Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1866-02-10

ernment and they will not be the less able because
they have the advice and the counsels ofther South
ern brethren? And yet applying for illustration to
the population of my own State, (Maryland,) J
You will see how the proposed amendment will oper-
and cOlored population of Isl about one fourth Of
the entire number within her territorial limits and
if she refuses to let any one black vote in point
of fact or refuses 1t by requiring qualification.
which she does not require from the white man. the
whole II 900 are to be deducted from the estimate
Is that just ? The honorable Senator from Massa-
chusetts thinks it is, and why? Because the deca-
ration of rights proclaims all men equal. and the
yong is to leave MARYLAND an oIigarcbv an arstoc
racy, caste. Ii so, we have been under very eX-
traordinarry deluson from 1T6 to the present time
we have oeheyed that the government of Maryland
was of a republican form:
1t never entered into the Imagination of the great
who framed her Constitution of l775 nor of their
great contemporaries who constituted the Convention
of 1789 that there any thing in the Constitution
of that State which gave any body right to charac
terize it as ogarchy. The honorable Senator
from Massachusetts, Mr. Sumner) is the inventor of
that proposition. If the existing Constitution of
Maryland is not and cannot be republican unless all
the coored people within he limits are entitled to
vote, tell her so change your Constitution and make
It our duty by your paramount law to place them
But to do that you must place your own States in
the same condition. When Maine is to be deprived
and so OF the other States. If it be right be con-
tended that it was their duty to do by constitutional
ENACTMENT directly. not indirectly. The fact is it
could not not be accomplished right wrong. Ifit
was an evil, it one without remedy. The States
will not adopt 1t; they vii stand upon the Constitu-
ton their fathers gave them They will claim for
themselves, even to the point of revolution the right
to regulate suffrage within their own limits
=, He then replied to the argument of Mr.. Sumner
that the States had not the right to regulate it. and
that Congress derived the power from the declaration
OF Tlghts; from the necessity growing out Of the war;
ana from mat clause OF the Constitution guarantee
ing to each State republican form of government
and finally, from the second clause of the amend
ment abolishng slavery. Mr.. j. then took up these
four in regular order, and argued that neither Of
them had the slightest application He said that
until modern times. and he meant by that the last
three years. no man was so wild as to iInagnc
mat the question OF suffrage not exclusively for
state jurisdiction. From the time of the adoption
OF the Constitution until the breaking out of the re-
belllon, no man ever suggested that it was in the
power of Congress to interfere and it could not be
otherwise the Constitution from its very nature be-
ing grant of specific power and nothing else The
analysis on these heaQs made by.Air johnson was
most eogent and powerful, and was pursued at great
length.
unlmpoT{ant business was transacted, when, on mo-
ton OF Mr., Wilson, the Senate adjourned until Mon
day.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE.
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT.
dent of the United States
ITO the House of Representatives
In reply to the resolution of the House of Repre-
sentatyes Of the 10th ut, requesting the President
of the United States IF not incompatible with tbe
public interest. to communicate to the House any
report reports made by the Judge Advocate Gen.
eral, or any other officer of the Government as to
the grounds facts, or accusations upon which Jeer-
son Davis, Clement G. Clay, Jr., Stephen K. Mallory
and David l.: 4uee. or either of them, are held in
Secretary of War and Attorney General, and concur
IN the OPINION therein expressed that the publication
the present time compatible with the public interest
w !olgnedl ANDREW JOHNSON.
Washington, Feb. 9, 1866.
LETTERS OF SECRETARY OF WAR AND ATTORNEY GEN
War: u
WAR DEPARTMENT, Feb. 7, 1866.
the receipt of the House resolution calling for the
reports of the judge Advocate General on the cases
OF Jefferson Davis, Clement c. Clay, D. L. Yulee and
D. II. Mallory. These reports were made for your
own information, and contain abstracts of evidence
and erparte proofs in possession of the Bureau of
Military Justice Pending any action in respect fa
the parties accused the publication of these reports
Is, IN my opinion Incompatible with the public in
General is also herewith submitted.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant
EDWIN NJ. STANTON.
The following is the letter of the Attorney General
ATTORNEY GENERALS GFFICE,
WASHINGTON, Jan. 81, 1866. I
&rs-Sundry reports of the facts going to show bo
Jefferson Davis and other rebels have been guilty of
high crimes, have been made to you as the Chief Ey-
ecutive officer of the Government Most of the eyj-
dence upon which they were based was obtained
epde without notice to the accused and whilst they
were IN close custody military prisoners. Their
publication might wrong the Government or the ac-
cused, or both. Whilst see that much wrong NAV
flow from the publication, see that any good
would come from it. In my own opinion then, pub
lie and private justice alike, demand that they Should
not be made public.
1 am, sir, respectfully, &C.,
(Signed) JAMES SPEED.
GENERAL OsTERHAUs ON THE FLOOR OF THE HOUSE
On motion OF Mr. Smith. of Kentucky the House
took recess for FIVE minutes in order that General
OSterhaus OF the estern army who was on the floor
OF the House. might be presented to the members
The Speaker conducted General 0sterhaus to the
ri TnV QynI1 Ion TloIrC tt,ofl IL.
ana introduced him IN Il few words.
House resumed its business.
FREEDMENS BUREAU BILL
The Freedmen's Bureau bill was returned from the
Senate with certain amendments which were taken:
up and concurred in by the House without debate
so the bill has passed both houses. The House amend
ment to the Senate bill provides that the operations
OF the Bureau be extended to all districts in which
the writ OF hdGeds corpus was suspended. This of
course excluded Maryland. Delaware and Missouri
from the jurisdiction OF the bureau. The senate
and the House having cCncurred to day in thatacon
of Senate the operations of the Bureau are as
has passed both Houses, extended to all parts of the
United States. The 5th section of the bill relating Ia
the treedmcn's occupation of the South Carolina
cotton lands remains in the bill just it passed the
1t confirms General Shermans field order giving
them the lands for three years from January 16 1855
1t is provided however that when any Of the
OF the land make application for its restoration the
Freedmens Bureau can, with the consent of the oc-
cupants, procure other lands for them by rent or
lands.
GENERALS CROOK AND WARD.
On motion OF MIR. Schenck, of Ohio, the House took
another recess at this point to receive Major General
George Crook, who was present. The Speaker es-
corted General Crook to the Speakers desk and in
troduced hlIn IN an appropriate manner. When the
applause subsidized, he simply said-"Gentlemen /
thank you" After being introduced to the members
the Speaker called the HOuse to order
On motion of Mr.. Smith, of Kentucky the House
t3ok another recess to receive Major General Ward
conducted General Ward thp chair ba o1S
brief Speech returning thanks for the compliment
M: Rogers of r. j., suggested that the army be
NAVAL APPROPRIATION BILL.
The House then resumed the consideration of the
naval appropriation bill, reported from the Commit
tee OF the Whole on yesterday and proceeded to vote
seridtim on the amendments reported by the com
mttee. The House restored the following amend
Whole: ''-- "'-' ''i'N'H '"' III 0oiHni''e0 Oh INC
For purchase of Leavey's Island. for Portsmouth
IN H.! Navy ard 100000. For drainage of Charles.
town Mass Yard, S25,000.
The following provisions were retained in the bill
For Washington Navy Yard-For new paint shop
SS5S3 for smithery $8,445: for machinery and tools
Ss66oO for repairs of all kinds Sol 600 for repair Of
hospital buildings at Annapolis, Md. s. 00O for pre-
serving the property at the Norfolk Navy Yard
S2OOUOO. tAll other appropriations stricken ou
An amendment was adopted providing that none
OF the appropriations of this bill shall be paid to any
one who has not taken the test oath passed in 1862
The bill was then passed without debate or a call
the yeas and nays.
THE BANKRUPT BILL
The House then resumed the consideration of the
bill to establish uniform system of bankruptcy The
clerk proceeded with the reading of the bill Various
amendments were offered and debated but were
mostly voted down. The House then adjourned un.
til tomorrow for the purpose of debate only on the
Presidents message.
THE STATE LEGISLATURE.
Special Session.