XXXVIIth Congress -- First Session

WASHINGTON, April 1.

HOUSE. – Mr. Hutchins asked leave to introduce the following:

Whereas, Brigadier General Hooker Commanding the army of the U. S. of the lower Potomac, Md., on the 26^th of March 1862 issued an order, of which the following is a copy:

HEADQUARTERS OF THE DIVISION

CAMP BAKER, LOWER POTOMAC, March 26, 1862

To the Brigade and Regimental officers of this division; Messrs. Nally, Gray, Dunnington, Price and Posey, citizens of Md., own negroes supposed to be with some regimental camps.  The Brig. Gen. Commanding directs that they be permitted to visit all the camps, of his command, in search of their property, and if they be found, that they be allowed to take possession of their same, without any interference whatever.  Should any obstacle be thrown in the way by any officer or soldier of the Division they will be at once reported to these headquarters.  By command of

Brig. Gen. HOOKER.

Therefore resolved, That the joint select committee on the conduct of the war be requested to inquire whether said order of Gen. Hooker is not a violation of the recent articles of war passed by Congress and approved by the President, concerning action of the army in return of fugitive slaves, and to report such as a remedy as in the judgment of the committee will prevent the issue of similar orders, which, while they outrage the feelings of loyal men, unnecessarily tend to demoralize the army.

Mr. Wyckliffe, before the reading was completed, objected to the introduction of the resolution.

The House then went into committee of the whole on the tax bill.  An amendment was adopted exempting from taxation under the railroad, omnibus and steamboat section, all foreign emigrants traveling at a reduced fare into the interior of the country a distance of over 100 miles from the seacoast.

Several amendments were made to the above section, including a tax of 1 1-2 per cent. on gross receipts of bridge corporations.

An amendment was adopted that trust companies be included with banks, saving institutions, &ct., and that they pay 3 per cent. on their income.

A new section was added, providing that on and after May next there shall be paid for every insurance policy that may be made, continued, renewed  or endorsed, a duty of 10 cents for every $100 insured.

Mr. Colfax moved to strike out the section levying duty on advertisements.  After debate, during which Mr. Colfax said that experience had shown that the English tax on papers and books was a tax on knowledge, and that the people secured a reform in this particular, the committee disagreed to the motion of Mr. Colfax to strike out.  The section was finally amended as follows, and then retained in the bill: The tax on advertisements shall be assessed on the amount received for the same, not the amount charged, and is reduced from 5 to 3 per cent.  Newspapers with less than 2,000 circulation, or whose receipts are less than $1,000 per annum on advertisements, are exempt from advertising tax.

Committee rose.  Adjourned.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, April 3, 1862, p. 2