Mr. DOOLITTLE. It is true I have the honor of being a member of the ComForRel, of which the honorable Senfrom Massachusetts is chairman. That committee's sessions are usually on the same day that the ComIndAffrs meet, and sometimes between both I am not as prompt in my attendance perhaps as I ought always to be upon either. It struck me when this bill was 1st introduced into the Senate that it should have been referred to the ComJudiciary, because the ComJudiciary are much more familiar from habit with the defining of offenses; but still, upon the suggestion of the honorable Senfrom Massachusetts, who thought it concerned foreign affairs, and who, having some communications on the subject, preferred it should go to that committee, it was referred to the ComForRel. Although I am a member of that committee, I feel at perfect liberty to look into the provisions of the bill as it stands. I am not hostile to the bill nor to the object of the bill, My sole purpose is to have the offense so defined that when we come to pass the bill into a law we shall actually create an offense in the language which is usually known to the law in the definition of offenses, so that it may be clear, and if a man is guilty he may be punished. It did seem to me in reading the bill over cursorily I have not given very much attention to it that what is denom inated the scienter ought to be charged more against a person in order to make out the offense. It is true, the words are used: “If any person shall, within the jurisdiction of the U.S., makefalse and fraudulent representations to any negro, mulatto, or other person, ” &c. A man may innocently make false representations. There is nothing in the language of the bill which requires that these representations shall originate with him. They may be false and fraudulent pretenses by other persons and he be the innocent instrument which is used to put them in operation; and therefore it seems to me the statute should clearly require him to be charged that he knowingly and willfully made these false and fraudulent representations. It seems to me further that if the representations be made “for the purpose of inducing such negro, mulatto, or other person to emigrate to a foreign country for the purpose of being sold as a peon or reduced to involuntary servitude, ” that purpose should also be charged upon the person making these representations, or else it should be charged upon him that he knowingly and will fully made these false and fraudulent representations to induce him to emigrate to a country where he knew that by the laws of that country the person emigrating would be liable to be sold as a peon or redu to involuntary servitude 249 in order to constitute a valid offense. It strikes me that this section of the bill needs amendment. Beside, an important question is raised by the pending amendment proposed by the Senfrom Indiana to strike out the words “negro, mulatto, or other person, ” and let the bill stand, “that if any person shall within the jurisdiction of the {}. States make false and fraudulent representations to any person” for the purpose of inducing him to emigrate where he would be liable to be sold as a peon or reduced to involuntary servitude. I have no hostility to the object of the bill. I certainly agree with the Senfrom Massachusetts in condemning the offense as severely as he can condemn it. f odesire that the bill should be so drawn. as to define an offense in the ordinary language of criminal proceedings. It seems to me that something more is necessary than is contained in that section.