Year: 1867

when man committed treason he was like woman
fallen from virtue, ready for any erime ard from
that hour no one knew where to find him. Eldridge
reminded Butler that in making that statement be
had forgotten the eminent men who had gone into
rebellion: Hancock, Adams and Washington, misses
every of them had been called rebel, and every
one Of them had been rebel continued hisses unit
rebellion became success.


The following introduced and passed under a
suspension of the rules by strict party vote That
the doctrine ayoWed by the President that by the alb
lrogation Of the rebel States we are bound as ma
ton to pay their debts incurred prior the rebellion
is at with the principles OF international law and
is abhorrent to every sentiment of loyalty and pleas
ing only to traitors, their allies and sympathsers by
whose agency alone the governments of said States
maintained that were overthrow.


The Senate bill comforting on negroes the righ o
holding office, was amended to include the right to
serve jury, and referred to the Judiciary Com
mttee.


1 resolution requesting the President to issue a
proclamation directing all proper officers to prevent
the invasion of Mexico, was referred to the Commit
tee on Foreign Affairs.


WASHINGTON, July 18-senate.-A Joint resolu.
tion introduced extending steam mail service to
4 China.


4 The Committee on Foreign Relations directed
to inquire how many Mexican soldiers were executed
under Maximans decree.


Wilson introduced resolution lauding the Mexi-
cans, which was referred.


The consideration of Indian affairs was resumed,
and the bill finally passed. 1t provides commission
to obtain peace if possible; but otherwise four thou
sand border soldiers to be raised to push the
Adjourned.


/ House-Scofeld offered resolution directing the
Secretary of the Treasury withhold the payment of
the three million cotton claims awarded by the Court
of Claims. He said the claims could be examined by
proper committee at the next session, and paid by
appropriation if found correct. Passed.


resolution passed anthorising the Committee on
Southern railroads n nroran1 hV euh
Mr. Robinson asked leave to introduce preamble
and resolution to remove the cotton tax Ali-
son and Bingham objected


The resolutions sympathisng with Gambia passed.


Bingham sent to the Clerks desk and had read the
following telegram, received by himself to day from
Gen. Sickles: Thanks for your handsome reply to
Mr.. Eldridge. You may relieve his anxiety with the
consoling information that my egupage has not cost
him any of his friends anything Said equipage is
the cherished gift Of my colleagues of the Third Army
Corps


Logan offered preamble and resolutions, which
passed. reasselting the general that armed ex-
pedtions being organised i'll this country against


the republic of Mexico at variance with the wishes and
feelings of all good citizens of the United States, and
contrary to the established policy and respectfully
requesting the President to issue proclamation re-
quirng all proper officers Of the United States to pre-
vent such unlawful organisations being formed, and
warning all persons who depart from the United
States such expeditions that they will forfeit all
rights to protection under the laws Of the United
States.


A substitute was offered for The Senate bill graran.
teeing equal rights in the District of Columbia by
striking out the word white wherever it in
the charter ordinances laws. Passed and adjourned.


WASHINGTON, July 19.-Senate--The House amend
ment allowing negroes to jurors adopted.


A joint resolution from the House nulfying DEGREES
of Court of Claims severely denounced by Trum-
bull.


Sumner introduced bill to strike out the word
white from the naturalization laws, which referred
to the Judiciary Committee.


The Presidents veto read aud bill passed not
withstandng, by 30 to s.


The reconstruction appropriation bill was passed
over the veto.


The Senate passed resolution to adjourn to-mor-
row at 5 o'clock until first Monday iu December
4 A veto from the President received. The mes
sage three columns, and argues eaboraely the
inconsistencies Of the act Abiding to the decara-
ton that the State governments illegal, he says
A singular contradiction is apparent here Congress
declares these local State Illegal and then
that they shall be carried by Federal officers who
are to perform the very duties imposed upon its own
officers by this illegal State authority 1t certainly
would be novel spectacle if Congress would attempt
to carry illegal State government by agency of
its own officers. 1t is strange Congress should at
tempt to sustain and carry illegal State govern
ment by the same federal agency with regard to title
by conquest lie says 1t Is new title acquired by
war; it applies only to territories for goods
bles. Things regularly captured in war are called
booty, or if taken by individual soldiers punder
There is not foot Of land in any one Of these ten
States which the United States holds by conquest
save only such land did not belong to either of
these States to any individual owner mean such
lands as did belong to the pretended governments,
called the Confederate States These lands We may
claim and hold by conquest As to all other lands or
territory whether belonging to the States to ind
vduals the Federal Government has now no more
title RIO tn than had hpfor
Within period less than year the legislation of
Congress has attempted to strip the executive depart
ment of the Government of Of its essential pow
ers which the Constitution and the oath provided. 1t
devoves upon the President the duty that the
laws faithfully executed. In order to carry out
the provisions Of the Constitution regards this pow
err he must have the choice of the agents and make
them subject to his control aud supervision. But in
the execution ofthese laws the constant obligation up
on the President remains, but the power to exercise
that constitutional duty is efectually taken away by
appointment of military commanders, to the power
of appointment to make and take the place Of the
President, and the general OF the army the place of
the Senate and any attempt on the part of the Presi
dent to assert his construction of power may, un
der preense of law be met by official INSTRUMENTATION
1t is to be feared that these military officers, while
looking to the authority given by these laws rather
than to the letter of the Constitution will recognise
no authority but that given to commanders of dis
tricts and The general of the army If there
other objection than this to the proposed eglSlaon
it would be sufficient Whilst hold the chief exeeu-
tive authority of the United States whilst the obga
ton rests upon to see that all the laws faith
fully executed, can never willingly surrender that
trust or power given for its execution. never
give my assent to be made responsible for the faithful
execution Of the laws and at the same time surrender
that trust, with the powers which accompany, to any
other execuveotficer, high low, to any number
of executive officers this executive trust vested by
the Constitution in the President is to be taken from
him and vested in subordinate officer, the RESPONSE
bility will be with Congress- in cothing the subordi
nate with unconstitutional power and with the officers
who assume its exercise. This interference with the
constitutional authority of the executive department
is evil that will inevitably sap the foundation of
our federal system, butt is not the worst evil Of this
legislation It is great public wrong to take from
the Presiden. the powers conferred upon him alone
by the Constitution, but the wrong is fagrant
and more dangerous when the powers so taken from
the President conferred subordinate executive
officers, and especially military officers, over nearly
one third of the States of the United Statesmtary
power, regulated by fixed law and rules, supreme
for each of these i've district commanders though
not chosen by the people responsible to these ex-
erciscs at this hour more executive power, military
and civil than the people have been willing to
confer on the head of the executive department,
though chosen BY and responsible to themselves. Ard
Il the remedy must come from the Deone themselves