Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-07-28


on the admission Of the Senator'S from Minnesota,
By which he cOntrived that Senator Rice should
draw the long term while General Shields drew the
short term. We were surprised that our neighbor
should publish a charge so palpsbly unjust, and We
hope that he will repair that Injustice By copying the
following letter from the Secretary of the Senate,
which shows that the accusation is entirely false
and uufounded
A Gross sIsnaer Refuted.
WAsHlHGroS, July q, 1858.
All who are acquainted with the proceedings OF
the Senate on the admission of the senators from
Minnesota to their seats, will remember that lois
were drawn by them to determine the classes 10
which they should be assigned, the term Of one
class ending on the Alb of March, 1889 OF another
on the 4th Of March, 1861 and of the other on the
4th of March 1868. 1t will also be rememoered
that Gen. Shields drew the lot which gave am the
shortest term, and Mr.. Rice that which gave MN
the longest term. As, before the drawing, there
was one senator less in the class having the shortest
term than in each Of the other classes, II was nee
essary in order 70 equaze the classes, that the
shortest term should be first filed; therefore, both
The senators from Minnesota drew fer that tern;
and it fell to helot Of Gen Shields All the classes
being then equal, it was nexl TO be determined by
another drawing to which Of The two olher classes
Mr. Rice should be assigned aud il fell to his lot
to be placed in the class having the longest term
In ga extract, which l have seen, from NorthN
western paper it is asserted that in order TO
TO Mr. Rice the longest term, with view to some
dishonorsbe object to be accomplished or promoted
BY his votes, the Vice President had placed in the
ballot box for the first drawing two plpers both
marked alike for the shortest term, OF which
drawn BY Gen Shiled5 and that the Vice President
then placed in the ballot box for the drawing for
the two other classes two papers both marked alike
for the longest term, one Of which was. Of course,
! IL L a.. 49, a.
Vice President he secured TO Mr.. Rice the longest
term and to Gen. Shields The shortest term.
This infamous accusation against the Vice Presi-
dent would seem too absurd 10 gain credit in any
quarter But, as / know better than others that it
is wholly untrue, 1t appears most proper for me to
expose its f4lsity. That may be best done by the
following extract from the Journal Of the Senate of
the I4th of May, last containing the proceedings
ferred TO- which shows that the Vice President had
nothing to do with them that he did not prepare
or put into the ballot box the papers which were to
be drawn, and that the charge against him is alto
geher unfounded.
Agreeably to plan reported by the committee on
the Judiciary and agreed 10 BY the Senate, the pa
pers which indicated the classes to which the Sena
tors from Minnesota were to be assigned pre-
pared and pu into the bGllotbox by the Secretary,
and the drawing took place at his table, which
the box had been placed, and where the Senator's
from Minnesota came fer the purpose of drawing.
The Vice President in his usual seat, which is
above and some feet removed from the SecTetsry's
table: so that any interference with the drawing on
the part Of the Vice President would have been
impossible The preparation Of the papers to be
drawn, the drawing them out, and, in fact the
whole proceedings were open and public in presence
of the Senate and Of numerous spectators. The
Vice President was only a locker on, his duty not
requiring anything TO be done by him. The pro-
eeeding was, moreover, in all respects similar to
what had been done on all similar occasions from the
beginning of the government
AsBURT DICKENS,
Secretary of Senate.
Extract from the Journal the of the I4sh Of May 5s
Mr. Bayard, from the Committee on the Judi
ciary, to whom was referred a resolution of the
Legislature of Minnesota in joint convention repor
ted the following resOluiion which was considered
by unanimous consent and agreed to:
ResoLVfd, That the Senate proceed to ascertain the
classes in which the senators from the State of Minis
nesota shall be inserted in conformity with the
olution of the l4th of May, 1889, and as the con-
stitution requires
On motion by Mr.. Bayard
Ordered, That the Secretary put into the ballot
box two papers Of equal size, of which shall be
numbered one and the other shall be a blank. Each
Of the senators Of the State Of Minnesota shall
draw out one paper, and the senator who shall draw
the paper numbered one shall be inserted in the
class Of senators whose term Of service will expire
the Sd day Of March, 1852
That the secretary then put into the ballot-box
two papers of equal size, one which shall be num-
bered tIoo and the other shall be numbered three
The other senator shall draw out paper. If the
paper drawn be numbered tsvo the senator shall be
inserted in the class of senators whose terms of
service will expire the third day of March, 1861;
aad if the paper drawn be numbered three the sen
aor shall be inserted in the class of senators whose
terms Of service will expire the third day Of March,
1868.
WhereupOn,
The papers first above mentioned being put by
the Secretary into the bollot box, the Hon. James
Shields drew the paper numbered one, and is accor-
dinghy in the class of senators whose terms of
vice will expire the third day of March, 1859; and
the Hon. Henry NJ. Rice drew the blank The
papers numbered tlOO and three then put by the
Secretary into the box; and the Hon Henry NJ
Rice drew the paper mbered three, aud is accord
ingy in the class of senators whose terms of SER
vice will expire on the third day of March, 1868.