Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-06-13
FORTIETH CONGRESS.
This Afternoons Proeeedings.
ANIMATED DEBATE.
POsTPONEMENT OF THE QUESTION
VOTED DOWN.
ACTION URGED nv RE.
PUBLICAN SENATOR'S.

VOTED DOWN.
IMMEDIATE ACTION URGED BY RE.
PUBLICAN SENATORS.
SATURDAY, June 13.
SKNATE-Mr. Conkling presented a memo.
RAJ OF l26 citizens Of Colorado, protesting
that the population is sparse, and the condition
Of business interests such as to render them
unable to bear the expenses Of q State govern
ment: Also mat those claiming admission as
Senators are not the choice OF the people Of Col.
orado.
Mr.. Trumbun called up the Ill in addition
10 the act OF 1s04, to punish certain crimes
against the United States, which provides that
no persons shall be prosecuted for the crimes
mentioned in said act unless the indictment is
found within five years after the commission
OF the crimes, which was passed.
MIR. Harlan called up the bill relating to
contested elections in the City of Wash ngton.
and the amendment reported yesterday by the
committee on the District Of Columbia, was
agreed to.
MIR. Hendricks asked for an explanation OF
the amendment.
Mr.. Harlan said, in view of the present dis
thought proper TO give temporarily the av.
pOintment of the subordinate officers to the
Mayor, until the deadlock was removed.
Mr.. DAVIS asked II this bill was not retroac-
MIR. Harlan said there was no law now rela-
tive to contested elections IN this city, and this
bill had been introduced to remedy il.
MI. DAVIS SAID this was Just what he ex>
pected. An election had recently taken place
in this city, and some Of the candidates elected
were not satisfactory to the Radical party and
the majority of this body. There was no ne.
cessity for the Intervention Of Congress in this
matter. The courts were amply Competent to
take jurisdiction of all the questions arising
out OF the recent election in this city, and it was
party purposes. fnere had been % cases IS OF conl
tested elections here before, and the parties had
no difficulty in having the case ad indicated in
the courts As he understood 1t this bill was
election which had taken place under other
laws. One Of the parties concerned in this
matter is not satisfied with judicial decision
OF the matter, but he comes TO the Senate. and
the Committee on the District Of Columbia had
with partizan and indecent haste, reported this
bill
Mr.. Harlan SAID this was merely intended to
provide remedy for what at present there was
no legal means Of obtaining relief. Under the
present law, providing that the Board of Al.
dermen and Common Council should be the
Judges OF the election there was no opportunity
for obtaining legal decision Under ordinary
circumstances the existing law would be suffi- :
cient, but now there We're two boards for each
branch Of the Councils, each claiming to be the
legal board, and each equally divided, which
prevents any solution of the difficulty. The
bill provided that those having certificates of
election should be admitted to their seats, which
was the principle usually adopted in such cases
T..
ing themselves. with a certificate. were consid.
cred pT1md fdcie entitled to the seat and were
sworn In, and the contestants had their remedy
afterwards. So II was now provided that the
contestants should apply to the Supreme Court
OF the District of Columbia, which was au.
tnorlzed TO dispose of it in a summary manner,
either OF the judges having the authority, and
tne declslon being final. There was no parti.
san design in the bill, but only TO remove the
difficulties.
Mr.. Davis said there was no cloakng the
pariizan nature Of the bill. IL was to manu-
facture evidence for the purpose of putting
into ofhce those who could not get in under ex-
isting laws. He confessed thar he was not an
Jahln District OF Columbia matters, and to en-
aoie pm TO more thoroughly understand the
OIL, ne appealed to the courtesy of the Senator
from lswa 10 let the bill go over until Mon
day.
Mr.. Harlan was about to rise, when
Mr.. Sumner interpoeed with Don't do il; let
us have vote on the bill today
Mr. Hendricks said 1t certainly would not do
70 make one law for the Mayor and another for
the City Council Every one knew that at the
Mayor voted for by the Radicals, and with the
common Council voted for BY the Conserva-
posed not only to give the seat to the Radical
Mayor but TO the Radical Councilmen. Now,
II any Senator thought this was right. he had
dinerent ideas OF right and wrong from him,
Mr.. Harlan thought the Senator was mis-.
taken.
Mr.. Hendricks said the facts proved him to
be right. The returns Of the Commissioners
OF Election gave the majority to the Conserya-
tive candidates in the Fifth Ward which was
pT1md focie evidence of their election: and
now, In the face OF these returns, it is proposed
10 give the seats to the Radicals who were not
elected.
The morning hour here expired, when the
Chair said the unfinished business of yester.
aay oeing the Dill to amend the act relating
Senate. 'No
Mr.. Harlan moved to postpone the unfinished
business ior the purpose Of proceeding with the
MIR. Sherman thought the ban king act shou,d
De proceeded with. This bill relating TO the
District OF Columbia had been sprung upon the
Senate, and he thought IL should 20 over He
was at any rate in favor of cutting this Gordian
Knot, and dong away with all these troubles
Dy ruling this District with a board of com.
Mr.. Harlan had no more interest in this bin
tnan any other Senator, but he desired to cut
the Gordlan Knot by the passage OF this bill IL
however, the Senate did not choose TO pass it,
ano TINS eity was 10 be given up to the mob, he
rest OF them.
Mr.. Sumner said this was q practical matter
Congress had complete control ever the Dis
tiIct OF COLUMBIA, and 1t was proper that this
difhculty should all be swept away, as it would
oe by the passage OF this bill. 1t was very
necessary that the Senate should pass it o-day.
Or. hendricks said the best way was to
adhere to the square, honest rule, and let those
men who pysmd faoie received the largest mum.
Der OF votes take their seats, and then II thev
were Illegally elected, the remedy would be ii,
the courts. The Register Of this city had no
supervisory power over the election returns
IL was MS duty to issue certificates based ON
tne returns OF the Commissioners Of Election
Mr. d also referred TO the Committee on the
Dis4iet OF columbia as being all members Of
the Radical party.
Mr.. Harlan SAID this was mistake. The
Senator from Tennessee (Mr. Patterson) was q
member OF the COMMITTEES. Perhaps, as the
Senator from Indiana (Mr. Heudricks) sat
nearer to that Senator than he INT H. ne
Knew whether he was Radical. He (Mr H \
had always thought otherwise.
MT. Patterson, (Tenn.,l who had Just come
ln,yasked II the Senator alluded TO him.
Mr. Harlan replied afirmatively.
Mr. Patterson.-I understood you TO say 1
impeachment IRenewed laughter.l
After some further discussion, the mot ion to
postpone was agreed 70, and the pending bill
was proceeded with.
Mr. Davis moved an amendment, that the
mayor OF the city of Washington shalt NOT
hold any other office OF trust and honor under
ne United States, in the District Of Columbia
Mr.. Davis understood that this gentleman
VINO now claimed to be Mayor Of Washington
was also Postmaster of this city, and Clerk
o. ne senate He, did not know how many
Mr.. Harlan said the Mayor was not now
Cierk OF the Senate. He haA actsd as such up
10 &he time Of his election only. Ga ttt
Mr Davis asked whether the senator tnoush
proper that hs should hold eyea these two
1T. Hsss1 Ma 1t Va. in me power Of tn.