CONGRESSIONAL RECORD. 

DEBATES AND . PROCEEDINGS OF THE FORTY-THIRD CONGRESS. 

SPECIAL SESSION OF THE SEN ATE. 

IN THE SENATE. 

TUESDAY, March 4, 1873. 

Hon. HENRY WILSON, Vice-President of the United States, having taken the oath of office at the close of the last regular session of the 

Forty-second Congress, took the chair and directed the Secretary to 

read the proclamation convening a special session of the Senate. 

The Secretary (Hon. GEORGE C. GORHAM) read the proclamation, as 

follows: 

A PROCLAMATION 

Whereas objects of interest to the Ullited States require that the Senate should 

be convened at twelve o'clock on the fourth of March next, to receive and act upon such communications as may be made to it on the part of the Executive: · Now, therefore, I, ULYSSES S. GRANT, President of the United States, have 

considered it to be my duty to issue this, my proclamation, declaring that an extraordinary occasion requires the Senate of the United States to convene for the 

transaction of business at the Capitol, in the city of Washington, on the fourth 

day of March next, at twelve o'clock at noon on that day, of which all who shall at that time be entitled to act as members of that body are hereby required to take 

notice. 

Given under my hand and the seal of the United States, at Washington, the 

twenty-first day of February, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight 

[L. s.] hundred and seventy-three, and of the Independence of the United States 

of America the ninety-seventh. 

By the President: HAMILTON FISH, 

SecretaTy of State. 

U.S. GRANT. 

. The VICE-PRESIDENT. The Secretary will read ~he names of the 

newly-elected Senators. 

The list was read as follows: 

Ron. Bainbridge Wadlei~h, of New Hampshire. 

Ron. Justin S. Morrill, ot Vermont. 

Hon. Orris S. Ferry, of Connecticut. 

Ron. Roscoe Conkling, of Nevr York . . Ron. Simon Cameron, of Pennsylvania. 

Ron. George R. Dennis, of Maryland. 

Ron. Augustus S. Merrimon, of North Carolina. 

Hon. John J. Patterson, of South Carolina. 

Hon. Simon B. Conover, of Florida. 

Hon. Geort:re E. Spencer, of Alabama. , Hon. Stephen W. Dorsey, of Arkansas. 

Hon. ,John B. Gordon, of Georgia. 

Hon. Lewis V. Bogy, of Missouri. 

Hon. Thomas C. McCreery, of Kentucky. 

Hon. John Sherman, of Ohio. 

Hon. Oliver P. Morton, of Indiana. 

Hon. Richard J. Oglesby, of Illinois. 

Ron. Timothy 0. Howe, of Wisconsin. 

Hon. William B. Allison, of Iowa. 

Hon. John J. Ingalls, of Kansas. 

Hon. Aaron A. Sargent, of California. 

Ron. John H. Mitchell, of Oregon. 

Hon. John P. Jones, of Nevada. 

When the name of Mr. Conkling was called, 

Mr. HAMLIN said: Mr. President, owing to some inadvertence the 

credontials of the Senator-elect from New York have not been preeented in this body. It is a matter of public notoriety that he has 

been elected ; and, in accordance with the usage of the body, I move that the oath of office be administered to him. 

The VICE-PRESIDENT. The question is on the motion of the Senator from Maine. 

The motion was agreed to. 

As their names were called the respective Senators-elect came forward, and the oaths prescribed by law were administered to them, with 

the exception of Mr. Wadleigh, Mr. Ferry, Mr. Gordon, Mr. Spencer, 

and Mr. Jones, who were not present. 

The Senators-elect having been sworn and taken their seats in the 

Senate, the following Senators were present: 

From the State of- . Maine--Hon. Hannibal Hamlin and Hon. Lot M. Morrill. 

New Hampshire-Ron. Aaron H. Cragin. 

Vermont-Hon. George F. Edmunds and Hon. Justin S. Morrill. 

Massachusetts-Ron. Charles Sumner. 

Rhode Islan&-Hon. Henry B. Anthony and Ron. William Sprague. Connectim~t-Ron. William A. Buckingham. 

_Vew York-Bon. Roscoe Conkling and Hon. Reuben E. Fenton. 

New Jersey-Bon. Frederick T. Frelinghu.vsen. 

Pennsylvania-Ron. Simon Cameron and Ron. John Scott. 

Delaware-Ron. Thomas F~ Bayard and Hon. Eli Saulsbury. 

Maryland-Ron. George R. Dennis and Ron. William T. Hamilton. 

Vi1·ginia-Hon. John F. Lewis. · 

North Carolina-Ron. Augustus S. Merrimon and Hon. Matthew 

W. Ransom. 

South Carolina-Ron. John J. Patterson and Hon. Thomas J. Robertson. 

Georgia-Ron. Thomas M. Norwood. 

Florida-Ron. Simon B. Conover and Ron. Abijah Gilbert . Alabama-Ron. George Goldthwaite. 

Mississippi-Ron. James L. Alcorn and Ron. Adelbert Ames. 

Louisiana-Ron. J. Rodman West. • 

Texas-Hon. J. W. Flanagan and Hon .. Morgan C. Hamilton. 

A1·kansas-Hon. Powell Glayton and Hou. Stephen W. Dorsey. 

Missouri-Ron. -Lewis V. Bogy and Hon. Carl Schurz. 

Tennessee-Ron. Henry Cooper. 

Kentucky-Ron. Thomas C. McCreery and Hon. John W. Stevenson. 

West Vi1·ginia-Hon. Arthur I. Boreman and Hon. Henry G. Davis. 

Ohio-Hon. John Sherman and Hon. Allen G. Thurman. 

Indiana-Ron. Oliver P. Morton and Hon. Daniel D. Pratt. 

fllinois-Hon. John A. Logan and Ron. Richard J. Oglesby. 

Michigan-Ron. Zachariah Chandler and Hon. Thomas W. Ferry. 

Wisconsin-Ron. Matthew H. Carpenter and Ron. Timothy 0. Howe. 

I&wa-Hon. Willam B. Allison and Hon. George G. Wright. 

Minnesota-Ron. Alexander Ramsey and Hon. William Windom. 

Kansas-Hon. Alexander Caldwell and Hon. John J. Ingalls. 

California-Ron. Eugene Casserly and Ron. Aaron A. Sargent. 

Nebraska-Ron. Phineas W. HitchMck and Ron. Thomas W. Tipton. 

Oregon-Hon. James K. KelJy and Hon. John H. Mitchell. 

Nevada-Hon. William M. Stewart. 

INAUGURATION CEREMONIES. 

The persons entitled to admission on the floor of the Senate Chamber having been admitted to the places reserved for them, the President, Hon. ULYSSES S. GRANT, entered the Senate Chamber, accom- panied by Mr. CRAGIN, Mr. LOGAN, and 1\.Ir. BAYARD, members of the 

Committee of Arrangements, and was conducted to a seat in front of 

the Secretary's desk, and the members of the committe~ were seated on his right and left. 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD. MARCH 4, 

The VICE-PRESIDENT. The order of proceedings will now be 

formed, for the purpose of repairing to the front of the portico, 

according to the programme prepared by the Committee of Arrangements. 

Those assembled in the Senate Chamber proceeded to tire platform on the central portico of the Capitol in the following order : The Marshal of the Supreme Court. 

Ex-Presidents and ex-Vice-Presidents. 

The Supreme Court of the United States. 

The Sergeant-at-Arms of the Senate. 

The Committee of Arrangements. 

The PRESIDENT of the United States, the PRESIDEN:T-ELECT. 

The VICE-PRESIDENT and the Secretary of the Senate. 

The members of the Senate. 

The Diplomatic Corps. 

Members of the Cabinet and the Solicitor-General. 

Ex-members of the Honse of Representatives, and members-elect 

of the Forty-third Congress. 

Governors of States. 

Officers of the Army and Navy. 

Other persons admitted to the floor of the Senate Chamber and to 

the reserved seats at the left of the diplomatic gallery. 

The PRESIDENT-ELECT delivered the following 

INAUGURAL .ADDRESS. 

FELLOW-CITIZENS: Under Providence I have been called a second 

time to act as Executive over this great nation. It has been my endeavor 

in the past to maintain all th~ laws, and, so far as lay in my power, 

to act for the best interests of the whole people. My best efforts will 

be given in the same direction .in the future, aided, I trust, by my 

four years' experience in the office. 

When my first term of the office of Chief Executive began, the 

country had not recovered from the effects of a great internal revolution, and three of the former States of the Union had not been re- stored to their Federal relations. It seemed to me wise that no new questions should be raised so long as that condition of affairs existed. 

Therefore the past four years, so far as I could control events, have 

been consumed in the effort to restore harmony, public credit, com- merce, and all the arts of peace and progress. 

It is my firm conviction that the civilized world is tending toward 

republicanism, or government by the people through their chosen 

representatives, and that our own great republic is destined to be the 

guiding star to all others. 

Under our republic we support an army. less than that of any European power of any standing, ·and a navy less than that of either of 

at least five of them. There could be no extension of territory on the 

continent which would call for an increase of this force, but rather 

might such extension enable us to diminish it. 

The theory of government changes with general progress. Now 

that the telegraph is made available for communicating thought, together with rapid transit by steam, all parts of a continent are made 

contiguous for all purposes of government, and communication between the extreme limits of the country made easier than it was throughout the old thirteen States at the beginning of our national 

existence. 

The effects of the late civil strife have been to free the slave and 

make him a citizen. Yet he is not possessed of the civil rights which 

citizenship should carry with it. This is wrong, and should be cor- rected. To this correction I stand committed, so _far as executive 

influence can avail. 

Social equality is not a subject to be legislated upon, nor shall I ask 

that anything be done to advance the social status of the colored man, 

except to give him a fair chance to develop what there is good in him, 

give him access to the schools, and when he travels let him feel a-s- sured that his conduct will l'egnlate the treatment and fare he will 

receive. 

The States lately at war with the General Government are now happily rehabilitated, and no executive control is exercised in any one of 

them that would not be exercised in any other State under like circumstances. 

h the first year of the past administration the proposition came up for the admission of Santo Domingo as a Territory of the Union. 

It was not a question of my seeking, but was a proposition from the 

people of Santo Domingo, and which I entertained. I believe now, as I did then, that it was for the best interest of this country, for the 

people of Santo Domingo, and all concerned, that the proposition 

should be received favorably. It was, however, rejected, constitutionally, and therefore the subject was never brought up again by me. 

In future, while I hold my present office, the subject of acquisition 

of territory must havo the support of the people before I will recom- mend any proposition looking to such acquisition. I say, here, however, that I do not share in the apprehension held by many as to the 

danger of governments becoming weakened and destroyed by reason of their extension of territory. Commerce, education, and rapid transit of thought and matter, by telegraph and steam, have changed 

all this. Rather d(} I believe that our Great Maker is preparing the 

world, in His own good time, to become one nation, speaking one language; and when armies and navies will be no longer required. 

My efforts in the future will be directed to the restoration of good 

feeling between the different sections of our common country; to the 

restoration of our currency to a fixed value as compared with the 

world's standard of values, gold, and if possible to a par with it; to 

the construction of cheap routes of transit throughout the land, to ~he end that the products of all may find a market and leave a livmg r:emune~ation to the producer; to the maintenance of friendly 

relations. Wlth all our neighbors and with distant nations; to the 

re-establishment of our commerce and share in the carrying trade 

UJ:?On the ocean; to the encouragement of such manufacturing industnes as can be economically pursued in this country, to the end that 

the exports of home products and industries may pay for our imports: 

the ?nly S!lfe method of returning to and permanently maintaining a speCie ba~1~; to the elevation oflabor; and by a humane course to bring t~e abongmes of the country under the benign influences of educatiOn and civilization. It is either this or a war of extermination. 

Wars o~ extermination, engaged in by people pursuing commerce and allmdnstrial pursuits, are expensive even against the weakest 

people, and are demoralizing and wicked. Our superiority of strength 

and advantages of civilization should make us lenient toward the 

Indian. The wrong inflicted upon him should be taken into account 

a_nd the balance placed to his credit. The moral view of the question should be considered, and the question asked, cannot the Indian ~e made a useful and productive member of society by proper teac. hrng and treatment f If the effort is made in good faith we will stand 

better before the civilized nations of the earth, and in our own con- sciences, for having made it. . 

All these things are not to be accomplished by one individual, but 

they_wD:I recei!e my support, and such recommendations to Congress as will, m my JUdgment, best serve to carry them into effect. I beg 

your support and encouragement. 

It has been, and is, my earnest desire to correct abuses that have 

g_rown up in the civil service of the country. To secure this reformation, rules regulating methods of appointment and promotions were established and have been tried. My efforts for such reformation shall 

be continued, to the best of my judgment. The spirit of the rules 

adopted will be maintained. 

I acknowledge bE\fore this assemblage, representing as it does every 

section of our country, the obligation I am under to my countrymen 

for the great honor they have conferred on me by returning me to the 

highest office within their gift, and the further obligation resting on me to render to them the best services within my power. This I 

promise, looking forward with the greatest anxiety to the day when 

I shall be released from responsibilities that at times are almost over- whelming, and from which I have scarcely had a respite since the 

eventful tiring upon Fort Sumter, in April, 1!:!61, to the present day. My 

services were then tendered and accepted under the first call for troops 

growing out of that event. I did not a-sk for place or position, and was entirely without influence or the acquaintance of persons of influence, 

but was resolved to perform my part in a struggle threatening the 

very existence of the nation. I performed a conscientious duty, without asking promotion or command, and 'without a revengeful feelin~ 

toward any section or individual. Notwithstanding this, throughout 

the war, and from my candidacy for my present office in 1868 to the 

close of the last p1·esidential campaign, I have been the subject of 

abuse and slander scarcely ever equaled in political history, which, 

to-day, I feel that I can afford to disregard in view of your verdict, 

which I gratefully accept as my vindication. 

The oath of office was then administered to the President by the 

Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. 

The Senate returned to their chamber, and the Vice-President took 

tlie chair at forty-seven minutes past twelve o'clock p.m. 

HOUR OF MEETING. 

Mr. ANTHONY. I move that until otherwise ordered the hour of the 

daily meeting of the Senate be twelve o'clock noon. The motion was agreed to. · 

NOTIFICATION TO TllE PRESIDENT. 

Mr. ANTHONY. Now, I move that when the Senate adjourns today it be to meet on Thursday next, the day after to-morrow. 

Mr. HAMLIN. I think we had better meet here to-morrow. ["0, - no."] I think we are called upon to notify the President that we are convened pursuant to his proclamation. That certainly: ought to be 

done by to-morrow. 

Mr. CONKLING. Let that be done to-day. 

Mr. HAMLIN. Verywell. If that is agreeable to the Senate, I move that a committee of three be appointed to notify the President that a quorum of the Senate is present and ready to proceed to business. 

The VICE-PRESIDENT. Does the Senator from Rhode Island withdraw his motion f 

J.\.Ir. ANTHONY. Certainly, for that purpose. 

The VICE-PRESIDENT. The Senator from Maine moves that a committee of three be appointed to wait upon the President of the 

United States and inform him that a quorum of the Senate. has 

assembled;pnrsuant to his proclamation, and that the Senate is ready 

to proceed to business. 

The motion was agreed to; and the Vice-President being authorized, by unanimous consent, to appoint the committee, Me&srs. HAM· 

LIN, SHERMAN, and CASSERLY were appointed. 
1873. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD. 3 

ADJOURNME..."'ff TO THURSDAY. 

Mr. ANTHONY. Now I renew my motion that when the Senate 

adjourns to-day it be to meet on Thursday next. 

Mr. BOREMAN. It seems to me that we might as well meet to-mor- row. We do not expect.to do much for a day or two, but we can get 

under way and do something toward facilitating our business to- morrow. We shall not stay here very long at all events, and I think we might as well commence our business, so as to complete it as soon as possible. -. Mr. CONKLING. If my friend from West Virginia. had been in a. moment before, he would have heard the expression of opinion of 

various Senators from all over the chamber against meeting tomorrow, the desire being almost universal to have that day for rest. 

I hope we shall be allowed to vote and not spend time on the q uestion. 

Mr. BOREMAN. I shall vote against the motion, but I shall not press 

any opposition in debate. The question is with the Senate. 

The VICE-PRESIDENT. The question is on the motion of the Senator from Rhode Island, that when the Senate adjourns to-day it be to 

meet on Thursday next •• The motion was agreed to. 

Mr. CONKLING. Now, unless some Senator has another motion to 

make, I move that the Senate adjourn. 

The motion was agreed to; and (at twelve o'clock and fifty-two 

minutes p.m.) the Senate adjourned. ' 

IN THE SENATE. 

THURSDAY, March· 6, 1873. 

Prayer by Rev. J.P. NEWMAN, D. D. 

The journal of the proceedings of Tuesday last was read and 

approved. 

Ron. WILLL\1\1 G. BROWNLOW, from the State of Tennessee, appeared in his seat to-day. 

SWEARING IN OF SE..."'UTORS. 

The VICE-PRESIDENT. If there are any Senators-elect present 

who have not been sworn iu, they will now advance to the·cha.ir. 

Mr. STEW ART. I ask that the oath be administered to my colleague. 

Ron. ORRIS S. FERRY, from the State of Connecticut, and Ron. 

JoHN P. JoNEs, from the State of Nevada., a-dvanced to the chair, 

and the oaths prescribed by law having been administered to them, 

they took their seats in the Senate. 

Mr. CRAGIN. I ask that the oath of office be administered to my 

colleague. 

Ron. BAINBRIDGE WADLEIGH, from the State of New Hampshire, 

and Ron. George E. Spencer, from the State of Alabama, advanced 

to the chair. 

Mr. BAYARD. Do I understand the Senator from Alabama pr()-

poses to be sworn in at this time f 

The VICE-PRESIDENT. The Chair so understands. 

Mr. BAYARD. I shall object to the swearing in of Ron. George 

E. Spencer, from Alabama., until the question of the credentials of 

another and opposing Senator have been considered. I make no objection to the honorable Senator from New Hampshire being sworn in. 

The Chair called the honorable Senator from New Hampshire; but I ob- served Mr. Spencer approach the chair and hold up his hand to be sworn at the same time. He is now aware, if he wa-s not before, that there 

is objection to his being sworn in as a member of this body until the 

credentials of a. person who claims title to the seat, as well as his own credentials, have been submitted to the scrutiny and the report of a committee of this body. When they have been passed upon and the 

Senate have made their order, I think it will be ti)ne to swear in 

whoever was legally elected. 

As a member of this body, I desire that its proceedings shall be 

conducted with regularity. The Chair will understand that there 

is not the least objection to the swearing in of the honorable Senator from New Hampshire, but simply to the proposed member from 

Alabama, 1\vho was not called by the Chair, and yet who approached 

and raised his hand for the purpose of taking the oath of office. 

The VICE-PRESIDENT. The Chair will first administer the oath 

to the Senator-elect from New Hampshire. 

Mr. CAMERON. Allow me a moment, Mr. President. I desire to 

correct an error made by the Senator from Delaware. 

The Senator says that the name of George E. Spencer was not 

called by the Vice-President. I am very much mistaken if his name was not called, both his name and that of the Senator from New 

Hampshire. Am I correct I 

The VICE-PRESIDENT. The Chair will state that an invitation was extended to Senators who had not been sworn to a-dvance to the 

chair and have the oath administered. Objection has been made to 

administering the oath to Mr. Spencer. The Chair therefore will first 

administer the oath to the Senator-elect from New Hampshire, and 

then the objection will be considered. .....,.. -

The oaths prescribed by law were administered to Mr. WADLEIGH, 

and he took his seat in the Senate. 

SENATOR FROM ALABAMA.. 

Mr. :MORTON. If it is in order I offer the following resolution and 

ask for its present consideration. 

The VICE-PRESIDENT. The question before the Senate is on a-dministering the oath to the Senator-elect from Alabama. 

Mr. MORTON. Let my resolution be deferred, then. 

Mr. HAMLIN. On that matter I desire to say only -that the 

usual practice of the Senate has been, I believe, to administer the 

oath of office to a Senator wh9 presents himself with credentials 

in the usual form. Such I understand to be the case with Mr. Spen- cer ; indeed his contestant admits that. That in no way and in no man- ner involves an examination and discussion of the merits of the case subsequently. I believe, however, precedents may be found in the 

Senate where credentials have been referred to the Committee on the 

Judiciary formerly, and since the creation of the new committee, to 

the Committee on Privileges and Elections, and the oath of office re- fused; but the usual practice has been the other way, and I am not sure but, that the practice has been uniform. At all events it does not 

involve the question of the right of either party if the member is sworn in upon the credentials presented. It seems to me, therefore, 

better that the oath of office should be a-dministered and the contest 

referred to the Committee on Privileges and EJections, where it belongs. 

Mr. ALCORN. I move that the credentials of Mr. Spencer be taken 

from the table and read for information. 

Mr. BAYARD. If I may amend that motion, I propose that the 

credentials of Mr. Francis W. Sykes be read also in connection with 

them. 

The VICE-PRESIDENT. It is moved that the credentiallj of Mr. 

Spencer and Mr. Sykes be read. 

Mr. ALCORN. I do not see the propriety of reading anything but 

credentials. 

The VICE-PRESIDENT. The papers in regard to this case have 

been ordered to be printed, and have not been returned from the 

printer. 

Mr. BAYARD. I understand the Chair to state that the papersthat is to say, the memorials and credentials-of these two parties, 

Mr. Spencer and Mr. Sykes, have been ordered to be printed for the use of the Senate, and that as yet they have not been returned from 

the printer. 

The VICE-PRESIDENT. The Chair is so informed by the Secretary. 

Mr. BAYARD. Then, as the subject is filled with grave importance, ·and as it should be accompanied with all that decorum which befits 

its gravity, I move that the consideration of the application of Mr. 

Spencer and of Mr. Sykes to be sworn in be postponed until tomorrow, or such other day as the printer shall have made return of 

the papers and memorials for the information of the Senate. 

The VICE-PRESIDENT. It is moved by the Senator from Delaware 

that the question of administering the oath to Mr. Spencer be deferred 

until to-morrow, or some day when the papers shall ha.~e been returned 

by the printer. 

Mr. CONKLING. The suggestion of the Senator from Delaware is 

made, as to terms and manner, in a way entirely unexceptionable. 

Mr. 4LCORN. Will the Senator permit me to interrupt him for a moment f I wish to ~nqnire, with the permission of the Senator from 

New York, whether it is true that there are credentials here for any one bnt Mr. Spencer 7 

Mr. CONKLING. I will come to that in a moment. It was on that 

point that I rose to speak. I was in the act of observing that the 

Senator from Delaware has put in the least exceptionable and least 

offensive form an objection which, in its nature, is somewhat abrupt 

whenever it is made in either House. In the other House it has been 

made sometimes; always there, I believe, however, in cases growing 

out of the war, or what I may denominate the reconstruction policy 

of Congress. My impression is that it has been made here once or twice, as suggested by the Senator from Maine, and always in cases coming from the Southern States at a time when the question 

of the Statehood or statua of those States was in some way involved. 

The honorable Senator from Delaware deems it his duty to make it 

now; but I submit to the Senate, and to him, that nothing is to 

be gained by it, and that upon the state of the case, as I understand 

it, the Senator need not and ought not to ask even a postponement. 

It appears from the records of the Senate that credentials are herefor 

Mr. Spencer in the ordinary form and involving on their face no question. There has been laid upon the table of the Senate, not credentials 

for Mr. Sykes, but a. memorial, which the Senator from Delaware has, 

and which I have. 

Mr. BAYARD. Allow me to interrupt the honorable Senator from 

New York. 

Mr. CONKLING. Certainly. 

Mr. BAYARD. The honorable Senator will find upon the front of 

this memorial, in its very commencement, the credentials, and they 

will be found in full ; that is to say, a. certificate of the election by 

the legislature of Alabama, according to the forms of the Federal law 

passed in 1866, of Mr. Sykes; and those papers are duly authenticated 

and are on the Clerk's table; it is these papers which were ordered to 

•