37th Congress - 1st Session

WASHINGTON, May 21. – SENATE. – Mr. WRIGHT, of Indiana, offered a resolution that the Military Committee be instructed to inquire into the expediency of reporting at an early day a bill providing a suitable bounty for the soldiers enlisted for three months and one year, and also for pensions for the widows of soldiers who died in the service.  Adopted.

The bill donating lands for the benefit of Agricultural Colleges and Mechanic Arts was taken up.  The discussion was continued till 1 o’clock, when the special order being the Confiscation bill was taken up.

MR. FESSENDEN moved to take up the Tax bill.

Mr. FOSTER, of Connecticut, by consent, offered a resolution in regard to the impeachment of West H. Humphreys.  That the Senate will to-morrow resolve into a Committee of Impeachment on the case of West H. Humphreys, and the Vice President shall administer the following oath to the Senate: I solemnly swear, in all cases and things pertaining to the trial and impeachment of West H. Humphreys, late Judge of the United States for the several districts of Tennessee, that I will do impartial justice as a court of law; and the court being thus formed will receive the managers from the House, &c.  Adopted.

The Senate took up the Tax bill instead of the Confiscation, by a vote of – Yeas 33, nays 9.

The Senate Proceeded to the consideration of the [amendments] of the Committee on Finance, several of which were adopted, including one reducing the salaries of the commissioners from $5,000 to $3,500.

Senate went into Executive Session and adjourned.

HOUSE. – The House resumed the consideration of the Confiscation Bill.

Mr. VOORHES, of Indiana, reviewed the financial policy which has governed the Administration since it came into power, characterizing it as unsound, unwise and ruinous.  The criminals who have been plundering the Treasury have not been brought to justice, nor has honesty pervaded the Departments.  History will, on this subject, cause every love of his country to bow his head, while his cheek burns with shame because of the extravagance and shamelessness of expenditures at a time when the nation was struggling for life.  By means of mismanagement and fraud, the public debt one year hence will be one-sixth of the entire wealth of the country; now the proportion to every voter is two hundred dollars; twelve months from this time it will be four hundred dollars.  Where is the evidence that any other people have been so burdened within so short a time?  In conclusion he expressed the hope and predicted that the people would rise in their majesty and send hither representatives who would be governed by the teachings of the Bible and Constitution, and that the Union will be re-established on the principles of justice and liberty.

Mr. MORRILL, of Vermont, contradicted Mr. Voorhes figures as to expenditures.

Mr. BAILEY was severe upon Mr. Voorhes and accused him of sympathizing with traitors, saying that Floyd, Cobb and others were thieves under that gentleman’s party administration – The present condition of the country was the natural result of the treatment of the people, received at the hands of the Democratic party.

It made our country the plunderer of nations, provided they were feeble.  Filibustering became identified with Democracy during the two last Administration[s].  Considering all their co-operations, it did not lie in the mouth of those seeking to resuscitate the Democratic party to reproach the present Administration with dishonesty and fraud.  In further reply, Mr. Bailey said the labor of the country would pay the taxes.  Stephen A. Douglas truly said that there could be only two parties in the war, loyal men and traitors, and men must be for or against the Government.

WASHINGTON, May 22. – SENATE – Several petitions were presented from citizens of Maryland, asking for the better enforcement of the fugitive slave law in the District of Columbia, that they may secure a large number of slaves which are now in the district.

A resolution calling on the Secretary of the Navy for reports of the battles on the Mississippi was adopted.

Mr. SUMNER offered a resolution that the Committee on the District of Columbia be [directed] to enquire what legislation is necessary to protect persons of African descent from unconstitutional seizure as fugitive slaves, or seizure by disloyal persons.

Mr. POWELL objected to the present consideration of the resolution by the Senate.

The resolution was laid over.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 24, 1862, p. 3

Washington News

WASHINGTON, May 6. – The gunboat Ham captured on the 19th ult., off Charleston the schooner Glenn of Charleston, while attempting to run the blockade. She was bound to Nassau and was [loaded] with one thousand bales of cotton and five tierces of rice. The papers and log book were thrown overboard during the chase.

A number of the members of the Committee on Military affairs, of both Senate and House, accompanied by Gen. Clarke, executive clerk of the Senate, and Mr. Smith, Clerk of the House Military Committee, have gone to Fortress Monroe and the headquarters of Gen. McClellan, to prosecute enquiries touching the charges against Gen. Smith and other matters of importance in the prosecution of the war.

Senator Wade’s bill in aid of agricultural colleges, provides that the public lands shall be donated to the States and territories which may establish colleges to teach the science of agriculture and the mercantile arts, in the proportion of 30,000 acres for each Senator and representative; the funds acquired by the sale of the lands to be in Government or other stocks, yielding at least five per cent; one college at least must be endowed and supported in the State or territory which received the donation.

The Senate Committee on Finance has reported about 260 amendments to the House tax bill, after having heard the representation of delegations representing various interests; among the amendments they have stricken out the tax on all rectified and mixed liquors and increased that on distilled spirits to 20 cent per gallon, to be collected at the distilleries, but not to operate on the stock in hand previous to the passage of this act; the tax on domestic wine is stricken out; lager beer and other malt liquors remain undisturbed; three per cent is proposed on the gross receipts of railroads, steamboats &c.; thirty instead of fifty cents a head on cattle, adding five cents on calves, tobacco twenty cents per pound; cigars from ten to thirty five cents, according to the quality, the tax of one per cent per pound on cotton is stricken out.


WASHINGTON, May 7. – The Senate will, without unnecessary delay, proceed to consider the tax bills which have been presented, and it is thought the report of the Committee on Finance will be adopted without material change. The tax of twenty cents per gallon on whiskey and twenty cents per pound on tobacco it is stated will yield $40,000,000. Should the views of the minority of the Committee prevail it is supposed the revenue from this source would be considerably increased.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 10, 1862, p. 3