The Van Buren press., 1871-03-21
CONGRESS.
summers Removal from the Foreign Al
fairs Committee.
W AsHINGToN, March 10.
SENATE.

Anthony was, on motion of Mr.. Sumner,
chosen President pro tem
~ motion to adjourn till Monday was
defeated by tie vote
a motion TO proceed to the election of
the standing committees was agreed to.
Mr. Schurz moved that further consid
Grafton of the committees be postponed
till tomorrow, but gave way to Mr.,
Sumner, who desired to be excused from
acting on the committee on Privileges
and Elections-the place assigned him'by
the caucus.
Mr. Sherman stated that it was unusual
to excuse any one before the committees
were agreed upon, but after that the Sen
ate would doubtless relieve any one who
desired it.
Mr.. Sumner declined to withdraw his
amendment to strike his name from the
committee on Elections, and said that af-
ter twenty years service he had right to
expect that the Senate would not impose
new and distasteful duties upon him.
Mr.. Summers motion was then agreed
to without division, when Mr.. Schurz re
newed his motion to postpone the sub
ject. Rejected-yeas 81, nays 80.
The question recurring on the adop-
ton of the resolution,
Mr. Schurz explained the reasons for
which he moved a postpOnement. He
said it was we'll known to the country
that there were certain dsagreements
with regard to the appointment of the
committees now submitted to the Senate,
and his motion was made with the inten-
! ton of trying a last chance to reconcile
these disagreements, and to prevent the
possible excitement that might grow out
of it, That last chance had been denied,
and the resolution of Mr.. Howe was now
! before the Senate for debate
| 1t would be noticed that in that rcso-
luton a change Of some importance had
been made in the committee on Foreign
Relations. The late chairman, the Sena-
tor from Massachusetts, (Sumner), was
his personal friend, and while bound to
him by intimate personal relations, he
(Schurz) could say at the same time that
were those personal relations otherwise
than friendly, his judgment on the Qucs.
ton would not be altered. He thought
he spoke the unanimous sentiment ofthe
Senate, and he would 60 further and say
that he spoke the unanimous sentiment
of the country, when he asserted that the
duties dcyolving on the chairman of the
Senate committee on Foreign Relations,
had been fUlflled by the Senator from
Massachusetts with great credit to him
self and the committee, and with general
satisfaction to the country. That gen
tleman was looked upon in the Senate as
member of the Senate, who, by study
and training, was most eminently fittad
to FIJI just that position above all others.
When movement WAS made to degrade
an eminent member Of the Senate, it was
but Just to that member of the Senate,
and to the whole country, that the real
reasons for such a change should be laid
bare TO the public gaze. He would, there
FORE ask the Senator who had introduced
the resolution, (Howe) what were the
reasons why such change was made ?
Mr.. Howe rose to reply.
Mr.. Stewart (aside IL would not an
swer him.
Several Senators-No don't!
Mr. Howe said on one hand he was
asked question and on the other ap-
pealed to not to answer it, but in defer
ence to that rule of courtesy which he
had sought to make a rule of his life, he
would make a civil answer to a civil ques
ton. He would briefly state the reasons,
so far as he knew them, and he certainly
knew them as well as any Senator. No
question had been raised to the ability of
the Senator from Massachusetts, and no
pretcntion had been made that he was
surpassed in any respect by the gentle
man proposed to succeed him but it was
known to those who proposed the change
that the personal relations existing be
tween the Senator from Massachusetts
and the President of the United States.
and the head Of the State department,
were such as to preclude all social inter
course between them. In brief, the in
formation vas that the Senator from
Massachusetts refused to hold personal
intercourse with the Secretary of State
Mr. Sumner-Just the contrary.
Mr. Howe, continuing without motto
ing the remarks-And that Senator has
not held any intercourse with the Presi
dent Of the United States. In view of
these facts, it was deemed best that the
committee on Foreign Relations should
have a head who would be on the best
speaking terms with the Secretary Of
State and the President.
Mr.. Schurz replied that he was very
creditably informed, and that from the
best authority, that the Senator from
Massachusetts (Sumncr) had not refused
to enter into any official relations, either |
with the President OF the Secretary of
State
Mr., Howe--l ask my friend not to
change the issue. / did not speak Of their
official relations / spoke of their per
sonal relations.
Mr.. Wilson-Then, Mr.. President, it
has come to this that the oldest mem
Der Of the Senate, and chairman of the
committee on Foreign Relations through |
the past ten years, is to be removed from
the chairmanship, and from the commit
tee itself, because of the social relations
between the President of the United
States, the Secretary of State and himself
He Mr.. Wilson, was one Of those who
believed it not the business of the Senate
what those relations were, or what were
the social relations Of any Senator with