Report of the Joint select committee appointed to inquire into the condition of affairs in the late insurrectionary states, so far as regards the execution of laws, and the safety of the lives and property of the citizens of the United States and Testimony taken.

1414 CONDITION OF AFFAIRS IN THE SOUTHERN STATES.
lnswer. Yes, sir; I was requested to retain it until called for-until the confederate
government wanted it.
Question. Did you then regard the transaction as complete-that you had sold the
cotton, that you had received the payment, and that you were simply a bailee of the
confederate government?
Answer. That was the state of things, sir. I would have delivered it to the confederate government at any moment when applied for. I had not delivered it, and I had
claims against the confederate government. If the courts had been open to me at that
time, I could have made a question as to my right to pay myself what the confederate
government owed me; and I think in equity I would have been able to have established it.
Question. Your claim consisted simply of your holding the notes of the confederate
government?
Answer. That I held the notes of the confederate government to a considerable
amount; the confederate government owed me some six thousand dollars for one itemcorn from my plantation, and for a considerable amount of stock they had taken from
my plantation.
Question. Had the confederate government given you a lien on this cotton for any of
these claims?
Answer. No, sir.
Question. The Treasury agents, I understand you, took possession of the whole of
your cotton?
Answer. Yes, sir. There was a fact that I omitted, that did not occur to me until
you asked me that question, which I beg to explain now. The Government took possession of the seventy bales brought here under the order of General Hubbard. I
went on and delivered it as I could, hauling it to town. I hauled it to the station and
delivered to the station here, under the arrangement with General Dustin, but before
I completed the delivery, the Government made an order authorizing the planter to
reserve one-fourth for taking care of the cotton and delivering it. I reserved that
one-fourth of the bales.
Question. You received then. as 1 understand, one-fourth of the bales for your services and care in preserving it?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. The Government claimed that this was lawful prize as belonging to the
confederate government?
Answer. Yes, sir; the order of General Canby treated it as cotton sold to the confederate government, and ordered the delivery. I walked out and saw it printed on the
bales in large capitals. I saw a notice on my palings, giving notice that, if the cotton
was not delivered, confiscation would follow. A great deal of the cotton was delivered under protest. I have many of the protests in my office now. Mine was finally
closed under protest that the Government had no title.
Question. Claims are now being made against the Government for this cotton?
Ansicer. I have made none myself, but there is a claim in favor of Mr. Collins's estate. I am the executor under his will. He was a very wealthy maln. I filed the petition in the Court of Claims, claiming pay for his cotton, as he was a uniformly Union
man.
Question. Is that claim pending now in the Court of Claims?
Answver. Yes, sir. I mentioned yesterday that Mr. Collins was pardoned by Mr. Johnson, President, and under the act of Congress that pardon is mlade evidence that he
had given aid and comfort to the enemy; that lie had assisted in the war; and is not
allowed to be introduced for any other purpose.
Question. Were the young men you spoke of belonging to Entaw who were arrested
by military authority and sent to the Dry Tortugas, discharged, as soon as the facts
were made known to the commander of this department, General Meade?
Anscwer. As I explained yesterday, I mentioned the facts to General Meade, and some
weeks after that time, I do not remember how long, it was reported in the newspapers
that they had been discharged.
Questionl. I will ask you, also, whether you mentioned the case of Mr. Barker, of Livingston, to General Meade?
Answer. I did, sir.
Question. Did he cause his discharge, also?
Answer. I suppose he did. General Meade told me, when I stated the character of
Mr. Barker, and wshat I had heard of the circumstances of his arrest, that when he
reached Selmha lie would inquire into the matter, and have justice done to the man;
he did not say what he would do, but if the facts were as I represented them, I understood that he would discharge him. I returned lhole, I think, the same evening I saw
the general, and I heard subsequently that lie was discharged.
Question. Was General Meade's adulinistration in this department regarded as a just
one?
Answer. Yes, sir. I heard very little complaint against GeneralMeade. We consider