The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-03-19
FORTIETH CONGRESS-Flrst Session
Interesting Debate ON the
saoa admission of q Mary
AQ3 sA land senator. 4 II
IMPORTANT PROGRESS OF THE
3aaS SUPPLEMENTARY RECON.
Il STRUGTION BILL.
Exclusion of Liquors from the
@ 70 Capitol Building. alih Y:
WASHINGTON. March 18.

"a
~ r-l------ 80 tfl .ef-s-
.xIo WASHINGTON, March 18. 3r
johnson presented the credentials
of Philip Il. Thomas, Senator elect
from Maryland for six years ending
March 4, 1873, aud asked that they
be read, and that Mr.. Thomas be
sworn In. The credentials were read,
when Howard moved that they be re-
ferred to the Judiciary Committee,
stating, in reply to question from
johnson, that, it was matter of COM
mon rumor that the gentleman who
was an applicant for admission to the
Senate sympathized with the rebellion
in the late civil war. y a,,4....s,
johnson said he did not know what
rumors Howard referred to, in rela4
ton to any particular act of the Sena-
tor elect, which had given aid and
comfort to the rebels. Perhaps he
was referred to on the floor of the
Senate, on Saturday-that Thomas,
while Secretary Of the Treasury, trans
ferred large amount of money from.
New York to Louisiana, that it might
be there to assist the rebels. He
(Johnson1 had mentioned this to his
colleague, and was authorized to say
that there was no word of truth in it.
Howard said, in his objection to
Thomas, that this language was at
tributed to him sin speeches he made
after the election. He was reported
to have said: The Senate of the
United States had done all in its pow
er to dissolve the Union, by war, in
which they had failed, and were now
attempting to destroy it by legisla-
tion." He [ Howard thought that
very candid remark, if a man could
be called secretly loyal, and attached
to the Government of the United
States, who held that the entire action
of Congress, in the prosecution, of
the late war to suppress the rebellion,
was an effort on the part of Con-
gress to dissolve the Unicn, then he
Howard had lost, in a great degree,
his knowledge of the force of. Ian.
guage. ,h0m - 'aas @ 2'9
johnson knew Gothing of. the
speech to which Howard referred.
What he did know was, s,sathat, in a
letter accepting his nomination, there
would be found nothing inconsistent
with his duties to his country.
The letter flThomas was then sent
to the Clerks desk. e6 Nn A2
ap Nye said it was claimed by the
loyal men of Maryland that the cleo
ton of the Legislature by which
Thomas had been elected was pal
pable fraud upon the existing laws of
Maryland, and it was asserted by
those Union men that they had law,
standing upon the statue books that
prevents all persons sympathizinga
with the rebellion from voting at their
elections. At the last election that
law was disregarded, and persons of
all kinds, and the Worstrebels lamong
them, were permitted to vote, and by
their votes Legislature was elected
that had sent the honorable gentle
man here as Senator. When Thomas
resigned from Mr.. Buehanan's Cabi-
net he wrote letter stating his rea-
son for so doing, that he was forced
toileave from the fact that he gould
not concur in the act to reinforce
eFort Sumter D He denied entirely the
power of coercion.
Trumbull spoke at some length on
the subject He was opposed as much
as any man could be. to admitting
traitors, or enemies Of the Govern
ment, as members of the Senate. He
was in favor of receiving none but
loyal men; but the objections to
Thomas were sustained by nothing
but rumors; no specific charge was
made by any Senator against him.
| Mr.. Thomas was certainly entitled to
be sworn In, unless there was some
thing to overcome the prin1d faciG OF
the case which was in his favor. Ii
the Senator could bring any specific
charge against the applicant, he would
go as far as was necessary in making
an investigation; but he understood
Mr.. Thomas was willing to take the
oath required by law. lfso, he ought
to be admitted, unless there was a
distinct charge made against him.
Fessenden said he was unwilling,
by his vote, to establish so dangerous
a precedent. as to refuse to receive
Senators who come here with proper
credentials, and elected in pursuance
Of law, and against whom there wa:
no specific charge from any respect.
able source.
Sherman read from a letter O
Thomas resigning his Office as Secre