XXXVIIth Congress – First Session

WASHINGTON, April 21.

SENATE. – Messrs. Howe and Howard presented memorials from citizens of Wisconsin and Michigan, praying for a ship canal from Lake Michigan to the Mississippi river.

Mr. Doolittle spoke in favor of the resolutions in regard to Brig. Gen. Stone.

Mr. Wade replied to him.

Mr. Cowell offered a resolution calling on the Secretary of State for the names of all persons, resident of the State of Kentucky, who have been arrested by his order, and confined in forts, camps, and prisons, since the 1st of Sept. last. Also number and age of those who had been released; and the number, names and ages of those retained.

Mr. Sumner objected, and the resolution was laid over under the rule.


HOUSE. – Mr. Cox, of Ohio, submitted the following: Resolved, That the secretary of War inform the House of the following facts: 1. What has delayed reply to the resolution of this House, calling for information as to the age, sex, condition, &c., of Africans employed in Gen. Wool’s department. 2. What number of slaves has been brought into this District by the army officers, or other agents of the Government, from Virginia, since the enemy abandoned Manassas, and their lines on the Potomac. 3. What number of fugitives from Maryland and Virginia are now in the city of Washington, their sex, and probable ages. 4. What number is now in, and has been sent to Frederick, Md. 5. How many are now fed and supported by the money of the U. S., appropriated by congress to prosecute the war. 6. By what authority where both old and young, male and female, sent by rail to Philadelphia, at whose expense, the amount of expense, and the purpose for which they were sent. 7. If he has not the means to answer these inquiries, to take the necessary steps to obtain the information.

On motion of Mr. Lovejoy, the resolution was tabled, 65 against 31, the republicans generally voting in the affirmative.

On motion of Mr. Porter, a resolution was adopted, instructing the committee on invalid pensions for disabled soldiers of the present war. The House reconsidered the vote by which the resolution was adopted to-day, calling for the expenditures of the Western department and then rejected it.

Mr. Divens resolution requesting the Attorney General to bring a suit against Gen. Fremont and Mr. Beard, to recover money obtained on the order of Fremont, was taken up. Mr. Divens [spoke] of the extravagance of the expenditures on the St. Louis fortifications; the money having been drawn without any just equivalent and without any form of law.

Mr. Colfax disapproved of the St. Louis contracts, but the circumstances under which they undertaken, offered an extenuation for them. Why did government then wait until Gen. Fremont was in the face of the enemy before they malignantly pursued him. Why not wait until the end of the war, instead of so acting as to cause him to loose the confidence of his army in front of the foe.

Mr. Blair replied to Mr. Colfax, that St. Louis never was in danger, excepting from Gen. Fremont, who brought with him a gang of Californians to the prejudice of the people of Missouri. He admitted that the was partly influenced in placing Gen. Fremont in command in the west, but he had suffered for it, and he hoped he would be pardoned.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Tuesday Morning, April 22, 1862, p. 1