Year: 1864

Grade of general in the United States army sub
mitted report signed by all the members of the confer
enee which report agreed to by the Senate. 1t
promises the differences between the two Houses by 30
amending the bill as TO give it the following form:


"Be enacted &c That the grade OF lieutenant general
and the President he eby authorized whenever he
shall deem expedent to appoint Dy ana wh the aaves
among those officers in the military service OF the United
States mot SslSM % snd wh being
lieutenant general may be suthonzea under the dreeo
during pleasure of the President to command the
Sec Q And be IL further enacted That the lieutenant
general appointed herenbefore provi led shall be entitled
to the paw allowances specified in the fifth section
of approved May 2s 1898 and also the allowances
sso aranin@ additional raons certain officers rovded
nothing this bill contained shall be construed n any
Lieutenant by brevet the retired is' of the
| NEGROES AS WITNESSES AND JURORS.
| Mr. COLLAMER moved to postpone all prior orders
with view of taking up BILL which had been reported
with an amendment from the Committee on the Post Of
fee and Post Roads, to remove all disqualification OF
| color in carrying the mails


The bill proposes tha hereafter person. by
of color shall be disqualified from employment in carry
ing the mails, and the amendment proposed by the com
mlttee is to insert additional secon as follows:


Sec Ind be R further enacted That in the of the
United States shall be exclusion of any witness
| account of color


Mr. CoLLAMER said the committee were OF the opinion
that color to be employed and rendered
eligible to be employed carriers OF the mail it would
be unsafe commit to their hands the mail when they
could not themsr Ives be witnesses against those who
should violate that ma-stea it, rob it, commit depreda
tions it and nasmuch as in many of the States per-
of color cannot be witnesses in the courts the com
mttee thought it necessary to add this section to
make them witnesses the United States courts IN order
| to render the bill safe to the community


= By our general law (sad Mr. the rules of evidence
the of the United States are the same as those
existing in the part cular State which courts sit
and therefore in those States in which such law exists
cooed people cannot be witnesses and hence they
cannot be safely entrusted with the carrying OF the mails
but il ia within the power f Congress to render them
competent witnesses the United States courts Indeed
the practice and the tendency of opinion to take
away all disqualification of witnesses upon any ground
and to leave their testimony to the jury and the
court for them to weigh and do justice In many Of our
States the parties to an action are competent
witnesses; and objection in point of law exists in
nearly all the States account of mans religious
tments All those disqua6catons have been swept away
think it time do here IN relation to colored
people and to make them witnesses competent in United
States courts The courts and the ues OF course Will
Judge of their credbty Especially should that be done
| if the mail is to be committed to their hands


| Mr. LANE, of Indiana opposed the bill. When this
proposition he said before the Senate at the last


sion authorize cOored persons to carry the mail voted
against it, shall vote against it but if the bill be
passed. it to that the amendment proposed by
the committee proper that they shall be made wtDe
in the United States Courts. In many Of the Safes
colored persons excluded from giving testimony where
white persons other than co0ed persons are
ties to the suit That is the law in State If this
bill passes it will authorize these persons to testify in the
Federal courts who are not permitted to testify IN the
courts because the Federal courts by statutes
ADOPT the practice Of the Stat courts far pracca
bic. unwilling to pass this BILL believing that there
necessity for it. There are plenty OF white persons
in the United States, competent and honest and faithful
who may discharge all hee duties and see no necessity
opening the carrying of the mails to coored persons


do not believe they WILL in the ordinary course OF event
proye more competent faithful than white per
sons 1t will not be supposed by any acquainted with
my record that not fully ant slavery in my views
but do believe these radical counsels against the preju
deC.i NAV he Or AGAIN
country will produce reaction and do great harm instead
of good Emancipation going on well enough now and
, am willing 10 leave II precisely where t s and shall
give vote for the mere purpose of agitation which can
by possibility do good.


We have had for the last week discussions upon the
subject of coored people One question in refer
to the railroads in your city here feel compelled
to say that in my opinion the railroad company have
adopted precisely the best aud the most convenient mode


for the transmission OF passengers white and black that
it better they be kept separate ln the present cond
of public opinion aud in the present leeis saon upon
subject that not only right and proper but the best
course that can be adopted and am unwilling to 60 into
Of this useless agitaon which can result IN no pos
sibe good believe it ia we'll at this time look TO ques-
tions affecting the interests of white well as the
interests of black men, and that the interests Of both at
this time best consulted and best promoted by no
lation Of this kind know shall differ with most OF my
friends did at the last session OF Congress- but shall
against this measure believing that good purpose
will be effected by its passage


Mr. LANE, of Kansas Lam proud to say th.t re-
present State the ptople Of which have intelligence





the truth from the lips Of individuals without
reference to color The people o Kansas have long since
eradcated this much of their prjudices against the op
pressed African hope, SIR, the bill amended by the
committee will pass.


Mr. SALISBURY. / hail as omen OF good the re-
MARKS which have fallen from the distinguished Senator
from Indiana think they will be received by the coun
try with pleasure and that the ronak which have been
made here this morning by that Senator will have good
effect throughout the country shall enter into no dis
cussion of the merits Of the bill now before tn Senate
but will simply ask this question where is the practical
go TO be subserved by the passage of this blf Has
the public service suffered ment in the past from the
mail been unaiey carried by of the exclusion Of
to result from the passage Of this measured sprac
tca question, simply question Of sentiment, ques-
ton OF theory which ia presented TO the Senstel


Mr.. President nearly every morning since the com
mencement OF this session Of Congress measure or
other has been called up and to have the prefer
which has exclusive references to the negroes of the
country Surely, SIR your legislation has far enough
FIR short period of time. Surely sufficient time OF
this session Of Congress has been devoted The interests
of that class Of people, without absorbing every day dur
ing the session in the consideration OF matters In which
they peculiarly interested put the question to the
Senate and put the question to the country for their
what is the possible motive for the ntrOduc
tion of this bll and for the passage Of this bill by Con-
gress7 repeat is any public good to result from such
an enactment' Has the public service suffered der
ment in the past from the exclusion Of this class of per-
sons from the carrying of the mas1 Will the public
service be benefited in the future by the adoption OF this
measured Iapprehend not and when you do allow them