CONGRESS, UNITED STATES (1865). 



109 



we have no authority to pass the resolution, 

 222 ; if a slave becomes free under a power of 

 the Constitution on calling him to the army, 

 his family does not, 222 ; resolution adopted, 

 223. In the House, the resolution considered, 

 223 ; these measures not introduced for the 

 purpose of supplying soldiers, 223; will 

 strengthen the arms of the colored soldiers, 

 224 ; resolution passed, 224. 



In the House, a resolution relative to prison- 

 ers offered, 225 ; obstacles to an exchange de- 

 manded, 225 ; a long history connected with 

 this subject, 225 ; the resolution implies re- 

 missness on the part of the War Department, 

 225 ; the public sentiment of the country de- 

 mands the information, 225 ; resolution adopt- 

 ed, 225. 



In the Senate, a resolution relative to ex- 

 change of prisoners, 225 ; condition of Union 

 prisoners, 226 ; no retaliation made, though 

 promised, 226 ; referred, 227 ; a resolution on 

 retaliation considered, 227 ; report, 227 ; con- 

 dition of our men will not be made better at 

 the South by retaliation, 227 ; retaliation, in 

 all ages, a means of bringing savage foes to a 

 sense of their duty, 227; something in the 

 way of a fair exchange, 228 ; the present con- 

 dition of the contest, 228 ; amendment moved, 

 228; we have no precedent in our own his- 

 tory, 229 ; retaliation is a part and parcel of 

 the law of war, 229; it is unnecessary to 

 argue this question, 230 ; the barbarities com- 

 mitted on our men at Andersonville are inde- 

 scribable, 230 ; it is urged we can afford, in a 

 military point of view, to leave our soldiers, 

 230 ; high time Congress should look into the 

 matter, 231 ; why has not the cartel been car- 

 ried out ? 231 ; efforts of the Opposition to 

 make the Administration odious, 232 ; retalia- 

 tion does not apply to a case of antecedent 

 outrages, 233 ; is it expedient, even if we have 

 the power ? 233 ; where is the struggle to 

 end ? 233 ; the law of retaliation has limits, 

 234 ; it is said if the treatment of our colored 

 prisoners was the only obstacle, they ought to 

 be left in prison, 234 ; a monstrous proposition, 

 234; what is the simple proposition submit- 

 ted ? 235 ; the refusal of this Government to 

 exchange has wrought up the soldiers of our 

 armies and the people to the prosecution of 

 this war with an energy unknown to any other 

 people, 235 ; amendment agreed to, 236 ; reso- 

 lution adopted, 236. 



In the Senate, a resolution as to requiring 

 the inhabitants of the District of Columbia to 

 take an oath of allegiance, 236 ; debate on the 

 resolution, 237 ; adopted, 238 ; a bill requiring 

 an oath of attorneys considered, 238 ; passed, 

 238. 



In the House, a resolution relative to per- 

 sons arrested, 238; cases of persons in con- 

 finement, 238 ; one case requires the adoption 

 of the resolution, 239 ; other cases, 239 ; pro- 

 priety of the investigation, 240 ; the law not 

 violated under one department of the Govern- 

 ment more than another, 240 ; other resolu- 

 tions, 240. 



In the Senate, a motion to strike out the 

 section of the appropriation bill requiring that 

 no person should be tried by military commis- 

 sion where the courts were open, 241 ; what 

 business has this proposition on an appropria- 

 tion bill ? 241 ; all the machinery of civil and 

 criminal courts cannot punish one hundredth 

 part of the rebels North and South who de- 

 serve to die, 242 ; our fathers fought in vain, 

 242; but for the strong arm of power there 

 would be no country to-day, 242 ; such acts as 

 this section seeks to avoid have arrayed nearly 

 one-half the people against the Government, 

 243 ; act of justice to the Secretary of War, 

 243 ; his order, 243 ; you are setting an exam- 

 ple utterly subversive of the Constitution, 

 244; this section proposes to liberate rogues 

 and conspirators now confined in prison, 244 ; 

 rather than allow this section to pass, I would 

 see this appropriation bill, and all others, in 

 perdition, 244 ; shall there be above the Senate 

 and House a power to place a man on trial ? 

 245 ; contrast the course of the law with the 

 course adopted since the commencement of the 

 war, 245 ; motion to strike out prevails, 246. 



In the House, a bill to guarantee certain 

 States a republican form of government con- 

 sidered, 246 ; the - bill, 246-248 ; amendments 

 moved, 248; general propositions of the 

 Declaration of Independence, 248; the Gov- 

 ernment was instituted to secure the rights of 

 all the citizens, 249 ; the demon of agitation 

 will haunt us if we ignore the rights of these 

 four million negroes, 249 ; substitute offered, 

 249 ; amendment to the substitute offered, 

 250; no work more momentous than bring- 

 ing the States back to the Union, 250; feat- 

 ures of the bill, 250, 251 ; history of the bill, 

 251, 252 ; the President's plan of reconstruc- 



