The New York herald., 1871-12-19
Debate on the Republican Cau-
eus Committee. vA
Defence by st. Anthony and
Roscoe COnkling.
INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT.
Refusal to Sympathize with the
Dead Of the Commune.

U00Q OF the commune.
WASHINGTON DOC. ls, 1871.
Ebs Rctrcncbment Committee Fight In ii .
6cnase-Blteer Debaee-The AdmlnlwtratIo
Makes = Compromise.
The great nght which has absorbed the time VI
The Senate ever SINCE the reassembrng OF Congress-
was to-day more vigorously contested than ever,
the democratic wen a. the recalcttrant republi-
can leaders ct last taxing part In the contest The
standing Committee on investigation and Retrencn-
ment which was determined upon In the caucus
lass Friday. was very unssusfactory, and this day
was spens far into the night N COM
blned attack upon IT. Mr.. Sumner leading
on supported by Mr.. Thurman, OF Ohio, and
Mr. Bayard, OF Delaware The result OF the nght
mp to this morning was triumph for tine foes Of
the President in everything except the composition
Of the committee. Unceaslng efforts had extorted
nearly all that was demanded IN the beginning,
but there was stu ground for attack In the motion
which MI. Anthony made to day for the election OF
the committee The ballot being dispensed with, ne
submitted the following ~ the members OF the COM
mlttee:-M Messrs buckingham, chairman; Pratt,
Howe Harlan, Stewart. Pool ana Bayard.
This brought out Mr.. Sumner, who asked II there
was on the committee anybody who mad urged this
investigation, a. he termed it. 'in the strongest
FORM" He pointed out that neither Mr.. Trumbul
nor Nj. Schurz, no Senator who was active in
bringing the committee into existence, was on II,
and argued that II It was constituted this way 1t
would be contrary to uniform practice and par
liamentary law. The same view Of the case
was presented by Mr.. Thurman. During the
speech Of the latter Senator, Mr.. Buck
iDgham said, Ar. Trumbull had expressed
10 him ON unwllingness to serve upon It. THIS
brought bitter rct0rt from Trumbull who declared
that he had SAID he would not serve on the commit
fee. shorn as It was OF all power to accomplish any
thing but ne had said It privately and In whisper.
Al th y point test vote IN which Senator Wilson
once more returned to the administration ranks.
showed how Idle II would be to light ON this ground,
and then The democrats made an effort to get an.
other member or the committee. finally succeeding
In having 6 the name Of Mr. Casserly added upon the
motion Of Mr.. Scott During this phase Of the
debate some queer run was developed. Nj. Bayard
said the majority OF the committee were senators
who had voted for the most restrained investigation.
ana - demonstrating that II the investigation
should not turn out TO be OF the most rigid kind
the esuntzy would know why, he endeavored to
0ntangle NJ. Conkling into series Of inconsist-
eneaes with regard to tho Now YORK Senator'S vote
@ this question, but only succeeded IN
making An opening for tine retreat Of the admnia-
aBaQion forces n had, as last become apparent
many false steps, and they determined TO recover
% much Of tho lost ground as possible BY favoring
the most rigid investigation. Mr.. Conkling showed
shis early in the morning BY offering o resolution.
which he agreed should lay till the election OF
the committee was made, for an inquiry into the
General order business OF the New York Custom
House, and the alleged connections Of the White
House with the fraudulent transactions. But u was
dcult to 60 so far as 10 put this matter and many
other questiens OF as great Importance into the
hands Of o thoroughly unfnendly committee. Every
movement ana countermovement every motion,
speech and vote meant only the determination on
the one hand to hold on TO the friendly gentlemen
on the committee and the other TO 60 before the
country with this purpose put forward. The same
purpose has appeared in otner way throughout tho
two weeks contest, but It did not culmlnate to-day
One Of the queerest features In the fight was
senator Wilson'S change Of base. On Saturday the
Senator went to the Executive Mansion to
Sen the President that he must favor In.
VAotigation or his cause would be lost;
but what the President answered Is only
known from this days proceedings. The disposi.
non 70 concede was met, however, by demand for
further concessions, and when the administration
consented to the fullest inquiry 1t wos asked to give
mp its darling committee also The recalcltrant re-
publicans fought on the idea, well expressed by
Senator Bayard, that the Executive shadow s felt In
me Senase and from their determination In setting
aside the WORK Of caucus in which
tnoy participated, seem agreed TO go
out Of the party. The wonder is that
they had not been forced out beiore but this days
work is equal to ,heu exclusion. As the tight
waxed warm and the night came on many little
points Of divergence were exhibited. Bayard asked
fenton II the republican party In New York was not
controlled BY federal onice-holders, and Fenton
answered thatM he would ne could 20 tale unfold"
about the Syracuse Convention. Nearly every
oody tired his hand at speechmaking and at
asking and answering conundruma General
Logan made strong speech, detailing
the history of the resolutions In the various phases
they had taken in the Senate, and was more
patiently and willingly listened TO than any OF the
Senators who had preceded him. Alter Logan
closed small arms were discharged all along
Shg line until Morton, who had hitherto
remained quiet commenced picking to pieceslsome
one who had preceded him, and referred to what
he deemed Mr.. Summers charge Of opposition to
investigation on the part OF the administration
Senators. The Massachusetts Senator crealed
ripple OF scornful laughter against the In
dianan BY suggesting that the Senator was
s.nghting o shadow he himself had projected"
The hours waned and Senators became restless. A
desire for dinner induced some TO move adjourn.
ment, but Anthony, the recognized Senatorial
.whipn on the republican side. said no,
ana the wrangle proceeded. Mr. Trumbull
took the noor once more and ",ook the
logical side.n The one armed Senator from Al
Kansas tMr. Cayton) made his first speech In reply
70 reference made by Mr.. Trumbu to the eject
that the President mad removed certain
persons IN Arkansas in order TO prevent
certain trial being pushed with vigor,
aludina tberebv TO An indictment had
against Senator Clayton himself. The Senator 9
answer was that the United states Marshal espe-
csaly referred TO was removed because charged
WIN using force and fraud to carry election and
that u was done before the indictment against
MIN had been framed. Senator Edmunds made
me most music IN the evening He de-
signed 10 administer Q dose OF mental
casnip tee. but could not refrain rom infusing
shistss In t. His object was to show that the Joint