Tuesday, March 9, 2010

XXXVIIth CONGRESS – FIRST SESSION

WASHINGTON, April 24.

SENATE. – The confiscation bill was taken up. Mr. Collamer opposed it.

Mr. King moved an amendment to Mr. Sherman’s amendment, so as to include all persons giving aid to the enemy or levying war. Disagreed to.

Mr. Sherman’s amendment, which limits confiscation to persons holding certain offices under the rebels, was adopted – yeas 27; nays, 11.

Mr. Browning’s bill was postponed until tomorrow.

The bill recognizing Hayti and Liberia was taken up and passed – 32 against 7.

After executive session adjourned.


WASHINGTON, April 25.

Mr. Sherman presented resolutions from the Legislature of Ohio, concerning the rebel prisoners and Columbus, Ohio, saying that the loyal feeling of the people of Ohio had been outraged by the fact that the rebel prisoners at Camp Chase were allowed to retain their slaves by order of Col. Moody, thus establishing slavery in Ohio, and solemnly protesting against this outrage upon the loyalty of the people of Ohio. The resolutions were accompanied by a note from Gov. Tod, saying that the negroes had been sent there as prisoners without permission, and that Col. Moody was obliged to take care of them.

Mr. Sherman said, the fact was, the negroes were sent there with their masters as prisoners, and did serve their masters, but he believed no blame could be attached to Col. Moody or the Governor of Ohio, for thus Maj. Jones, the Inspector at Camp Chase, reported matters all right there.

Mr. Grimes asked if any steps had been taken to free these negroes, as he supposed them to be free by the act of last summer, being captured in the service of the enemy.

Mr. Sherman replied, that no steps had been taken that he knew of. The negroes, he believed, were still there.

Mr. Wilson said he should call up the matter on Monday. He thought some action ought to be had on the subject.

Mr. Trumbull presented a petition for the construction of a ship canal to connect Lake Michigan with the Mississippi river.

Mr. Latham introduced a bill to quiet certain land titles in the State of California. – Referred.

Mr. Cowan introduced a bill to amend the act of April 30th, 1790. He said he should move to refer this bill and all other bills concerning the punishment of rebels and the confiscation of their property, to a select committee of five.

The chair suggested that if this motion meant to include the confiscation bill now before the Senate, it would be more appropriate to move when the bill should be taken up.

The motion was then withdrawn for the present.

The bill for the line of steamships from San Francisco to Shanghai, was taken up and passed by yeas 26, nays 16.

Mr. Wade introduced a bill concerning private actions against public officers. Referred to the judiciary committee.

On motion of Mr. Wilson, of Mass., the Senate went into executive session, and adjourned till Tuesday.


HOUSE. – When the House adjourned yesterday, the resolution of Mr. Hutchins was pending to censure Mr. Vallandigham for words spoken in debate against Senator Wade, &c. The Speaker stated that this was a question of privilege on which Mr. Vallandigham had raised a point of order. After citing from the rules of the House, the Speaker under all the circumstances sustained Mr. Vallandigham’s point of order, and thus was disposed of the question of privilege.

The House considered, but came to no conclusion, the bill appropriating $6,000,000 for bounties for widows and legal heirs of such volunteers as were called out under the act of July last, and have died or may be killed.

The report of the select committee on government contracts was taken up, and after some lengthy remarks by Mr. Davis, the consideration of the subject was postponed till Monday.

Adjourned.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Saturday Morning, April 26, 1862, p. 1

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