Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1857-02-06

Everybody expected fun yesterday
when the Sham Convention met 10 elect
Senators. And everybody. except the
Democrats, saw fun Of the funniest kind
The "biters were bitten" about rs deeply
as any set Of tricksters ever were. We
have heard OF men who cut their fingers
with their own sharpness. and knocked
themselves over with their own guns, but
we never heard Of prettier illustration OF
this sort OF "back actions than was wit
messed in the Senate Chamber yesterday
afternoon. The Democrats, who were
playing what they thought sharp trick
in running away TO mako sham conven-
ton, were counter-checked In manner at
once parliamentary, effective, and funny.
The manner thereof was as follows:
The Senate met at one O'Clock, pursu-
ant to adjournment on Friday, and pro.
ceeded regularly with business till two
o'clock. AT that time the clerk was rea-
ding a report Of the Attorney General
Ee was ordered by the Lieutenant Cover
nor 10 STOP Rising from his chair, the
President said: "Gcntlemen OF tho Sen
ate: On the 18th Of January conven-
ton Of the House and Senate met In the
Hall OF the House to canvass the votes
for Governor and Lieutenant Governor
When that duty was performed the
convention was adjourned till tho aud Of
February at 2 o'clock. That time having
come tho Senators will repair to tho Hall
Of the House." He then descended from
tho chair. and the Democratic Senators
followed him out of the Chamber Nc
motion was made TO adjourn, and no adj
journment was declared. Mr.. Hammond
went out, just as Mr.. Willard did, and
left the chair vacant lIo had hardly
quilted the platform "a thing he ought "a
do with facility. rs he has had good dea
OF practice In getting of Of platforms,) be-
fore the Senate appointed Mr.. Burke Pres
ident pro tenn. A motion was made nj
once 10 take up the case Of Leroy Woods
Senator from Clarke, whose seat was con
tested, and against whose claim tho Judi
clary Committee had reported severn
days ago. declaring his seat vacant Tn,
case had boon laid on the table, and wa
awaiting the action Of the Senate, read,
TO bc taken up at any moment. II wa
taken up, and concurrcd, with but one dis
scntlng voice, (Mr. Crane Of Floyd, ant
Mr.. Woods ,ras duly, formally, and laicftl
W elected. BY this time the Democrats
heard what was going on, and hurried
back to the Chamber TO stop IT, But the,
came too late. Their appearance in th'
bar was hailed with tremendous shout
and laughter by the Republican Senators
the lobbies and everybody.
When they heard what had been done
their faces fell rs fast as barometer befor
tornado. They cursed, aud protested
and grumblcd, and denounced, but IL wa
indignation wasted. The thing was did,
aud 1t will take "All the Kings horses on,
all the Kings men" to pull Mr.. Woods in
TO his seat again.
While the Democrats were coming In,
motion TO adjourn was carried, and amids
, the jolllest sort fun the Senate adjourn
, ed. Mr. Hammond, FOR the purpose O
keeping up appearances, took his seat, ant
half choking with laughter, made his an
nounccment that tho Senate had adjourn
cd. But II was work Of superrerroga
i. ton. Everybody was up and going. tn
Republicans bursting with laughter. th
Democrats furious aud blasphemous. Ia
ken altogether, II was the best executes
| 'checl mate" Of piece Of trickery, tha
ever was attempted In the Senate, and
perfectly valid.
5 There can DO no doubt that Mr. Wood
r is as regularly oustcd as any contestant oy
or was, and he will be kept so II tho rule
OF legislation are executed rs they shoul
be. He has not a shadow Of right TO appeu
: in bis seat to day, aud he never had a legI
: right to that seat since he accepted sec
ond Office Of 'trust and profit" The vot
that elected him was a regular formal vot,
given by tho Senate in regular session.
: There was 40 call for tho yeas and nay
: and none was needed. Tho question WI
q simply on concrrring In report; and
was carried by consent. SO far as th
Senate could know, there was quorui
! present. There had boon no proccedin
n instituted to ascertain whether there WI
o or not, and quorum Is presumed prcsei
until q call show that there Is not.
Democrats went out without awaiting a
i adjournment II was their own affair. I'll
, Senate Is not bound 10 take cognizance {
a the absence of member, or Of a dozel
or any number Of members, until roguls
: proceedings show that they are ABSENT
y IL tho runaways had gone off to get
l. drink, or 10 buy apples, or TO talk In III
}. Hobbies, II would have boon Just the sam
!. There was no adjournment, and II the
: went away they disregarded their dut
'' aid have nobody to blame but themsclv'
IL business was transacted In their abscnc
:. Thew may fuss and fret, but they will fin
:. ID hard to show that this ejoctmont Is NJ
u strictly parliamentary. Az II was simpl
. tho decision Of aoontosted case, and WI
: not an "crpuision" proper, majority wi
!. oil that was needed.
II We had almost forgotten the Sha,
= Convention, In our notice OF this affair."
y We will despatch II briefly. When III
d half dozen Democrats who ran away frol
= the senate entered the House, they foun
% II pretty much vacant. The Republican
were oil absent, so that thero was no qu'
rum OF either house present. The r.
publicans tried by calling tho "Yoas M
Nays" TO make this appear, but tho speal
% or had been drilled, aud wouldn't recoI
u nizc them,or heed their CALL In this III
:. parliamentary way alone was tho fact thl
/, q quorum was not present, prevented frol
y being shown. But tho Democratic SOM
u tors took seats, determined TO "play OF
i the play"
l. Mr.. Hammond called tho Convention
!, order, made over again tho speech no ha
made in the senate, and adjourned u
y meeting, or caucus, or whatever II wa
D. I'LL Wednesday at 10 o'clock. So cndc
n the Convention. No elections were a
\ tempted.
Tho Democrats did losing busine
y yesterday. They didn't get any Unite
d States Senators, aud lost State Senate
: and with him their only chance Of ev,
bringing on tho election legally.
> From Washington.
Is Special Dispatch 10 tho n. Y. Tribune.
It WASHINGTON, Jan. 10.
. The Senate held secret session to-da
4 In which the question OF tho removal
+. Judoe Iecompfe from tina Chief Iustic