First Session -- 37th Congress

WASHINGTON, March 4. – SENATE. – A memorial was presented by citizens of Boston asking Congress to drop the negro question and attend to the business of the country.

Mr. DIXON offered a joint resolution that the vacancy in the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institute caused by the death of Prof. [Felton] be filled by Henry Brainard of Conn.

The bill introduced by Mr. HARRIS for the safe keeping and maintaining of U. S. prisoners was taken up and passed.

On motion of Mr. COLLAMER the bill authorizing the commission for the preservation of Fisheries was taken up.  The bill authorizes the President to appoint a Commissioner to meet the British and French Commissioners to take measures for the preservation of the fisheries.  The bill was passed.

The Confiscation bill was taken up.

Mr. McDOUGAL of California resumed his speech.  He quoted from Marshal, Story and other writers as showing that there should be no confiscation of any private property.  The clause in the bill referring to the freeing of slaves was unconstitutional.  He then quoted from the declaration of the President and Secretary of State to show that an entirely different policy had been declared by the Government. – The colonization scheme was old and impracticable.  He contended that imagination was the greatest view of the victorious, and that we should go forward with our common constitution in one hand and peace in the other.

Mr. COWAN said that he agreed with the Senator for California.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, March 8, 1862, p. 3