The first question was the motion of Mr. Smith of Kentucky to except his State from its operation. The amendment was disagreed to.-Yeas 34, nays 131. The question was then taken on Mr. Stevens' substitute, for the substitute of the Committee on Freedmen and it was rejected.-Yeas 37, nays 126. The substitute of the Committee for the Senate bill was then agreed to, and the bill as amended passed. Yeas 136, nays 33.

In the Senate on the 7th, on the motion of Mr. Trumbull, the House amendment was ordered to be printed and referred to the Judiciary Committee. On the 8th it was reported by Mr. Trumbull. "The House," he said, "has inserted words limiting the operation of the Freedmen's Bureau to those sections of country within which the writ of habeas corpus was suspended on the 1st day of February, 1866. As the bill passed the Senate, it will be re'membered that it extended to refugees and freedmen in all parts of the United States, and the President was authorized to divide the section of country containing such refugees and freedmen into districts. The House amend that so as to authorize the President to divide the section of country within which the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus was suspended on the 1st day of February, 1866, containing such refugees and freedmen, into districts. The writ of habeas corpus, on the 1st day of February last, was suspended in the late rebellious States, including Kentucky, and in none other. The writ of habeas corpus was restored by

the President's proclamation in Maryland, in Delaware, and in Missouri, all of which have been slaveholding States."

The Judiciary Committee recommended a concurrence with the House in an amendment to strike out the words "within which the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus was suspended on the 1st day of February, 1866," so that the law would operate in all parts of the United States. Mr. Guthrie earnestly opposed the application of the bill to Kentucky. "While "While you cry," he said, "for justice to the African, you are not slow to commit wrong and outrage on the white race." Mr. Sherman spoke in advocacy of the measure, and Mr. Henderson declared that he would not have voted for the bill if it had not been carried into Missouri, and if the amendment of the House was adopted he would not vote for it. "I live in a State," said Mr. Henderson, "that was a slaveholding State until last January a year ago. I have been a slaveholder all my life until the day when the ordinance of emancipation was passed in my State. I advocated it, and have advocated emancipation for the last four years, at least since this war commenced. Do you want to know how to protect the freedmen of the southern States? This bill is useless for that purpose. It is not the intention of the honorable Senators on this floor from northern States who favor this bill, to send military men to plunder the good people of Kentucky. It is an attempt to enforce this moral and religious sentiment of the peo

ple of the northern States. Sir, these freedmen will be protected. The decree of Almighty God has gone forth, as it went forth in favor of their freedom originally, that they shall be endowed with all the rights that belong to other men. Will you protect them? Give them the ballot, Mr. Presi dent, and then they are protected."

Mr. Trumbull said, "I do want to say a word to the honorable Senator from Kentucky. I wish we could understand ourselves better. If I know my own heart, I am for harmony, I am for peace; and God forbid that I should put a degradation on the people of Kentucky. I never thought of such a thing. I would sooner cut off my right hand than do such a thing. What is it that so excites and inflames the mind of the Senator from Kentucky that he talks about the degradation that is to be put upon her, the plunder of her people, the injustice that is to be done her inhabitants? Why, sir, a bill to help the people of Kentucky to take care of the destitute negroes, made free without any property whatever, without the means of support, left to starve and to die unless somebody cares for them; and we propose in the Congress of the United States to help to do it. Is that a degradation? Is that an injustice? Is that the way to rob a people?”

Mr. McDougall said, "I feel it my duty to resist with what little strength I may possess, all this disposition on the part of the North-east, and of those who inherit North-eastern opinions, to compel and

conquer love-a thing impossible and the strangest paradox that could be named in thought."

Mr. Johnson was satisfied that there was no more necessity for applying the law to the State of Maryland than there was to the State of Maine or the State of Massachusetts.

The amendment of the Judiciary Committee, applying the bill to all the States, was then agreed to. Mr. Guthrie then moved to amend the bill providing that the Bureau should be withdrawn from any State not declared in rebellion wherever the writ of habeas corpus should be restored, but it was rejected.-Yeas 8, nays 25.

In the House on the 9th, Mr. Eliot moved that the House concur in the amendment of the Senate, and it was agreed to. In the Senate on the 19th of February, the President's veto of the Bureau Bill was received and read, and the Senate adjourned.

On the 20th Mr. Davis made a lengthy argument in favor of the Veto Message. Mr. Trumbull made an elaborate and able speech reviewing the message. Mr. Cowan had intended to reply to Mr. Trumbull but would not; and Mr. Willey announced his intention to vote against the bill. The vote was then taken on passing the bill, the objections of the President to the contrary.-Yeas 30, nays 18.

The President of the Senate then announced that two-thirds of the members present not having voted for the bill, it was not a law.

CHAPTER VI.

BUREAU OF FREEDMEN AND REFUGEES.

Bill reported by Mr. Eliot.-Mr. Stevens' amendment.-Mr. Davis' amendment. Mr. Shellabarger's amendment agreed to.-Amendments of Mr. Davis and Mr. Scofield.-Mr. Shellabarger's amendment agreed to.- Passage of the Bill.-Rill reported to the Senate by Mr. Wilson, with amendments.-Mr. Wilson's speech.-Amendments.-Debate by Mr. Hendricks. Mr. Trumbull.-Speech of Mr. Fessenden.-Passage of the Bill.-Committee of Conference.--Conference report by Mr. Wilson.Report of Mr. Eliot.-President's veto message.-Passage of the bill.

In the House of Representatives on the 22d of May, 1866, Mr. Eliot of Massachusetts, from the select committee on Freedmen's affairs, reported a bill to continue in force and amend the act for the relief of Freedmen and Refugees; it was read twice and ordered to be printed. On the 23d the House resumed the consideration of the bill, and Mr. Eliot explained its provisions. "The first section," he said, "continues the bureau for a term of two years. Gentlemen will see that that differs from the bill vetoed by the President, which was indefinite in its duration. This continues the bureau for two years, and removes one objection. If it becomes necessary at the end of that time further to continue the

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