The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1872-08-30
COL. DEM. -. VOL. XXXVI.. NO. 20.

mcmDcr. One was luut IL WINS lv,iV-
spective. Ii went back as to time. When
we came TO increase the pay oi Whlte
soldiers in May, we only Increased 1t
from the time Of the passage OF the blll,
but Mr.. Wilson when he proposed his
amendment proposed that we should
90 back to the beginning OF the year
and increase colorod soldiers from that
time. His amendment also provided an
allowance TO persons who secured the
enlistment of colored soldiers which
many of us understood was to be given
to New England.a agents who went to the
Southern States to procure colored SOL
dlers oflll up the quotas OF the Eastern
States; and there was another feature
which was objected to. 1t looked to the
payment of certain South Carolina and
Massachusetts regiments two from each
State, giving them Increased
pay equal to- that OF white soldiers,
while all tho remainder of the colored
troops were not increased. This L
thought unjust and unequal. 1t was al
legged in behalf of those regiments that
some promises were made to them
when they were recruited that they
should have higher rates of wages, but
the then existing laws applied to them
as we'll as others, and it seemed unjust
to change the law as to them, and give
them increased pay, not for the future,
but going back to the time OF their en-
listment. They had been in service per-
haps two years. You preceive then that
there were apparently good objections
to this amendment. But though voted
against it, 1t was put into the bill, and
| afterward voted for the bill with that
in it, and you will observe that in the
Committee Of Conference, OF which L
have spoken, we made general ad-
justment of this matter of payment to
colored troops both as regarded bounty
and monthly pay, and we did the best
we could. We agreed that colored troops
should be paid the same as white troops
from the lst Of January, 1864, and that
all the colored men who had enlisted
under the Presidents proclamation OF
October, 1868, should be paid the same
amount, and we agreed further that the
Acknowledgement might determine
whether there was any obligation upon
the government to pay in such cases as
those of the Massachusetts, and South
Carolina troops. This was the general
adjustment of which have spoken,
and with regard to that, all have now
to say is that it was liberal. Applause.
| have spoken Of these points, ana
dismiss them from further notice. L
come to another point of my discourse,
THE HoLCoMBE REPORT.
/ have shown you my record in the
| Senate upon the subject of voting ap-
propriati0ns to the war; upon this sub.
| feet of the pay of white soldiers; upon
the subject of increased pay to colored
troops; and you will see how utterly
unfounded are the imputations l have
| answered. l come now to the second
branch of the assault of Errett. He says
l was in cahoot-I suppose that is
proper word to express it-with men
engaged in the rebellion, and he I'M
doubtedly alludes to report which was
recently published, made by Prof.
Holcombe to the Confederate Govern.
ment on the 10th of November, 1861
| The Professor was one of the two men,
who were called Peace Commissioners
in the popular language of the day In
1864, and in his report, he says that
among other persons whom he saw II
addition to Gov. Hunt, of New York
and sundry gentlemen from othe
States, where Judge Black, Mr.. Van
If the Professor had found it worth
while in making his report to go OF
and to state what was the exact truth
that he saw Mrs. Buckalew and mysel
in the public reception room of a pub
lie hotel at one of the most public places
on the continent in the Summer months
outside of the great cities, and that HI
talked to us in very unimpOrtant dis
course for period of perhaps eight o!
ten minutes !, that we then separated
and that we never saw each other be
fore or since-if he had stated all thes
details, suppose Mr.. Errett's patrioti
concern would have been wholly pre-
vented. Laughter and applause.
In that brief conversation which too
place as L have described it, the onl.
thing of consequence or of interest tina
occurred was this: When we wer
,, about leaving, the Professor said tha
he supposed Mr.. Lincoln would hav
difficulty in raising the enormous nun
ber of troops that he had called fo
(500,0 900 men had been called on the lSt
Of JULY and 1 said in reply that tn
troops would be raised. He said b
had been told differently, and / respoi
ded that any one who had told him $
, had misinformed him, Thereupo
we separated.
i / had gone to Niagara at that tin
| in the performance of duty under
. resolution Of the Senate, proposed b
I Mr.. Ramsey, of Minnesota, and passe
!. by the Senate on the I'd of July, 1856
q By that resolution the Committee @
|. Indian Affairs were instructed to inve
v tigate the administration of Indian A
4 fairs by the Colonial and Imperial al
n thorities in the British North America
|, possessions.
n We were informed that in Canada Il
# government was able to administer L
!. dian affairs without having their mont
+. stolen by their agents. We were inform
d ed that they were able to manage the
1t Indian affairs without having lndi;
| wars, and it was supposed that it mig
1t be profitable for us to look into the d
It tails of their system. We did not su
,e pose that that government had act
0. upon our example and had followed o
4, methods of dealing with the Indi
4, tribes. We did not suppose, for instan'
le that they had paid the Indians gratl
ir ties promised them by treaty, in Nj
Q, dletown Bank notes, as was once do
&C to our WinnebagOes, applause a
" laughter) AND it was thought proper
or investigate their system. Mr.. Harlan
n. Iowa Mr.. Doolittle, of Wisconsin, a
IN myself, three members of the Indi
in Committee, were selected as sub co
a mittee to perform this duty during
n. recess.
"a / was written to tomeet the other e
Ii. tlemen on tho 10th of August, at Mia
at ia Falls, if it would suit me. The let
81. sent by me in answer was delayed
ld the mails, and consequently when
till went with my wife to the Falls SO
days later, l found that my colleag
to had been there and had just gone
he down the river. While endeavorine
of establish telegraphic communicat
ng with them, quite unexpectedly /
to countered Judge Black. A letter W
II; ten by that gentlemen, addressed
err General Roumfort, of Harrisburg, ,da
to "York, August 10, 1872" states W
lth took place between us, and explf
for his Journey to Canada at that time
read from it as it has been sent to
and as ! understand it isnot confident
er THE BLACK LETTER.
nd After stating that it is true tina
er, was in Canada about the middle
be- August, 1864, and that he did not
the there as government agent, the Ju
M proceeds:
per "But Mr.. Stanton knew before l
len Washington that / was going to
| ~ "A non