Year: 1862

ding for gradual emancipation Of the
slaves in thirty years.


On motion of Mr.. Wade, the bill to
authorize the Secretary of War to appoint
two assistant Secretaries was taken up.


Mr.. Wilson offered an amendment as
subtitute, that the President with consent
of the Senate, appoint two additional assist.
ant Secretaries of War at a salary of $4,000
each. The motion was agreed to and bill
passed.


Mr.. Hale Offered resolution regulating
the compensation of Collectors of Customs
and Naval officers.


The report of the judiciary Committee
on the resolution to expel Mr.. Bright was
then taken up.


Mr.. Sumner said that the expulsion of a
Senator Was one OF the most solemn acts,
but our duties must be performed, especially
when the goOc name of the Senate and the
welfare of the country is at stake. Mr..
Bright has always been notoriously the
friend and sympathizer of Davis and Slidell,
in their schemes in favor of slavery, and all
ways voted with them. He (Sumner)
commented on the address of the letter
which was "to bis Excellency Jefferson
Davis, President of the Confederate States,"
and claimed that it was as far as possible
the recognition Of a pretender as President
of the rebel States.


The letter in its general character was q
correspondence with public enemy as a
traitor, and was kind of moral aid to the
rebels. 1t was letter of friendship and
sympathy all the way through, and showed
that there was one person who, forgetting
what was due to the country and due to the
rebellion, stretched forth his hand in
friendly salutatiOn.


A person who is 80 mixed up in the re.
bellion must be traitor.


But again. The writer of the letter let
ter on the 7th September, 1861, puts forth
another letter to Mr.. Fitch, defending the
first letter; and again, in debate in the Sem
ate he declares he has done nothing that he
would not do over again under the same
circumstances.


Mr.. Lane of Indiana, said that he should
say nothing on this subject, but for the in.
terest he felt in his State. He referred to
his contest for q seat here with Mr.. Bright
three years ago, but he said he had now no
memory of the outrage perpetrated on him,
and against the honor of Indiana. He had
no personal i'll feeling towards his colleague.
He would do him the justice to say, that
on the first day of the session, he came to
him and told him that he (Bright) desired
and demanded full investigation of the
charges made against him. He would give
him the benefit of a manly avowal, but
when the letter was written, his colleague
must have known that war was to result
from fhic uphnlv opl o,l ol
accursed rebellion. War was actually levied
on the Government at that time.


Before the first of March the rebellion
was inaugurated, and Davis elected at its
head.


At such time letter was written by
member of the Senate to the arch high
priest of the rebellion, addressing him by
the very title which we today are resisting.
The letter might have been written care
lessly, but of all things else it was to intro
duce firearms. If there was to be no war
Why should Davis want improved firearms.


He (Lane) believed that the letter unex.
planned was sufficient evidence of treason
and sending improved firearms was giving
aid and comfort to the enemy; but be
(Lane) considered the second letter of MIR.
Bright's to Mr.. Fitch much worse than the
rest.


He (Lane) had nothing to say against
abolitionism, for if the Senator from Mass
achusetts (Sumner) let that pass, he (Lane)
had nothing to add, but in that letter to
Mr.. Fitch his colleague said he was entirely
opposed to the coercion policy of the Gov
ernment.


He Uane) was in favor of all the coer.
Give policy of the Government and would
tax every dollar to carry on the war. He
(Lane) would carry on the war until every
individual was bankrupt. He would give
bis coat of of his back and even lie in
paupers grave and be buried by the hands
of charity, rather than close the war. Ap.
plause in the galleries.


The Vice President ordered the galleries
tob cleared which was done.


Mr.. Lane was for the coercion OF the
rebels and be thought we have perfect right
to confscate the property of the rebels,
even slaves.


Mr.. Bright said il he had known he was
to be arraigned for treason and bringing
war On the country, he would have employ.
ed counsel. If be had known there was to
be regular party organization against him,
and letters and speeches presented, he would
have been better prepared. If slavery
could have driven him away he would be
where the Senator from Massachusetts, says
he ought to be, in the South. He had been
charged by a ealumnious sheet, the Cincin.
cinnati Inquirer, with being Brigadier
General in the rebel army, and by still
more calumnious sheet, the Louisville Demo-
crot, with recruiting for the rebel army in
Kentucky, and that be had written the letter
read. He paid no attention to these until
old friends wrote to him. He then wrote
another letter which was more offensive here
than the other. Mr.. Bright then entered
into an explanation of the cause of his writ
ing the letter to JEFF. Davis, introducing
this B. Lincoln. He (Bright) had no re-
collection of this letter, but must have writ.
ten it. He had also given Lincoln letter to
Franklin and would read both to show they
were similar in language. When he adj
dressed the letter to Davis by his title, he
was only following the example Of Senators
in this body at that time. Here the re-.