Tuesday, June 18, 2013

XXXVIIth Congress -- First Session

WASHINGTON, April 30.

SENATE. – Mr. Harris presented a memorial from the Chamber of Commerce of N. Y., on the system of taxation.

Mr. Wade, from the committee on the conduct of the war, made a report in relation to the barbarous treatment of our soldiers at Manassas.  The report was ordered to be printed.

On motion of Mr. Wade the homestead bill was taken up.

Mr. Carlisle offered a substitute for the bill which was postponed till to-morrow.

Mr. Nesmith introduced a bill to amend the act of 1851 for a military hospital for invalid soldiers.

Mr. Powell’s resolution calling on the Secretary of State for information concerning the arrest of persons in the State of Kentucky was taken up.  Mr. Powell said he had been much annoyed at the opposition to this resolution.  The substitute offered by the Senator from Mass. (Sumner) was merely an attempt to avoid getting the information asked for.

After some debate the morning hour expired.  The confiscation bill was then taken up.  Messrs. Wilmot and Wright spoke in its favor and McDougal against it.


HOUSE. – Mr. Emmet submitted two bills, one to confiscate rebel property and to provide for the payment of the expenses of the present rebellion, and the other to provide for freeing the slaves of all rebels who have taken arms against the government.  Referred to the select committee.

Mr. Wickliffe asked leave to introduce a resolution of inquiry, to ascertain by what authority Gen. Hunter had issued an order to emancipate the slaves in the manner expressed by Messers. Hutchins, Lovejoy and others.  Objection was made to the introduction of the resolution.

The resolutions reported from the committee on government contracts were taken up.  Mr. Stevens’ motion to lay them on the table was rejected – yeas 17, nays 107.

The following resolution was read:


Resolved, That the Secretary of the Treasury be requested to adjust the claim against the Government for the 5,000 Hall’s carbines, through Simeon Stevens by Gen. G. C. Freemont, on the 6th day of August, 18612, and afterwards delivered at U. S. Arsenal at the city of St. Louis, on the basis of a sale of such arms to the Government for #12.50 each, rejecting all other demand against the government on account of the purchase of said arms.


An unsuccessful effort was made to amend the resolution by making it ready “purchased from S. Stevens.”

Mr. Fenton moved to amend the resolution by adding “providing that nothing herein contained exonerate the Government from the payment of any claims arising from advances made in good faith on certificates by authorized officers of the Government.”

This was rejected by 53 against 71.  The resolution, as originally reported, was adopted by 123 against 28.

The House adopted a resolution censuring Mr. Cameron, by a vote of 79 against 45.

A resolution censuring Secretary Welles was rejected – 45 against 72.

The House then went into committee of the whole on the Pacific R R. bill.  Not much progress made.

Adjourned.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, May 1, 1862, p. 1

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