The New York herald., 1878-03-13

was established under the Declaration OF lndopea-
dence and the constitution for the more general
ana not for the limitation of tie rights OF
personal liberty freedom OF conscience, OF the press
o the expression Of opinion, &C.. that the statutes
aforesaid are In the opinion oil your petitioners,
plain violations OF the letter aud spirit OF these fun
damenlal principles OF our government, anc that
they are capable OF and fact being used Tor tho
purposes sf moral ana religious prosecutions The
petitioners pray that the statutes aforesaid may DC
repealed or materially modined SO that iney cannot
be used 10 abrdge thereedom OF the press or OF con-
science"
lew names were signed to the petition. after
which was the iollowing:-"And 80 900 Others at
tachcd 10 petitions 100 long hled with The house
Committee on Revision OF Laws"
The petition was referred to the Committee on Re-
vision OF Laws
Ex-suaeEoS GENERAL HAxxosDs CASE.
MI SPENCER, OF Alab ana, called up the House bill
ior the relief oil William A. Hammond, late Surgeon
General O. the United states Army, which was dis
cusseu at length last week.
MT fLUAD, lrcph oil Kan, opposed tho bill and said
ne was opposed 10 the overturning OF Tho judgments
OF courts martial just much as no was opposed
Congress overturning Inc judgment o a civil GRIM
inal court TUE trial oi General Hammond occu pied
iour months. and Inc proceedings were the hands
OF the President abraham LincoIn) for throc ths
Ihe fresident know every step Ia the trial. and aft
careful and patient examination OF the proceedings
he certified 10 them and drected that the
tcnce OF the Court DO carried effect Sec
retary stanton ana President Lincoln, who
prominent actors IN tho case. dead but tho
Senatc was asked 10 say that as matter oil SPITE in
an unwarranted manner they dismissed this man
from the service and put disgrace upon him.
phe riends OF tho o mad put clause In that Dr..
hammond should not be entitled TO back, present or
future pay or allowance. Az some time hereafter
some OF MS descendants would come IN and claim
back pay que MIN.
REMARKS or MR. coxxLxG
Mr CoNkLSG said DR.. Hammond citizen of
New York, citizen guished tor his talents ana
tor his achievements In the lela OF science He was
absent from this Chamber but ne had been spoken OF
Tis.er'y ,;ms aud gnjustly, as ne could show; but
time was OF more Importance than any
thing he (Mr. Conklins) could say, tho
friends OF the bill Hoped TO got a. vote upon
Kansas (slr. Plumbl There were two things,
however, which he could not pass unnoticed. DR..
jurisdiction, IN the din and chaos oi great war, and
he tMr Conklngj know somewhat botter than the
Senator from Kansas (Mr. Plumo) seemed to know
the circumstances attending the case. He was not
convicted of personal turpitudo he con
OF venaty; no was not convicted OF treason 10 mis-
trust or OF making gain improperly Tor himself The
Senator (Mr. Plumb) saw phantom In the distance
u danger that the heirs OF DR.. Hammond would come
,s mere ana Gain recompense II this eli should be
70 clothe the Prcsldsnt with power TO review
ana snnu, to defined extent snly, the
act declared 'that the said William A. Hammond shall
not In virtue OF such TO the army
BACK, present or future pay or allowances OF any kind
whatsoever" II ever tncre was IN i'm passADlo bar
rier erected against possible phantom creditor OF the
iuturs that barrier stood there.
Mr. PLuMB inquired " the Senator would permit tho
bill 10 De SO amended as TO embrace all persons who
were tried by courts martial
Mr. CoNKLiNG said tho vigilance OF tho Senator from
Kansas mr. Pumb) was so great that he could not
doubt that while that Senator remained he would
sulnclenty guard the rights OF all others This bill
had 0cen passed by the House OF Representatives and
hc (ME Conkng) tor one declined TO make any IN
necessary changes IN u TO send II back TO the House
10 take It's chances In the great press OF businoss
The bill was then read u third time ana passed
yeas 5o nays l-Mr Plumb only voting negative
Mr. lHURhAN, (iem.) OF Ohio called up the Dill
ported by The judiciary Committee Ia regard the
Pacific Railroad sinking iund. He spoke In expana.
ton OF tho b showing the OF the roads
to the government, not one dollar OF which hao been
PAID Though thoy mad dvdod extraordinary dIvidends
among their shareholders.
Mr.. DAVIS, (ind) OF lii member OF tho Judiciary
Committee, spoke of tho necessity OF making some
provision i0r pay ment OF the indebtedness IRON
these Pacinc railroads, and argued that Con
gress had tho right 10 pass such o bil
as tho one proposed. he referred to the
eighteenth section the act OF July l. 1862
chartering the road, wherein congress reserved the
said the passage OF the pending bill was nothing DO
quoted a. length from legal authorities In support
The power OF Congress pass the bi argued Iha
the pubic interest required H. N
Pending discussion the bill laid aside, aud th
Senate, on motion Of Mr. WINDOW, took up the Yves
Point Appropriation bill; but before proceeding witt
It's consideration motion OF Mr.. MATTHEWS, of ONO
10 90 into executive session agreed to, and Mr
WISDoM gave notice that the. consideration Of tn
West Point oil would bo tho expiration
| tho morniug hour tomorrow.
the senate tnen at three O'Clock, went into cxecu
two session, ana when the doors were reopencd ac
journed.