Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-03-19
Fortieth Oongress---First Session.
WASHINGTON, March Is, 1867.
SENATE

SENATE.
Mr.. JOHNSON presented the credentials
OF Phillip F. Thomas, Senator elect from
Maryland, for six years ending March 4,
1873, and asked that they be read and Mr..
Thomas sworn in. Credentials read, when
Mr.. HOWARD moved they be referred
to the Judiciary committee, stating, in re-
ply to question from Mr.. johnson, that it
was matter of common rumor that the
gentleman who was an applicant for ad-
mission to the Senate sympathized with the
rebellion in the late civil war.
Mr.. JOHNSON did not know what ru-
mors Mr.. Howard referred to, in relation
to any particular act of the Senator elect,
which had given aid and comfort to rebels.
Perhaps he referred to the statement made
on the floor of the Senate on Saturday,
that Mr.. Thomas, while Secretary of the
Treasury, transferred large amount of
money from New York to Louisiana, that
it might be there to assist the rebels. He
(Johnson) had mentioned that to his col
league, and was authorized to say there
was not word of truth in it. 'r 2Y
Mr.. HOWARD said his objection to Mr..
Thomas was language attributed to him ia
speeches he made after the election. He
was reported to have said the Senate of the
United States had done all in its power to
dissolve the Union by war, in which they
failed, and were now attempting to DESTROY
it by legislation. He <Howard) thought
that a very unkind remark on the part of
the applicant. If he made that remark; if
man could be called strictly loyal and at
tached 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 Congress to dissolve the Union,
then he (Howard) had lost to great extent
his knowledge of the force of language.
Mr.. JOHNSON knew nothing of the
tn vUh rd rod
What he did know was that in the letter
accepting his nomination there would be
found nothing inconsistent with his duties
to the country. -'t
The letter of Mr.. Thomas was sent to the
clerks desk and read. '
Mr.. NYE said it was claimed by loyal
men of Maryland that the election of the
Legislature by which Mr.. Thomas had
been elected was palpable fraud upon
existing laws of Maryland. 1t was assert
ed by those Union men that they had law
standing upon the statute book that pre-
vents all persons sympathizing with rebel
lion from voting at their elections. At the
last election that law was disregarded, and
persons of all kinds, the worst rebels among
them, were permitted to vote, and by their
votes Legislature was elected that had
sent the honorable gentleman here as Sem
atOr. When Mr.. Thomas resigned from
Mr.. Buchanan's cabinet, he wrote letter.
stating his reason for so dOing-that he
was forced to leave from the fact that he
could not concur in the act to reinforce
Fort Sumter. He denies entirely the pow
er of coercion.
Mr.. TRUMBUIL spoke at some length
on the subject. He was opposed as much
as any man could be, to admitting traitors
or enemies of the Government as members
of the Senate. He was in favor of securing
none but loyal men. but the objections to
Mr.. 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 something to overcome the prima
facia case, which was in his favor. If any
Senator could bring specific charge
against the applicant, he would go as far
as was necessary in making investigation ;
but he understood Mr.. Thomas was willing
to take the oath required by law. If so he
ought to be admitted unless there was a
direct charge made against him.
Mr.. FESSENDEN said be was unwilling
by his vote to establish so dangerous q
precedent as to refuse to receive Senator
who came here with proper credentials and
had been elected in pursuance of law, and
against whom there was no specific charge
from any respectable source.
| Mr.. SHERM AN read from the letter OF
Mr.. Thomas resigning his office as Secre-
tary OF the Treasury of Buchanan's Cabi.
net, in which Thomas says: "The United
States has no power to collect the custom
duties at the port of Charleston" This wa:
an Endorsement of the right of secession
1t at least placed the applicant in an EN-.
barrassing position which required explain.
alton; but he would call attention to the
speech of Mr.. Thomas, to which reference
had been made. In that speech the Senate
was referred to as body of men who al
ways had been and were now traitors t.
the Union. .. .....-1s.. %
Mr.. MORTON said the quotation he had
Just heara was sufficient to justify inquiry
If what Mr.. Thomas had read was not true
the converse of the proposition was true
If the Senate was a body of traitors, Mr.
Thomas was loyal man, but if the Senate
was not a body of traitors, then Mr.. Thorn
as was disloyal man. -r s
MIR. SALISBURY said the report of the
speech of Mr.. Thomas from which this ex-
tract was read appeared in the Baltimore
American. He read the speech in the Bal
timore Gazette, and there was no such Ian
guage attributed to the speaker in that re-
port. ~
After some further debate the subject
was, on motion of Mr.. GRIMES, post
poned till tomorrow. a.' fal
Mr.. POMEROY introduced bill for the
consolidation of the Indian tribes and tht
erection of a qualified territorial govern
uloHI IOI 6llS luuldIS dISOS d JOtu1 ISSOlu-
tiOn to authorize the commanding Genera
to permit traders to remain at certain posts
Referred to the committee on Indian AT
fairs. @ -~.suI @
Mr.. TRUMBULL called up the Joint res
olution to declare valid laws of the terrific
ry of New Mexico, passed during the ses-
sion OF 1867. Passed.
Mr.. TRUMBULL called up the supple
mentary Reconstruction bill. The question
being upon the concurrence in the House
amendment to Senate amend ment; the frs
amendment which is of an unimportan
character was agreed to. The second wa.
to a majority of all registered voters, in-
stead of as by the Senate bill a majority o
all votes cast to adopt State COnstitu-
tion.
After debate, disagreed to.
The next amendment of the House re-
lates to punishment for swearing fIlsely
under the act.
Agreed to. ...
The bill now goes back to the House, and
the question will be on receding from the