New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-02-09
SENATOR pINCHBACk's CASE.

SENATOR PINCHBACk's CASE.
~enntor Morton's Speech.
The following procee dirgs were had in thu
United States Senate on last Friday. Al
supied from the Congressional Record:
The President pro tempore-The morn
ing hour has expired. The resolution Io'
the admission OF p. b. ). flnchDack II I'M
n T5s Secre y read thu following resolu
ton. submitted by Mr.. Morton on the fifth
Res9irea. That P B. S. Pinchback be ad
united as a Senator from the State OF Lou
.siana for the term OF ak years beginning
the fourth day Ut March, 1873.
The President pro tempOre-The pendIns
ing question is on the amendment proposed
hy the Senator from Vermont Mr.
Edmunds). to insert the word mot be:Or'
admitted"
M Morton-Mr. President, shall only
detain the Senate short time this morn
ing This question has been before thi
body several times and ought to have beer
long ago decided. The time has com,
when It ought to be decided in justice t.
the people and in justice to the State o
Louisiana. One thing is certain: the Stat.
OF Louisiana is entitled to have another
Senator on this floor. If Mr.. Pinchbacl
Was UOL 0IcCucu 10 Luo Soudto, tucu tut
present Leg islature is entitled to fill the va
cancy. This proposition is indisputable
and this body has no right upon one pre-
text or another to keep the State from its
representation.
Whether Mr.. Eustis has been elected IN
accordance with the forms of law has not
been examined by the Committee on Privi-
leges and Elections, and they have made no
report upon that; but one thing Is certain,
that if Mr.. Pinchback was not elected. the
present Legislature of Louisiana ls entitled
To FL the vacancy, and whether 1t has been
aiiled by the election of Mr. Eustis may not
Dow be material question, though l can
not see why the forms OF law have not been
complied with in his case if there is va
s,sncy. and that is the only question, it
seems to me, that is before the Senate at
this time.
Before coming to the question of law. on
which wish to make a briet statement,
want to refer very briefly to a matter which
It is due to Mr.. Pinchback to notice in
answer to a report that has been in circula-
Con to the effect that he was dislOyal dur
ing the war. l have had placed in my
hands the military record of Mr. Pinchback
during the war, and l invite Senators to
give It their attention very briefly.
Mr.. Finchback was living in Memphis at
the time OF the capture OF New Orleans BY
one stiOnal forces in 1862. He Immediately
went to New Orleans. Some time after
ward ne obtained from General Butler the
following authority:
New ORLEANS, August q. 1862
BY authority vested in me- By Major
General 3. +. Butler, Pinckney Pinchback
- hereby authorized to recruit company
-. Louisiana volunteers for the United
States army. S. H. STAFFORD.
Superintendent Recruiting Arrangements.
Then follows q memorandum as to where
-Hr.Pyochbacks company was to rendezvous.
NJ. Pincnback raised his company and re-
.eived a commission as captain in the army
ut the United State. in what was known as
the Corps d'Afrigue. a cOlOred regiment
raised in the city Of New Orleans, and here |
ie his commission as captain, signed by
"Benja min +. Butler, Major General COM |
,uanding." who had authority from the gov
eminent of the United States to raise that |
legion. This commission bears date October |
s, 1862. appointing him a captain in the |
army of the United States. On it is indors-
I'D the oath taken by Mr.. Pichback-what is |
known as the ironclsd oath. The first
Cdcers OF that regiment were colored men.
II Examinations were instituted az to their
qualifications, and all were found disGual-
.!ed except Mr.. Plnchback. He passed the
examination. As the coored officers were
mustered out, white officers were mustered
INTO their places; and after the regiment
was differed by white men his position be-
came exceedingly un comfortable. and they
sought to drive him out Of the regiment
He found himself in position where he
could render no valuable serv ice, and he
rendered his resignation in these words:
FORT PIKE, La. September 10, 1862"
He had then been in the service over one
year, and had served honOrably-
''GESERAL-1n the organization of tie regi-
Uient l am attached to twentieth Corps
q Afrique) find nearly all the officers in.
iosical to me, and l can forsee nothing but
and discomfort. which will
make my position very disagreeable in
deed. l would, therefore, respectfully ten.
der my resignation, as am confident that |
by SO doing best serve the interest of the
r<ariment.
Il have the honor to be, sir, very respect
sMlly, your most obedlent servant.
Up. B. s. PINCHBACK,
Captain Second Louisiana National |
The resignation was accepted and he was
aGnorably discharged. l have the dis
charge here:
Especial Orders No. 221.
5sApauARrKRs DEPARTMENT or THE GrLr,l
New Orleans, September Ii, 1865. ) |
fExtrsct.l 8
Xhe following named officer having ten
Tered his resignation as such, is hereby hon
If the United States: Captain P. B. 5.
Finch back, Second Louisiana National
iaarG /;
BY command of Major General Banks.
G. NORMAN LIEBER
Acting Assistant Adjutant General.
Then comes the certificate of Nicholas :
9edder paymaster United States army: .
Z certify that the foregoing is true copy :
rom the original, and that l have this day q
raid Captain P. b. S. Pinchback the sum of +
s>2l 80. il full to date of his discharge. a
NICHOLAS VEDDER,
Paymaster United States Army. .
But Mr. Pinchback was not content to re- | 2
0a;n out OF the service of the United States, | X
1Id BE applied to General Banks. who was 81
hen in command of New Orleans, for au. :,
Dnrity to raise cavalry company, aud he | !.
tcelved that authority October 2, 1863, in .
pecial orders No. 8: y,
90. Mr.. Pinchback having reported for -
tstty. under authority of Colonel j. G. Will a. =,
'n, to raise company OF cavalry, is here M
=: ordered to recruit in the city of New -,
'rleans, and will be governed by the fol -
g wing instructions" :.
Then follow the details as to the matter | ~
{ enlistment. This is signed by -. w. f.
'angs, Jr.. lieutenant colonel and superin. M
rRident recruiting service" Mr.. Pinchback | h.
vent on, raised his company at an expenseto -;
ilnself OF nearly $1,000 and after the CON- .,
any had been recruited he thus applied for r
Is commission as captain Of the company: n
HEADQUARTERS FIRST CAVALRY, CORPS p'AYRIoUs.l W
Eew Orleane, November It. 1863 ! ~,
MAJoR-By authority from Major James IN
sran' Wilson (copy inclosedJ l have re- br
cuited company tor the First Cavalry in
regiment Corps d'Atrique, and would re- "a
pectfully apply for my commission in Or
er to be mustered in with my company.
have the honor, SIT, to be. very respect-
Willy your obedient servant. 10