Mr. HOWARD. Mr. President, the JtcomLibrary of which I am a member had this measure under consideration and discussed it at considerable length, and I was one of those who gave their assent to the reporting of the present resolution, and I shall vote for it with pleasure. I shall vote for it for the reason that it is in itself an exression of our high respect for the memory of mr. Pettigru, a patriot who in the worst of times and under the most trying circumstances maintained his integrity pure and without spot. He was an eminent member of the American bar, and had occupied that high position for many years. He was admired y the profession almost universally as a gentleman of profound learning and of incorruptihle integrity. It is sufficient for me to refer to a single instance in his life to excite my admiration, for it shows not only his heroism and courage as a patriot, but his unflinching and inflexible fidelity to his professional oath as a member of that honorable and learned profession. The newspapers informed us soon after the commencement of the war, and after the confederate congress had passed their act confis cating the property of Union men, or rather of aliens and non-residents, that on a certain day an old man with gray hairs came into the rebel court at Charleston, SCarolina, under a summons from the court requiring him to disclose upon his oath what claims he had in his possession as attorney and counselor at law be on ng to persons other than citizens of South arolina, and requiring him to deliver them over under the confiscation act which had been passed, for the use of the confederate authorities. This old man, borne down with years, surrounded by a community hostile to the cause which he loved, inimical to what be regarded as his duty, refused sternly to recognize the authority of the court, or‘ of any other human being to put him upon such an inquisition. He demurred to the power of the court for 2 reasons; the 1st was that the socalled court itself had no legitimate authority under the Constitution of the U.S.; that it was a usurpation of power which could not be delegated under the Constitution of the U.S.; was rebellious in its character and unworthy to be regarded as a court of justice; and the 2nd objection which he made was, that he would not defile his conscience as an honorable member of that profession by making to the world disclosures which, by the common law and the laws of all civilized countries, were placed under the seal of secrecy, not to be violated without the consent of those by whom he was employed. I do not recollect distinctly what was the result of that inquisi tiou, but my belief is that the proceedings, so far as Pettigru was concerne, were, out of mere shame, discontinued and dismissed. Sir, that was an act of heroism at a time and under circumstances deserving of our high admiration. I shall vote for this resdlution for another reason, which, with me, would he a very weighty one aside from those.which I have presented; and that is, that the library of Mr. Pettigru is quite ninple both in the number of volumes and in the variety of subjects which it embraces, and is very much needed as a facility for the Court of Claims in the discharge of their duties in this city. I understand that the judges of the Court of Claims have no access at all to the Law Library of Congress, and that they are very much embarrassed for the use of the necessary books to enable them to discharge their duties; and I understand that the same embarrassment exists, to aceitain extent, on the part of the judges of the supreme court of this district. I think we should be consulting the public interest, therefore, by purchasing this small collection of law books or the use of those 2 courts.