The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-12-06
CONGRESSIONAL.
WASHINGTON. December 5.
SENATE.
BILLS INTRODUCED,


ize the District Court OF the United
States in Louisiana. Tabled.
By Mr.. Corbett-A bill to restore the
office Of Director of the Bureau OF
Statistics. Tabled.
BY Mr.. Anthony-Resolution direct,
ing the Secretary ofthe Navy to furnish
to the Senate report of the expedition
Of the United States steamer under
Captain Selfridge to the Isthmus of
Tehuaptepec. Adopted.
By Mr.. Kellogg-asking the Secre-
tary of the Treasury for Information
shout the branch mint at New Orleans.
! iaUicd. ''
By Mr.. Kellogg-A bill authorizing
steamship service in the Gulf Of
Mexico. 1t directs the Postmaster
General to contract for eighteen months
on the best attainable terms with
American citizens for the transmission
OF the mails in American built ships OF
not less than fifteen hundred tons regis
ter. between New Orleans and several
Mexican ports and Havana. Laid on
table.
THE KU.KLUx CALL FOR INFORMATION
Mr.. Blair moved to take up his reso-
luton, introduced yesterday, asking the
President to inform the Senate, by
what authority he has suspended the
Constitution and Laws of the United
States and OF South Carolina, in
several counties of that State, and said
this resolution contemplates obtaining
from the President a detailed account
of the manner in which he has exer-
cised the extraordinary authority con-
ferred upon him by Congress. under
stand that large numbers Of citizens
have been arrested for alleged crimes in
South Carolina. in the counties designa-
ted, and that those arrested were
arrested for alleged crimes
committed before the passage
of the act of April 20, giving the Presi,
dent this authority. l have seen in the
papers statements Of the names of the
parties arrested and the crimes alleged
10 have been committed by them, and
they appear to have been the same
instances or circumstances in regard to
which the committee on Outrages in
the Southern States have examined
witnesses. These circumstances all
occurred prior to the passage Of the act
under which the President proclaimed
martial law, and these arrests appear to
have been made for offenses, or alleged
offenses, committed anterior to the time
that the Federal courts had any juris'
diction, and anterior to the time when
the authority was conferred upon the
President
Mr.. Edwards (interrupting) asked
the Chair whether a discussion Of the
merits Of the resolution was in order on
motion to take up.
The Chair declared that 1t was not.
Mr.. Morton-It occurs to me the
substance OF this resolution was pretty
we'll answered by the Presidents mes
sage. But aside from that this resolu-
ton can be much better discussed after
we shall have received the report OF the
Investigating committee. For this
reason shall vote against taking 1t up
Mr. Blair-The Presidents message
does not give US any information at all
in reference to the matter about which
this resolution asks information. This
resolution asks for the names OF parties
arrested there for crimes alleged 10 have
been committed by them and the times
at which they are alleged to have been
committed, and none OF these are given
in the Presidents message. The Pres
ident states that the testimony taken by
the committee on Southern Affairs
amply sustains him in his proclamation
OF martial law don't know how ne
got that information. Certainly not by
spy report from that committee. No
one was authorized by the committee
TO make any such report to the Presl-
dent, and as member of it can give
nv opinion that the facts elected oy
The committee do not justify the
proclamarion of martial law, and
suspect that know more about those
actions than the President himself.
While am not astonished that the
President should have exercised the
extraordinary power conferred upon
him. as his education and his genius
being arbitrary, makes him favor arbl.
trary measures, l am astonished ct
the servility Of Congress In submitting
the rights OF citizens to his dictatlon, and
7 believe that it becomes us, having
given him such authority, to ask him to
tel us how be has executed 1t.
Mr.. Conkling-I think the reason
assigned By the Senator from Indiana
GMr. Morton) against taking up this
resolution now is a good one, and neg
10 add another. A resolution calling
for information upon any appropriate
subject is always entitled to considera-
ton and indulgence, and particularly
when a good one in all respects IS set
anart But this resolution, among
other things, is full OF assertion ana
;nt;midation, which may fall. apart from
the assertion. Although do not pro-
nose now to discuss the merit or error
IF the resolution in that regard, 1t is
snonob that it contains 80 much OF that
Lind of matter that it does not, In my
Estimation, fall fairly within the cate
sorv Of resolutions seeking Information,
sud therefore l should vote against
taking il up now, or any time, unless II
was Teduced to a real resolution OF
;nonirv in which case there might
na1bans be no objection to 1t, at least
49, If The kind that now specify.
The motion to take up was lost-yeas,
In: nays, As, only Mr.. Upton amons
the Republicans voting in the afhrma'
| tive. ,,,,;o, call.
By Mr.. Cameron-A resol1scn ea,. ao.
tho President for the ofnclal cor