Mr. HOTCHKISS. I read the papers in the l case of Lieutenant Lovett. I have examined; and reported upon them. I have heard all there, was about. it. I have done for Lieutenant Lovett what his associates in arms would not do. They had not the courage to adopt any rule based upon equal and exact justice. but, must go to the prize casesfor an analogy. There are cases where there are no precedents and i where you are not. to be governed by prece dents. The Gentfrom Michigan [Mr. Dmoos] says that bein referred to m the manner he has been, he t inks he ought. to have a lit tle time. Sir, how did the gentleman open his case here? He informed the House that i there was an attempt to do a great outrage against some constituents of his, because a man had come into his State to keep a tavern that he did not like. Now, I discard every thing of that kind, and if the House shall vote, down this report and refuse to adopt this law, why, well an good. But I think we havehad enough of these insinuations from gentlemen on this floor and from outsiders. During this session a telegram has been shown me from Lieutenant Doherty, saying that there was a great fraud being perpetrated here, and he wanted the American Congress to stop the wheels of legislation and wait until he could be here. Lieutenant Doherty has been here pretty much all winter, and has been before me time and time again in regard to this matter. I have had rolls of documents from him, and I wish to avoid saying anything about him. But now, since he has had the impudeuce to come here and charge a man who has been engaged in the honest discharge of his duty, without fear or favor, one who is a stranger to all these men. who does not care personally whether they get a cent, and since gentlemen have shown the want of confidence in the committee tomake the remarks they have, I feel constrained to say that I believe Lieutenant Doherty was a downright coward in this expe dition. From all the evidence, I believe that while these 5 men were guarding that tobacco honse where these prisoners were secreted, and while Lieutenant Colonel Conger was endeav oring to get a guard around the building, Do herty stayed under a shed, and no power could drive him out ofit. And now he comes in and claims that he did the whole. such is the evidence in the case, as it has been presented. If there is anything to contradict it, let it be brought in. I would like to know if gentle‘ men suppose that men are influenced by the considerations which they suggest here. I would like to know if legislation is to be based upon the conditions of men or the business they pursue, or what the public say about them; if a bad man is not going to have the same measure 'ofjustice meted out to him here as a good man, or if a hotel keeper is not to be treated as well as a minister of the Gospel, so far as justice is concerned. I would scorn myself if I were '0 listen to such suggestions. Sir, lam no friend of these men. I am not here to express my private opinion of them. The question is, what did they do; what service did the perform. compared one with the other? ere is a large sum to be distributed, and you have at to distribute it somewhere. You may place it where it belongs, according to merit, according to the service performed, where the want of success would have brought sad consequences In those engaged in the expedition. We are about to reward men for their services in suppressing this rebellion for the brains which they possessed and brought into action when the country required brains, for their skill and fidelity in the service which they undertook to perform. It is not. the gunner who is to receive the largest acknowledgment of gratitude from the country, although he may have done good service in manning the batteries. It is the man who conceived the plan and executed it through the instrumentalit of others. The report, if gentlemen will rea it, will show upon what principle these recommendations are based.