Diary of Congressman Rutherford B. Hayes: December 2, 1865

The Ohio members generally dined with General H. B. Banning of Mount Vernon at his headquarters at Alexandria. Visited the soldiers' cemetery with its three thousand graves, neatly arranged, and its rustic gothic building. A fine specimen of the work. Pine with the bark on the lumber.

Fort Rogers with its two hundred-pound rifled Parrotts and its fifteen-inch columbiad attracted our attention.

The general caucus [of Republican members] tonight a pleasant thing. Mr. Morrill of Vermont, an intelligent merchant who put the vote, "Contrary-minded will say no," presided. Thad Stevens made the important motions. A committee of seven reported resolutions to be submitted to the Senate and House, providing for the appointment of a Joint Committee of Fifteen, nine for the House, six for the Senate, to report as to the status of the Rebel States and whether they were in a condition to be represented; and in the meantime all members from those States to be kept out.

Colfax, McPherson, and ——— nominated by acclamation for their present places viz., Speaker, Clerk, ———. Then for doorkeeper, Goodenow [sic] of New York, and Hawkins Taylor, of Iowa or Kansas, stood sixty-six to fifty-seven. Bad for the West, was the feeling of our men. King, of Minnesota (nominally, really New York), the present incumbent was named [for postmaster], also others, all having printed tickets. Here we seemed caught; we had no tickets ready. Spalding nominated Colonel Given in a proper speech, Roscoe Conkling sustained King in a speech delivered in a distinct, clear tone, with great deliberation and in language fitted to print. Spalding's best point was that Colonel Given was a soldier. Phelps, of Maryland, nominated a soldier an officer of colored troops of his State, one of two who from that State led black men, who lost a leg at the mine at Petersburg. Phelps is young, did his part well. The best speech, best delivered and all, was by our Mr. Delano (in favor of Colonel Given).

[The caucus] adopted, on a test vote the Ohio idea. Stevens angry, resisted, threatened to leave the caucus. Finally carried his point as stated, viz., a Joint Committee of fifteen.

SOURCE: Charles Richard Williams, editor, Diary and Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Volume 3, p. 7-8

From Washington

WASHINGTON, Feb 9.

(Tribune’s Correspondence)

Senator Morrill has prepared a bill fro the immediate emancipation of all slaves in the District of Columbia, and providing for a compensation not to exceed $300 a head on loyal owners. It has not yet been acted upon in committee. There are about 3,000 slaves in the District.

The clergyman who has persistently omitted the prayer for the President from the service read in his church, at Alexandria, has been arrested.

To correct a misapprehension about the interest paying clause in the legal tender bill, Mr. Rice of Mass., desired an amendment that the certificate of the deposit might be funded [on] five years’ seven percent bonds, with semi-annual interest payable in coin. Mr. Stevens consented to the funding, but objected to the words “in coin.” Mr. Spaulding, with his own pen, struck out the words from the amendment. A fair copy was made, but “in coin” was reinstated by the copyist, whoever he was. The amendment was presented and adopted, the friends of the bill being unaware that the words “in coin” were in it. The incongruity and want of principle in paying interest in specie on the seven per cent bonds and in paper on the six percent bonds, and the hostility of the friends of the bill to any specie clause whatever, as certain to depreciate the treasure notes and sent the Government into the street every six months to by $35,000,000 of gold, made a reconsideration inevitable. The who thing was an accident.


(Time’s Dispatch.)

The rebel government has sent word to Mr. Fish. And Bishop Ames, that they would not be admitted into the Confederate States to discharge any mission whatever.


(World’s Dispatch.)

The published fact that Gen. Stone has been removed from the command of a division on the upper Potomac, is corroborated. It is not known who has succeeded him.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 6.

Dr. Cheever preached another sermon this P. M. in the Hall of the House of Representatives, in favor of emancipation as a war measure.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Tuesday Morning, February 11, 1862, p. 1

Special to New York Papers

(Tribune’s Dispatch)

WASHISNGTON, April 22. – The General Commanding at the Warwick Creek fight whose reported condition on that occasion called forth Representative Morrill’s resolution empowering the President to cashier drunken officers is said to be Gen. Wm. F. Smith. It is stated that he fell from his horse twice, spearing his clothes and face with mud. Mr. Morrill said that the two companies of Green Mountain boys stood in the marsh fifty minutes without support or orders to retreat.

Most of the friends of Mr. Bingham’s confiscation bill feel sanguine that the House will pass it under the previous question tomorrow. It is believe that the vote will be a rather close one.

Several vessels of the river flotilla have been up the Rappahannock, some of them as far as Fredericksburg. About nine miles above the Tappahannock a schooner had been sunk to obstruct the river, but Commander Wigman in the Yankee, with his consorts, pushed their way through. At one point the boats were fired upon by musketry. No one on board was injured. Twelve or thirteen vessels, two of them steamers, found in creeks were brought down. The river is now considered open for navigation, and timber for rebuilding bridges burned by the rebels, will soon reach Falmouth. Nothing has been heard of the rebel force but it is supposed to be in force not far back of Fredericksburg.

The finance Committee of the Senate has done with the machinery sections of the tax bill, having made such amendments as in its judgment was calculated to perfect the system adopted by the House. An effort was made to raise the tax on whiskey and other distilled spirits to twenty five cents a gallon, but the committee decided to impose some charge on stock in hand on the 30th of June, when the act is to go into operation, but left it to a sub committee to decide how much it should be. The tax on beer and other fermented liquors will be two dollars a barrel instead of one dollar. No other changes have yet been made.

Charles A. Dana, of New York, has been appointed by Secretary Stanton as one of the Commissioners to investigate the war accounts at Cairo.

Professor Bache and Mr. Westervelt have declined to serve on the Board appointed to examine the Steven’ Battery.


(Times’ Dispatch.)

WASHINGTON, April 23. – An officer of artillery in town to night from near Warrenton Junction reports the rebels in strong force on the south bank of the Rappahannock in the direction of Gordonville. Gen. Ewell is said to be at the crossing of the river where the Railroad bridge was burned, with five hundred men. Gen. G. W. Smith is at Gordonville strongly entrenched, with thirty thousand men, and Gen. Jackson is crossing over from the Shenandoah Valley to unite 8,000 to the force, making it a total column of 46,000 men. If the figures are reliable we are in sufficient force in front of Manassas to manage this rebel army.

I am assured by a gentleman of this city whose position brings him in business contact with Mr. Mercier that his mission had reference only to a large amount of valuable tobacco belonging to the French Government. The property is known as the Belmont tobacco. While there it is said that M. Mercier examined somewhat into the condition of the bogus Confederacy, in order to report to the Emperor the true condition of things.


(Herald’s Special.)

WASHINGTON, April 23 – A change in the Navy Department has been positively determined upon. The President is waiting only to fix upon the individual who is to fill the place of Secretary of the Navy. Gen. Banks, Judge Davis, of Illinois, and Gov. Sprague, of Rhode Island are all strongly urged for this distinction, but the selection has not yet been made.


(Special to Post.)

The sensation story in the Philadelphia Inquirer of this morning, to the effect that Secretary Welles is to be removed is entirely untrue. This I learn on good authority. I learn that Mr. Welles sometime since tendered his resignation to the President, but it was not accepted. Probably this circumstance has given rise to the rumor of an immediate change in the Cabinet. All the current reports of the removal of Mr. Welles are destitute of foundation.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, April 26, 1862, p. 3

XXXVIIth Congress – FIRST SESSION

WASHINGTON, April 16.

HOUSE. – The following resolution was adopted from the judiciary committee:

Resolved, That the Government should not interfere with the free transmission of intelligence by telegraph, when the same will not aid the enemy or five some information concerning the military or naval operations on the part of this Government, except when it may become necessary, under authority of Congress, to assume the exclusive use of the telegraph for its won legitimate purposes, or to assert the right of priority in the transmission of its own dispatches.

Fourteen bills, with a joint resolution relative to forfeiting the property of rebels, and making it a penal offence for the army and navy to return fugitive slaves, and including kindred subjects, with the recommendation from the judiciary committee that they ought not to pass, came up to-day. No action taken on them.

Mr. Morrill, of the committee of ways and means, reported a bill appropriating $30,000,000 to pay volunteers; also $100,000 for the pay of bounty and pensions to officers and soldiers of the Western Department.

A message was received from the President, saying that he had signed the bill abolishing slavery in the District of Columbia.

The death of Mr. Cooper was announced, and the customary resolutions passed.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, April 17, 1862, p. 1

Washington News

Washington, April 9. – The Secretary of War has submitted to Congress a communication on the northern coast defences [sic], enclosing an elaborate report from Edwin S. Johnson, of Conn., well known as a practical civil Engineer, and connected with the Joint Commission of 1817 and 1819, for the running and marking of the north eastern boundary line. Mr. Johnson recommends the passage of Senator Morrill’s bill, and the adoption of the policy of placing in the hands of the President the necessary power to accept loans of money from the several States for the public defences [sic], as therein provided. Among the modes of defence [sic] contemplated are the use of railways and floating ball proof batteries, in addition to the ordinary system of fortifications.

His report is the result of a careful examination of the matters in question, including a long list of documents, based on a thorough acquaintance with the philosophical, geographical and topographical feature of the country.

James T. Pike, Minister to the Netherlands, in transmitting to the State Department, a copy of the tariff and revenue system of that country concludes his dispatch as follows:

“It will be observed that there is no direct tax on personal property, or on ____, as such taxes are believed to stand in the way of industrial and commercial developments, and to operate to expel capital.”

“The decisive success of the Federal Government in Tennessee, have produced their natural effect on this side of the water. When Charleston and Savannah shall have fallen, and our gunboats traversed the Mississippi, all interest in the affairs of the conflict will cease in Europe.”

About two weeks ago, Com. Foote, in telegraphing to the Navy department, said that Gen. Pope intended to make a transverse movement, which would astonish the secesh on Island No. 10. The fulfillment of this prediction is already known to the country.

The Senate was several hours in Executive session today. It confirmed several military appointments of low grade, and Sam’l Brown, Of Ohio, to be Attorney of the Territory of Colorado.

– Published in the Burlington Daily Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Friday April 11, 1862