The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-05-18
Midnight Dispatches.
U. S. SEM ATE.
[EXTRA SESSION.
WASHINGTON, May II

| - '-N@"tN~NhNAAN
the rebellion.
The Vice President, in reply to Mr.
SUMNER, said that the report was In a
printed volume transmitted, and that two
written pages from the Secretary of State
accompanied it. About thirty.iive pages
OF the book related to these claims.
Mr.. SUMNER thought that as the inior.
nation was not now generally accessible
It ought to be printed with the letter OF
the Secretary Of State.
The printing was ordered, and then, on
motion of Mr., CAMERON, the Senate went
into Executive Session.
Al ten minutes past o'clock, Messrs.
White and Ramsdell were brought into
the Senate under arrest. ....
MIR. CARPENTER, from the Select Com
mittce, offered II resolution that required
tho Vice President to PROFOUND the Ques.
ton to them, what excuse they have for
not answering certain interrogations rela.
tive TO the premature publication of the
treaty, and whether they were now pre-.
pared to answer all proper questions asked
by the committee.
MIR. CARPENTER made q statement
showing the undOubted right of the Senate
to make Interrogation, and the impro.
prlety Of making public, matters of such
vast Importance. lie said there were two
COURSES either Of which they must pursue.
First, the Senate must go forward and
compel obedience 10 its rules, or confess
in the ihce Of the world its want Of nerve
and It's weakness
MIR, FENTON offered u substitute for the
pending resolution, requesting tho ques.
tion to be propounded as follows "Did
you receive copy of the treaty either
from o Senator or the Clerk, or Secretary
of Senator, or any officer or emplOye
OF the Senate or any member of Ills
family" This, Mr.. FENToE said, was
as far as they ought to go.
Mr.. WILSON supported the substitute
speaking In favor Of free press, and saying
that this proposition would vindlcate, and
there they ought to stop.
MIR. MORTON took similar ground and
said he would vote for the substitute. He
thought an answer TO the investigation
proposed by II was sufficient, but
whether the witnesses would be re.
quested to answer outside of this was
doubtful question. This document was
not exclusive Of the Senate documents, II
belonged TO the British Government rs
well as ours, and 1t also belonged to the
Executive Department. If II had been
published by the Secretary of State nc
one would have psotended that the Senate
has Jurisdiction over the matter, nor had
II been stolen from the Executive Depart.
ment would the Senate have the jurisliC.
ton to punish the criminal. There were
abuses in the press; they deiamo and
abuse the personal character of public
men, and publish statements false and
malicious. Thes things abound too much,
but the obtaining Of information could
not be regarded as among the abuse Of
the press.
MIR. THURMAN said thatil anybody was
responsible for the publication of what
purpOrted to be the treaty, it was the
managing editor of the paper in which II
appeared. lie should vote for Mr.. FEN.
TON's substitute, though he did not believe
II logically correct If these witnesses
should be imprisoned until this session
ends, neither the dignity Of the Senate
the constitution Of the country, or the
laws OF the land would be vindicated and
1t would be n ridiculous farce.
MIR. TIPToN said tho Senator from Wis.
consin, (CARPENTER) talked about the
dignity Of the Senate, who cares for such
dignity, when the Senate made such I'm.
timely exhibitions OF itself rs to-day.
Mr.. TIPToN drew q ludicrous picture Of
this investigation, and made some timely
hits, which Occasioned much laughter.
Mr.. MoRRlLL, Of Vt, said he had no
doubt when discovered Il would implicate
some Senator In carelessness.
Mr.. FENToN's substitute was disagreed
to by vote of 81 to 81.
MIR. TRUMBULL offered an amendment
to the pending resolution us follows, add.
ing the words, ITO be answered by wit.
ness touching the disclosure directly or
indirectly through any member Of the
Senate, or any officer employed there, Of
what purports to be the Treaty OF Wash.
ington, now pending before the Senate in
Executive session" He advocated the
amendment, and ii was agreed to-yeas
90, nays 90.
Mr.. SUMNER asked whether they had
not proceeded far enough. They had nj.
ready spent two days on this subject In
the words Of the Roman Tribune, lie
asked cW bono, for what good purpose
could they continue their investigations
lie thought the Senate had better stop.
They had gone far enough; they had
shown reasonable alacrity 10 the inquiry
and had better abandon the whole inquiry;
to prosecute 1t further would answer no
good purpose TO the Senate or country.
The resolution Of Mr.. CARPENTER was
then agreed to-yeas, 42; nays, 14-in the
following form.
Resolbed, That 8. L. White, now in the
custody Of the sergeant.at.Arms of the
Senate on an attachment for contempt In
refusing to answer certain questions pro-
pounded to him while he was being ex-
amined as n witness by Select Commit.
tee of the Senate thereto duly authorized,
be arraigned mt the bar Of the Senate, and
that the President Of the Senate PROFOUND
to him the following interrogatories; 1st.
What excuse have you for not answering
several interrogatories prOpounded to you
by members of the Special Committee of
tie Senate, before which committee you
were examined rs Il witness on tue 18th
day of May, inst,
81. Are you now ready to appear before
snid committee and answer all proper
questions that may he put to you by said
committee touching the disclosure direct
ly or indirectly through any member Of
the Senate, or any officer or employee
thereof, Of what purports TO be a copy Of
the Treaty Of Washington, now pending
before the Senate in Executive session;
that he be required TO answer the same;
that the Secretary Of the Senate take bis
answer in writing that said witness be
first sworn by the Vice President, and
that the Vice President then Is to pro.
pOund TO him the several interrogatories