The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-03-30
CONGRESSIU.,.u.
WASHINGTON, March %.
SENATE.

The Senate took up in the morning
hour Mr.. Anthony's resolution amend
ing the order Of business, SO that any bill
on the South, passed by the House of
Representatives, may be considered at
the present session. After discussion
the subject went over without action by
the expiration Of the morning hour, and
the San Domingo business was resumed
Mr.. Schurz resumed the floor and
proceeded with his argument, com
menced yesterday. Referring to the let
ter Of the Secretary of the Navy, he
said: The whole letter of the Secretary
of the Navy to Admiral Lee was such
tumble Of Constitutional doctrines and
such a remarkable representation Of
facts and precedents that it was prop
erly addressed to Mr.. Sumner, for the
Secretary of the Navy probably consid-
ers it well to "tell that story to ma.
rines." The Secretary of the Navy
was in great danger of acquiring the
reputation OF a profound constitutional
lawyer among sailors, and might sail
among Constitutional lawyers to further
the pet scheme of the White
House, in which Congress nor
the people Of the United States had
shown the least interest. The war
power had been usurped, the Constitu
ton invaded in one Of its most essen
tial and vital features, the dignity of
the country put in jeopardy in a reck-
Tess manner. He (Schurz) had dis
claimed any i'll feeling against the Presi-
dent, but had some feeling for funda-
mental law. The administration would
not be broken down unless it broke it.
self down, and it was not for him, but
for the country TO say how far it had
gone in that direction. 1t was time
now to dispel the confusion of ideas
which could not distinguish be-
tween the authority of the United
States and the person Of the President,
and arrest the usurpation Of power;
which gradually and with catlike stepis
creeping upon this country. Congress
had never been called to confront a
stronger attempt at personal govern
ment. We were reminded of Louis
XIVth, with his riding boots on and
whip in hand, entering the Paris Par
Lament and proclaiming Il am the
State" Here We saw the President
stepping before the people and de.
caring, 81 am the war-making power.
Recently he (Schurz) had expressed
some anxiety lest annexation in the
tropics should lead to usurpation. Was
there anyone on the floor who would
deny it? Senators had spoken of ex-
tending the blessings Of republican gov
ernment to San Domingo. He would
respectfully suggest to those Senators
that it was time to see to it that integ-
rity and a republican form OF government
be preserved at home. Putting the
most charitable construction upon the
course Of the President, calling it not a
crime or misdemeanor, but an involun-
tary mistake, still the great duty re-
mained for Congress to vindicate the
Constitution OF the United States. Had
the President grown so great that he
must not submit, or had Congress
grown so small they did not dare pro-
test? The Senator from Wisconsin
(Howe) had likened the Senator from
Massachusetts, (Sumner) to Brutus;
but he should have remembered that
the dagger of Brutus was not leveled al
bis party, but the weapon went straight