Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1869-02-12
Congress.

In the Senate, yesterday, Mr. Morgan, from
the Committee on Commerce, reported, with
amendments, the House bill declaring that the
bridge across the East river, between Brooklyn
and New York, shall be post road when com
pleted, in accordance with the law OF New ork.
Mr. Davis offered a joint resolution declaring
that the noisy, disordery and tumultuous con.
duct OF Benjamin f. Butler and other members
of the House of Representatives, in the Rep
resentatiyes' Hall, during the time the Presi-
dent of the Senate, 10 the presence Of the Sen
| ate and House of Representatives, was opening
the certificates of the votes OF the electors for
President and Vice President OF the several
States, and said votes were being counted,
whereby said business was disturbed and OBJ
structed, is disreputable to the said Benjamin
| f. Butler and the other Representatives acting
with him, and wrong and insult to the people
of the United States. Objection was made, and
| the resolution went over Mr. Conkhng ad.
dressed the Senate on the bill relating to the
| public debt and currency, expressing the opln-
| ion that legislation on the subject had better
| be postponed until after the advent OF the new
Administration and of new Secretary of the
| Treasury The present measure he thought
promised more Of evil than good Senators
Morrill, and Corbett also discussed the bill.
Mr. Sumner bill to secure equal rights IN the
District of Columbia was passed for the third
time, the President having heretofore twice
pocketed it at the end of the session. At the
evening session the Senate discussed, without
action, the River and Harbor bill.
The House spent the whole of its morning
session yesterday in debating Mr.. Buffers reso-
luton, offered the previous day, declaring that
| the counting OF the vote OF Georgia by the
L.. %, a. don't n
oct OF oppression ard an invasion OF the rights
and privileges of the House." Mr.. Coltax
stated that he would call upon Mr.. Dawes, OF
Massachusetts, to preside, as he (Mr. Q. had
expressed an opinion upon the question on
Wednesday while upon the floor. The Speaker
vacated the chair, and Mr.. Dawes took posses
sion thereof and appointed as the committee
part of the House Messrs Wilson, of
to wait upon the President elect ON the
Iowa, and Pruyn, of New York. Mr.. Shella-
barger then addressed the House in opposition
to the resolution of General Butler. He said
that the resolution in fact denounced the Sen.
ate for doing Just what Mr.. Butler wanted the
Houso to do; that is, decide for itself indepen.
IDENTITY as to whether the vote of Georgia should
be counted or not, Mr. Thomas, of Mary land,
said that in the case of Michigan, thirty three
years ago joint resolution was adopted pre-
clSeIy similar 10 tnaC Wnlcn naQ now Deen APP
piled to the case of Georgia, the resolution
having then the support of some of the ablest
men in Congress. Messrs. Woodward and
Eldridge, Democrats, contended that Congress
had no power to decide on the counting of the
vote of any State Mr.. Bingham, of Ohio,
took Mr. Butler severely to task, censuriug his
cd captandunl speeches and his indecorous lam
guage toward the Senate, and charging him
with having been the leader and promoter of
scene which would have dsgraced market
house mob Mr.. Scheuck defended the reso-
luton of Mr. Butler and questioned the right
of the Speaker to order the Sergeant-at Arms
to arrest any member of the House whilst he
was not in the chair, and the two Houses were
in Joint convention. Mr.. Colfax defended him
self. la case of disorder he had necessarily to
exert his authority as Speaker OF the House.
Mr.. Garfield of Ohio, defended the conduct of
the President OF the Senate In his rulings, and
said that the disorder has resulted from the
efforts of Mr. Butler, who sought by clamor to
intimidate the presiding officer of the Conven-
ton. Mr.. Butler replied, arguing that the con-
current resolution was of no effect, and did not
bind either House Without coming to vote,
the Honse took recess. The evening session
was occupied with the consideration OF private
pension bills