Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-01-31
NASHVILLE. TENN, SATURDAY, JANUARY 81, 1874.

a harbor of refuge there, and made state
ment in support of the proposition. Re
ferred.
Under the call of committees for reports
of private character, various reports were
made and referred.
The Christian Soldier.
Mr.. COburn, from the Committee on
Military Affairs, reported joint resolution
requesting the President to convene a court
of inquiry of not less than five officers of
the army, to investigate fully all the charges
against Brig Gen. o. D. Howard contained
in the communication of the Secretary of
War of the 9Th of December, 1873, and to
report their opinion as well on the moral
as the legal responsibility for such offenSes,
if any may be discovered.
MIR. Frye asked leave to offer an amend
ment giving the accused the right of chal-
lenge, now allowed by law in trial by court
martial.
Mr.. COburn declined to let the amend
ment be offered, and remarked there is no
place for challenge to come in, as the
committee would be appointed by the Pres
ident. He moved the previous question.
The House refused to second the previous
question by vote Of "A to 100 and the
amendment was received and the discussion
proceeded.
Mr.. Wood suggested simple resolution
Requesting the President to convene a
court of inquiry to try the charge.
Mr.. Coburn said that in general sense
the President had had the management of
the Freedmen's Bureau as much as Gen.
Howard or as the Republican party. Why
then all this defamation about what Gen.
Howard had done? Who proposed to do
anything unkind, unjust or unreasonable?
The resolution was reported from com
mittee all of whose members were friendly
to Gen. Howard, and he would tell the
House that no longer than yesterday he
had converSed with Gen. Howard who had
told him that the resolution suited him and
that it might be passed without objection.
He felt that the proposed limitation Of the
Presidents power by giving the accused the
right Of challenge was an imputation on
the President, and while he did not believe
it to be offered in that spirit its direct effect
on the minds of the country would be that
it was an expression ola
Lack Of Confidence
in the President.
Mr.. Speer suggested adding provisO to
the amendment that the sufficiency of chal-
lenge shall be determined by the Presi-
dent on reasons publicly assigned by the
accused.
Mr.. Butler, of Massachusetts, said he did
not regard the amendment as an imputa-
tiOn against the President any more than
the challenge of grand juror was an i'm
putation against the marshal who summon
ed the jury. He supposed the case of Gen.
Hooker, who had publicly expressed dis
paraging opinions as to Gen. Howard being
appointed Oh the court Of inquiry, and ask
ed whether, in such a case, accused should
not have the right of challenge.
Mr.. Thornburgh, member of the Military
| Committee, favored an investigation of the
charges by his committee, and proposed to
have the matter referred back for that pur-
pose.
Mr.. Hawley, of Connecticut, another
member Of the Military Committee, was
| opposed TO that committee conducting the
examination, because if it completely ex-
| Onerated Gen. Howard, his case would be
as unsettled then as now. Il large portion
Of the people would believe it was 4 case of
Political whitewashInG.
Mr.. Wood asserted that the committed
which investigated Gen. HOwHds case in
| 1871 was unfair. and said that an important
witness against Gen. Howard had been ex-
cluded from the committee room and was
not examined.
Gen. HOar, who had been a member OF
that committee, replied to Mr.. Woods ale
cations, and said that after he (WOod) had
1 -. - =
mittee, three days had been allowed tC
Gen. Howard, and then Mr.. Wood desired
to reopen the case, which would have re
Guired witnesses to be brought from SOutl
Carolina. Gen. Howard he said, had neve
thing in his life.
Mr.. Wood retorted upon Mr.. Hoar by
stating that that gentleman had been tho
friend, counselor, adviser, defender anC
Small Legal Truekster
who had engineered the case Of Gen. How
ard.
As soon as the word truckster was an
nounced, the Speakers hammer fell.
| Mr.. Garfield called Mr.. Wood to order
and the Speaker decided that the word wa;
unparliamentaTy.
Mr.. Wood withdrew the word truckster
Mr.. Randall moved that Mr.. Wood b,
allowed to proceed in order. The motor
was agreed TO.
Mr.. Wheeler "Has not the hour Il
which the gentleman from Indiana Go
burn) was entitled explred?'
Speaker-"Just this moment"
Mr.. Wheeler-"Then l call for the regu,
lar order Of business
Mr.. Wood-'I hope my colleague viii
not interfere"
Mr.. Wheeler-'I insist on the regular
ORDER"
The Speaker then put the question OF
Mr.. Frye's amendment and it was adopted
yeas 172 nays "a.
The joint resolution, as amended, was
then passed.
A Novel Case.
The House then preceded to the eonsid
Grafton or private bills. A private bill in.
volving a new and important principle gave
rise to considerable discussion. 1t was the
case Of trading vessel, the Norman, which
was pressed into service during the last
war and which was CAPTURED by the enemy
the master and crew being thrown into
military prison, where the master died
The bill gives to his widow the pension
attaching to his rank in the navy. Il wal
supported by Hufiingt0n and Hutler oi
Massachusetts, and opposed by Holman, as
the commencement Of
\ civil Pension List.
The bill was passed.
The House adjourned, tO-mouow's seS
sion to be for debate only.
NesmitH's Amends His BIasphemy.
Asentence in the sketch Of Representative
Nesmith's sprecn yesterday on the subject
of Indians, instead Of reading as it did, il
| should have read: 'If John the Baptist
IL L