The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-01-13
In the Course of Which Some Very Plain
Language Is Used by Senators In
gals, Sherman and Hawley.
The Democratic Defenders of the Old
Rebel Chief Come to the Rescue,
And Warmly Espouse the Cause of the Fallen
Traitor, Senator Lamar Making the
Principal Effort in His Behalf.
THE SENATE


Wis CONTROVERSY.
= WAsH1NGToN, Jan. 12.Among the petitions
presented was one by Mr. Hoar, from Mrs
Belya A Lockwood, praying Congress to see
that the votes cast for her at the late presiden
tial election be counted
Mr. Van Wyck, from the committee on public
lands, reported favorably, with amendments,
the House bill to prevent unlawful occupancy
of public lands. The principal amendment pro-
posed is 60 authorize the President to use the
civil and military force to remove and destroy
illegal fences.
The Chair laid before the Senate resolution
heretofore offered by Mr.. Hawley, calling on the
President for a copy of an historical statements
concerning the public policy of the executive
department of the Confederate States, filed at
the War Department by General Sherman.
MIR. Harris said that if any action by the Sem
ate was proper with regard to the paper or papers
referred to, he would not object to the call but
if no such action was to be taken, Mr.. Harris
could see no object in the call for the papers.
They were in possession of the War Depart
ment, and would appear in the rebellion record
Mr.. Harris had examined the papers at the War
Department. They consisted of a somewhat
voluminous argument by General Sherman of
his side of personal issue, made through the
newspapers between himself and jefferson
Davis.
Mr.. Hawley had presumed the papers would
find their way into publicity and he had desired
complete and not partial edition published
Mr.. Harris had not the slightest objection to
the broadcast publication of the papers, but saw
no reason why they should be sent to the Senate
to be merely printed executive document
and then slumber there.
Mr.. Hawley said the papers related to the last
year of the war, and would not probably be pub
llshed in the rebellion record for a couple OF
years to come.
Mr.. Harris doubted the propriety of calling for
the papers.
Mr.. Vest regretted the introduction o: the
resolution not that he would oppose the largest
publication of the history of the Confederate
States, but because the Senate would be making
itself, indirectly at least, party to controversy
that had been going on i'll the public press. His
feelings toward General Sherman were of the
kindest character, and he believed he was his
personal friend.
The debate continued at some leugth, and be.
came pretty warm before it closed The partici-
pants, in addition to Senators Hawley, Harris,
George and Vest, were Senators Sherman,
Ingalls, Morgan, Conger and Lamar. Mr.. Vest
inquired whether it was manly to commit the
Senate to any side of personal controversy when
Mr.. Davis could not be heard. Mr.. Davis was
to day an old man. broken in fortune and health
living among people who honored him. He
Mr. Vest) had been member of the confederate
Senate and frequently opposed Mr. Daviss
measures, but he believed, as an overwhelming
majority of the Southern people believed, that
Mr.. Davis was as true and loyal to the cause he
espoused as ever was wife to husband or reg
ious devotee to the God he worshiped.
Mr. George said the controversy WAS person
al one between two private citizens of the United
States
Mr. Conger disputed Mr. Daviss right to be
called citizen in any relation of equality to
Gen. Sherman.
Mr. George was willing the controversy should
be settled by history. He had no fear thas the
result would be adverse to the honor or patriot
ism of Jefferson Davis.
Mr. Morgan said it may be true that Jefferson
Daviss political disabilities had not been re-
moved, but he was no less a man because of that
1t was not less true that he was beloved by mill
lions of people yet in the United States He
had been no more an enemy of the United States
than many senators now on the floor Of the
United States Senate.
THE INDoRsERs OF DAVIS
Mr. ingalls, said Jefferson Daus's name had
never been mentioned in the Senate without
Morgan, Vest and other associates ndorsing him.
and declaring he was a man of honor and a pa
triot, and that millions of people in the United
States loved him. So long as such remarks were
INDUCED in, it was in vain to declare that the
animosity engendered by war had been buried
forever. 1t did not sound we'll to have faunted
so constantly in our faces by members of the
Senate the fact that Davis was a patriot and q
man Of honor, and that he was beloved by mil
lions. We had just witnessed the spectacle of an
election of a President of the United States by
the votes of the men who declared to-day that
Jefferson Davis was man of honor and pa
triot. He fMr. Ingalls) had heard the senator
from Missouri (NIr Vest frequently allude
with something of apparent pride and satisfac-
ton to the part he played in the politics OF the
Southern Confederacy. There was no occasion for
such illusions. 1t did not concern the argument
of the question before the Senate, when no APP
peal was made to partisan feeling, for senator's
TO rise one after another, and dwell upon the
fact that they had been members of the confed-
crate Senate and that jefferson Davis was be-
loved by the Southern people, and that he had
been actuated by the sentiments of a man OF
honor and patriot. Referring to Mr.. Vests al
fusion to his membership of the confederate Sem
ate, Mr.. ingalls, remarked that, so far as tho
State of Missouri was concerned, Mr. Vest had
not been accredited to that Senate, as the State
of Missouri had not been out of the Union. In
Mr.. Ingalls, protested against the senti,,
ments he had heard so often expressed
by Mr.. Vest AS to the immedi-
ate controversy under discussion, Davis
DaO Call6Q SHERMAN u ildI-LuHb Nao tho PAoAA
English of it In any controversy between
Davis and Sherman Mr.. ingalls, was for Sher-
man, and So he said, would all the loyal people
of the country be-
Mr. Hawley did not coincide with the view
that, by passing his resolution, the Senate
would be taking sides in a private quarrel.
Personally, however, he did not hesi-
tate to say that in a controversy between Jeffer
son Davis and General Sherman, he mr. Haw-
ley) was on General Shernaan's side all the !.
time. He believed General Sherman was on thes
right side-personal. political, and military-in
the war for the Union.
Mr. Harris inquired what good would be &C,