Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-05-19
Congress.
WASHINGTON, D. G., May IS.

The senate galleries were tolerably well filled
to-day, and the correspondents under arrest
were on their seats at the bar.
Mr.. Sumner offered a rule abolishing the
secrecy with which treaties have heretofore
been considered, which was ordered te~ be
printed.
Mr.. Harlan then moved that henceforth
the senate meet at ten O'Clock, which was
adopted.
Mr.. Harlan then moved to 90 into executive
session, which was objected to by those senators
who wish to continue the investiga ton proceed
ings, and was voted down.
Mr.. White was brought before the bar of the
senate, and, i'll reply to the question of the
vice-president, whether he was ready to answer
all proper questions touching the disclosures,
through any member or officer of the senate Of
the Greatly of Washington, read a paper, in
which he said his excuse for not answering was
First, that it would be in violation of his pro-
feSsional honor. His profession was to col
lect news and transmit il by telegraph to the
journal he represented. Ii had been the uniform
practice to regard as confidential the sources
of news, and there was always an implied
promise of secrecy such as a lawyer makes to
his Client doctor to his patient, or a clergy
man to a dying man. If he violated it
he believed he would make himself infamous
in the eyes of his professional associates; second,
he did not obtain a copy Of the treaty from any
senator or officer of the senate. 1t was not a
senate document. 1t was printed in folio ages
WIFI u SlUSl6 GOluulu Un pa8e, ana was printed
by the department of state. Forty or more
copies had been printed by the department. He
was ready to go before the committee and
swear that he did not obtain copy, directly or
indirectly, from any senator or officer of the SEN
ate, nor, as far as he knew, from any employee
thereof
Mr.. White was cool and collected, and read
his replies in clear, distinct voice. He then
swore to their truth
Mr.. Ramsdell was then asked the questions
that he had declined to answer before the
committee He answered as to when he had
obtained the document, but declined to state
from whom and where, referring to his previous
answer, that he had neither obtained it from
senator or an officer Of the senate. He respect
fully declined to state whether he paid anything
for his copy for the reason he had given in the
first general answer and other similar questions.
Mr.. White also respectfully declined to answer
for the same reason
The senate listened with marked attention to
the questioning and when it had been concluded
Mr.. Carpenter offered a resolution reciting the
facts declaring the answers unsatisfactory, and
ordering that Mr.. White be committed to the
common jail, to be held in close custody until
he is ready to answer.
Mr.. Morton said that to settle the question
without debate he would move TO lay the reso-
luton on the table. The motion was lost
ayes 25 nays 36.
Mr.. Sumner then moved to strike out the
words common Jail, and have the witness placed
in custody Of the sergeant-at-arms. Carried
81 to 27.I
Mr.. Wilson moved that the part of the resolu-
ton continuing the committee through the re-
cess be stricken out.
This Mr.. Carpenter protested against, saying
that it would make the proceedings a shameful
farce.
Mr.. Sumner hoped thar the amendment would
be passed, There was no precedent for contin-
uing a committee merely to keep two citizens
deprived OF their liberty.
Mr.. Chandler hoped that the committee would
continue its labors until the senator who is the
reporter of executive sessions is found out and
brought to punishment Let the culprit be dis
covered and expelled from this body.
Mr.. Schurz expressed his qualification at hear
ing the voice of virtue. He then in an eloquent
and clear manner reviewed the case. He showed
that gentlemen Of the press had honorable du-
ties TO perform, and that there was not single
accuser of Mr. White on the floor who would
refuse to acknowledge him as gentleman.
Gentlemen talked of law, but, as Mr.. Thurman
had said, the highest law is not to do foolish
thing.
Gen. Logan advocated standing by the COM
mittee and sustaining their report.
Mr.. Wilson, abiding to Mr. Chambers re-
mnrks, said this was a singular proceeding.
The senator wanted the committee to be con-
tinued in existence until they found out who did
the reporting for newspapers in the secret ses-
sion. The senator himself was one OF these re-
pOTLelS, 10 HIS peTSOUdl knOWleu2e.
Mr.. Chandler-"0h mop
Mr. Wilson, resuming, said he had been here
sixteen years, during which time the proceed
ings of the executive session had found their
way into the press, more or less accurately The
papers employ, as correspondents, men of intel
ligence, capacity and character They are men
who know the proceedings of this government
as well as senators do. They understand what
is doing all the time, and know something of
the history of the country. They are employed
to find out what is done, and to give the people
the news, even before it takes place. Senators
know that senators talk about what is done in Sc
cret session. He, Wilson, talked with these cor
respondents in the presence of other persons. 1t
was no use for senator's to put on such virtue
here and pretend to be what they were not. The
truth was, senators talked too much the truth
was, majority of the senate were guilty of
leaking. He had control of a press in 1S4S, 40,
and 80, when he learned that a public man
would be judged by his daily life, and not by
little squirt in politicallafairs, or by little mis-
take. The best way for public man was to do
his duty, and let the press say what it pleased
ndmake no reply.
Mr.. Chandler replied that it was said an hon
est confession was good for the soul. He had
always suspected the senator of being leaty.
He was now sure the senator felt better, after
his confession. He hoped Others would likewise
confess. He protested against the senator con-
Tossing his, Chambers, sins, and was glad the
senator had made clean breast of it.
Mr. Wilson's amendment, to strike from the
resolution the power of the committee to sit
during the recess, was lost-20 to 80.
Mr. Window offered an amendment that the
committee be required to continue their daily
sessions until SAID witnesses shall come before
them and purge themselves Of contempt. Lost,
20 to 80.
After further proceedings the resolution was
amended so as TO provide that, If the COM
mittee shall fail TO assemble after ten days no.
| tiee that the witnesses are ready to answer the
questions reported to the senate, the witnesses
| shall be discharged.
| On motion of Mr.. Conkling it was provided
that it shall be the duty of the sergeant-atarms,
when he shall he informed of the readiness of
| witnesses to answer, to notify each member Of
| the committee thereof,