The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-01-14
Hawley's Resolution ON the JEFF Davis.
Sherman Matter Further Discussed
The Resolution Passed.
The House Promptly Adjourned or
the Announcement of the Death
of Schuyler Ooifax.
THE FORTY.EIGaTH CONGRESS.
TIE Senate.


over By the House, amended By striking out
all the provisions for change in existing
lsws.
Nr. Dolph, from the Committee on Public
Lands, reported favorably the House bill
repeating the presumption, timber culture,
ind desert law acts and modifying the
homestead act.
Mr.. Edmunds introduced bill authoriz.
ing the President to appoint and place on
the retired list of the army one person from
among those who have been Generals CON-
manding the armies of the United States, Or
Generals-in-Chief of said army. Mr.. Ed.
mGnds expressed the hope that unanimou
consent would be given for immediate con
sideration of the bill Every senstor. he
said, would see the object, purpose aud ap
plicatiOn Of the bill II would suthoriz
fhe President TO appoint General Grant ,
tie retired list. In its form IL obviated this
difficulty observed in the Fitz john Porter
osse.
Mr. Cockeren asked that it should lie over
till tomorrow.
Bills introduced and referred:
By Mr.. Harrison: Providing for the cree
ton Of public building at Madison, Ind, to
cest $75 600.
BY Mr. Van Wyck: Making railroad cor
porations, organized by acts of Congress,
subject to the control and legislation OF
States and territories in which the roads are
constructed.
BY Mr. Slater: To create new land dis.
tEict in Oregon.
a resolution was sgreed to calling upon
the Secretary of the Treasury to commune
cate to the Senate copies of orders, CORES
pondence, etc, made or approved by him
sin &c December %, 1884, relating TO the col
frc4Iop mr. rOafpouamenf on fha yanaieeion n
tax upon distilled spirits intended to be ex
ported.
On motion OF Mr.. Howley the Senate
again took up the Sherman Dsvis-resoiution,
and Senator Vance spoke upon 1t. He
quoted from General Sberman's letter the
illusions 10 finding Governor Vance
official correspondence IN the Executive
Mansion. The letter referred to by General
Sherman wss not found IN the copy book
referred 20, for the reason that no such letter
vas ever there. He asserted, on the honor OF
\ gentleman, that no letter making The
threats General Sherman alleges to have
Seen made was ever received by the speaker
from JEFF Davis. Men who fought on the
Northern and victorious side seemed
20 think it a shane that those who
fought for the South and lost did not joia
IN the attempt To heap obloquy on
the head Of Jeff Davis. The speaker had, as
vas well known, been drawn into secession
unWilIinglv. But ones in there WAS not
Gay nor an hour that he bad not done his
best TO make it successful. General Sher-
man would rob him of this reflection. 1t was
true the speaker had sent an embassy to
General Sherman to ask protection for his
people. bat the COnfederacY was then at an
end. General Sherman had found IN the
fact that he aid not await the return of his
embassy, evidence that he was afraid of JEFF
Davis" Afraid of Davis, then fugitiye2
Was ever proposition more sbsurdP
The reason why he did not await
the return OF the embassy
was because it was reported that
the COMMISSIONS had been captured by Kill
parricKs cavalry, promptly robbed of their
personal possessions and taken to General
Sherman's headquarters. Thereupon he
joined the line Of the retresting army.
at the conclusion of Mr.. Vancs's remarks
Mr.. Hawley said ths purpose of his resolu-
ton was simply to make accessible what he
regarded as information of historic value.
He did not seek this debate, nor wish to raise
IT. He had no disposition wantOnly to as
sail or exult over men who had lost but
whenever issues were presented which had
been brought into view in this discussion,
be had maintained in the war,
and characterize as conspirators
and traitors those who engaged in conspir-
Bcy and treason. His principle was, We
Enst Judge men By light they have. bat
measures by the light We have. He then
that passed between Governor Vance aud
President Davis, and read q letter of Mr..
Vance, protesting against the proposed sus.
pension of the writ of habeas corpus, and
threatening that the people of North Caro-
lima would resist it; he also referred TO the
refusal by Governor Brown, of Georgia, to
obey an order of President Davis as justify
ing General Sherman's remarks about the
opposition IN contsderacy to Davis admin
istrati6n.
Mr.. Brown Was the next speaker. He said
be was willing 20 stand upon his record, and
did not propose TO discuss it, bat would
briefly reply to one or lwo assertions that
had been made in regard 10 his alleged OBJ
structioD to President Davis administration.
He differed with Davis very materially on
several questions and discussed the differ
eDce with him very frequently, but threw
60 obstacle in the way of military opera
tons, nor did he ever disobey any legal or
der which the President of the Confederaoy
had a right 10 make. When General Sher-
nan invaded Georgia, he Governor Brown
bad organized 3 military force of old men
and boys who were not liable TO CONSUMPTION
or military duty under tbs laws OF the Con.
fscerecy. a proposition was made By Presi
dent Davis to turn this body OF troops over
TO the regular Confederate commander end
he refused 10 obey il because the President
had no right 70 issue the order, and IN
doubtsdiy had issued Il under a misunder-
standing of the nature of the case. he
quoted from his own message to the Georgia
Legislature to show his relation to the Con-
federacy at the time and his earnest efforts
TO support the military operations. He
qaotsd from General Shermsn's letter and
TIE correspondence between the latter and
President Lincoln. He said he entertained
ut no time any such purpose as to visit Gen.
ersl Sherman, as the latter seemed
to suppose, and be believed Mr..
Stephens entertained no such purpose.
He had haen fnvited thr1u0h Mr.
King by General Sherman to visit
him to treat for terms of peacelss far as
Georgia YVES concerned, but be had replied
he had no Authority to negotiate The
speaker was not sn original Union man, he
was . secessionist from the beginning; there