Washington Correspondence

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28, 1862

FRIEND DUNHAM:  You may have noticed in the Senate proceedings yesterday, the introduction of a resolution by Senator Grimes inquiring of the Secretary of War whether any contract for the construction of a railroad under authority of the War Department had been made, etc.  The resolution refers to a matter of interest, and I will state some facts concerning it.  The road is to connect Danville, Kentucky, with Knoxville Tennessee, and will be 180 miles in length.  A contract for its construction has been made with a Mr. Stone, (Amasa I think his Christian name is,) of Cleveland, Ohio, formerly contractor on the Chicago & Milwaukee Railroad, which road I am informed he left with a somewhat suspected reputation.  He is said, and by many members of Congress believed, to have already forwarded twenty miles of iron in furtherance of his contract.  The road, it is admitted by those favorable to the project here from Kentucky, in private talk, (for the whole thing is substantially private yet,) cannot and is not to be done short of a year, when it is certainly to be hoped that it will not be needed for military purposes.  And yet, the question arises for what other purpose can the War Department undertake its construction?  Also is there authority under any existing law for the Department to undertake the construction of the road at all?  Again, the cost, $15,000,000, is calculated to provoke criticism, under present circumstances.  In connection with the affair, yesterday, in the House, Frank Blair reported from the Military Committee a bill to organize an engineer force to consist of a number not exceeding a stated amount, 100 I think, from each brigade, making in all a force of about 13,000 men.  Mr. Wilson (of Iowa) desired that it might be put over to Friday, for examination.  The purpose is to appoint a Brigadier of Engineers, who is to command this force.  In other words, the Brigadier will be a Superintendent of construction, and the 13,000 soldiers will build the road under his management.  Now, would you believe it?  This man Stone, the contractor, has been nominated to the Senate as a Brigadier.  But, an inkling of the affair getting out, the Senate refused his confirmation – or, at least, put the case over for inquiry, and I doubt now he will ultimately be rejected, even if the scheme, itself, after it gets an airing should go on.

You may also have noticed, in yesterday’s proceedings in the House, perhaps with some surprise, as things go, but doubtless with quite as much pleasure, that that body passed an act creating an additional article of war, forbidding officers in the service from returning fugitive slaves.  This was the first triumph, of any account in the House, of that popular sentiment to which such an act is agreeable.  The bill was reported, and passed, in response to the resolution some time ago introduced by our member, Mr. Wilson, and referred to committee with instructions.  To Mr. Wilson belongs the credit of inaugurating and designating the terms of the act.  It can easily pass the Senate, and doubtless will.  These facts are given to me on authority that I cannot doubt.

The Judiciary Committee is not happily constituted, as times are, I think; and so, I believe are the mass of the loyal men of the North convinced.  All the various confiscation bills presented in the House have been referred to that committee.  The matter has been fully considered by it, and the committee will soon report the bills to the House, with a recommendation that they do not pass.  However, Messrs. Bingham and Wilson make a minority report, recommending the passage of Mr. Bingham’s bill. – That bill is quite similar to the bill of Senator Trumbull, now under discussion in that body, with a probability of its passing during the week.

IOWA.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, March 8, 1862, p. 1