WASHINGTON, February 25.
Mr. Trumbull said it has been settled by the Supreme Court that Congress has the power to pass a confiscation bill. Government has the right to take a person who may be bound by contract, or take a child then and draft it into the service of Government. A master cannot hold the slave by any stronger tenure.
Mr. Pomeroy objected to the third section, which provides for colonization. He thought we could not afford to send out of the country the laboring men and producers, and if insisted on, he would move to amend by providing for the colonization of the slave holders, who are demagogues to the country, and whose loss would not be felt.
Mr. Willey wanted to know where there was constitutional power for the President colonizing niggers. He was willing to cooperate in the most stringent measures for the confiscation of property, but had the Senator from Ill. Counted the immense cost of the scheme of colonization? It would cost 500 dollars a head to colonize and keep ignorant slaves.
Mr. Pomeroy said his amendment would obviate that, as there would be only a few slaveholders to colonize.
Mr. Willey – I propose to hang all such traitors and thus save all the expense of transportation. [Applause in the galleries, which was immediately checked by the chair.]
Mr. Fessenden introduced a bill authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury to issue to public creditors certificates for the whole amount of debt, in certificates of not less than $1,000, payable in one year or earlier, at the option of the Government, bearing 6 per cent. interest.
On motion of Mr. Fessenden, it was taken up and passed.
The Senate resumed the consideration of the confiscation bill.
Mr. Ten Eyck said there was a great aversion at the North to having large masses of free negroes turned loose among them, nor could they be allowed to roam at large in the South.
Mr. Sumner entirely agreed with the Senator from Kansas.
Mr. Pomeroy took objections to any recognition of the fugitive slave law, for which he thought no authority existed in the Constitution. He moved to make a second amendment, to obviate all suspicion of anything of that kind. The amendment was adopted.
On motion of Mr. Powell, the consideration of the bill was postponed till to-morrow.
On Motion of Mr. Sumner, the Senate went into executive session, and subsequently adjourned.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 26.
SENATE. – Messrs. Doolittle and Sumner presented petitions for emancipation.
Mr. McDougal, from the special committee, reported a bill for the establishment of a railroad and telegraph line from the Missouri River to the Pacific Ocean.
On motion of Mr. Wade, the bill for the occupation and cultivation of cotton lands was taken up.
Mr. Doolittle thought it a question whether government should go into raising cotton or attempt to run plantations. He thought it would be a very difficult experiment, in a pecuniary sense. If there was a population to lease the lands to he should not object.
Mr. Wade said he did not suppose the bill would realize any great sum of money, but there was a large extent of territory abandoned and the slaves left at large, and something must be done to take care of them. This was not any settled policy, but only a temporary measure for one year, to meet the necessity of the case.
Mr. Doolittle thought that if commissioners had been sent down to Port Royal to see the elephant we have on our hands, we might have received a great deal of information.
Mr. Wade asked if he (Doolittle) had read the able report of Mr. Pierce on the subject.
Mr. Doolittle said he had not. He confessed to ignorance of the subject.
HOUSE – Mr. Voorhes, of Ind., asked leave to offer a resolution tendering the thanks of Congress to Gen. McClellan.
Mr. Lovejoy objected.
The resolution commends the sentiments and policy avowed in Gen. Halleck’s general order of Feb. 23d, already published as imminently fair and patriotic, and in strict conformity to the Constitution; that the war should be conducted in accordance with the same, and that the thanks of Congress are tendered to Gen. Halleck for said order, and for his military achievements as commander of the Department of Missouri.
Mr. Van Wyck, addressing the Speaker, announced his desire to be excused from serving as chairman of the committee on government contracts. I, some weeks since, informed my colleague that I should resign my place entirely on the committee so that another could be appointed, but they insisted that I should continue as one of its members, devoting such time in its service as I could spare. Recollecting the sentiments of warm and generous friendship so often manifested on their part towards me I do not feel at liberty to disregard their wishes. The committee has much to do, and although the unflinching integrity and untiring watchfulness of Secretary Stanton relieves it of many of its cares, I would also ask to be excused from serving as chairman of the committee on revolutionary pensions.
A long debate ensued on the Virginia contested election case of Mr. Upton.
– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, February 27, 1862, p. 1
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