored race, lie could say no
more. lie had said, and repeated here,
that il ;hey .cocid find no other Moses to
lead them to the land of promise and
liberty, he would he that Moses; bu, lie
was not willing to adopt policy which
would result in danger to the co'ored
men, and possibly lead 10 a war of races
Nothing but evil would result from fore,
ing upon the people Of this District, or
any other section, principle in direct
opposition to the expressed will Of the
majority. At the conclusion of bis re
marks, which were Of considerable length,
Douga: said the question would have to
be settled by the people; to which the
President expressed his assent, sayiBg he
bad great faith in the people.
The President remarked to military
officer Today th Al II The Nistrict sIifTra GA