The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1871-04-07
THE SUMNER REmoyAL mAT-
TER.


gives the following account Of the pro.
ceediugs In the Senate that day on the
Sumner removal affair:
Since tho memorable all-night debate
on autLorising the appointment of the
San Domingo Commissioners, no moro
painful or disgraceful scene has occur.
red at the Capitol than the six hours
discussion in the Senate, to-day, on
pcstponing the appointment of the
Standing Committees; and since tho
veto of the Civil Rights Bill, there has
not been so exciting and absorbing q
scene for those who crowded the CALLER
les and filed the vacant space on the
floor of the Senate Chamber. The
very nature of the debate, involving
only the question of the transfer of Mr..
Sumner from the Chairmauship of the
Foreign Relations COMMITTEES, made it
unusually personal, and as the iutcres.
increased, scarcely a Senator spoke
without indulging in rscrimiuation and
invective unbecomiug the dignity of
that honorable body.
Having failed in their attempts to de-
lay action on the report of the Caucus
Committee, Messrs. Wilson aud Schurz
opened the discussion as tho champions
of Mr.. Sumner. Both spoke with great
feeling, and insisted that tho proposed
action was surrender on the part of
the Senate of its independence, in
changing the composition of its Com
mittees at the demand of the President
or his Cabinet. Mr.. Wilson, especial
II, showed great emotion, and begged
and implored his political friends not to
-consummate the action which he assert
ed to bo adverse to nineteen-twentieths
of the Republicans Of the county,
Mr.. Trumbull, whose own personal diff
ferences with Mr.. Sumner on matters
of public policy are well known, was
scarcely less emphatic than the personal
friends Of Mr.. Sumner, in denouncing
as wrong his removal from the Commit
tee, of which he has so long been the
head.
Messrs. Howe, Nye, Edmunds and
Morton positively denied that the Pras-
ident had made any request to have Mr..
Sumner removed from the Committee
and repeatedly asserted that it had been
done bJ the majority of the Republican
Senators, solely because they believed
that the true interests of the country,
and of the party, could best be served
by such action. They also called Sena-
tors to account, who, having taken part
in the Republican caucus, refused to
abide By its decision.
Mr. Wilson, in his own defense, was
very emphatic in denying that he could
be bound by any caucus decision which
he did not believe to be right.
Messrs. Sherman, Cragin, Corbet and
Morrill, of Vermont entered their pro-
tests against the removal of Mr. Sum-
ner, on the ground that there was no
Just cause for it, but added, that, hav-
ing done this, they considered it their
duty to abide by the win Of tie majori-
ty of their party; and Dir. Nye with
one eye on the reporters gallery again
took the occasion to express his distin-
guished contempt for the opinion OF the
press of the country on the subject, in
timating that the conductors of the
leading journals were ignorant of the
usages Of the Senate, and no right to
meddle with subjects that did not con-
eera them. An irreverent correspond
ent In the gallery was heard to remark
that the Senator from Nevada, like his
namesake immortalized By Bret Harte,
may yet find in the press of the coun-
try his "heathen Chinee." Mr.. Upton
asserted that, deny it who would,
the reason given In the Caucus for the
removal of Mr. Sumner was the opposi-
tioa of that Senator to Santo Domingo
annexation. This was denied, however,
and Dir. Upton charged with revealing
private conferences, and the proceed
ings of the Senate In Executive Ses-
sion, when he retorted that the proceed
ings of the caucus were all published in
to-day's newspapers, and the fact that
stood % to % was printed all over the
country, that the report had never been
denied, and that he (Tipton) knew it to
EDe true. When again called to order
Dir. Upton said he would not deny it.
The galleries appIauded and the presid-
ing officer threatened to have them
cleared.
Bfr. Sumner took no part in debate,
except merei, to put in denial of the
oft-repeated assertion that be had re-
fused to hold intercs1rse With the Pres
ident and Secretary of State. To this
denial Mr. Howe opposed lie assertion
shat he had been told by the Secretary
and Senator that DIR. Sumner hau, in
"a public place, refused to answer civil
question put by Mr. Fish, and Mr..
Sumner only shook his head, and said
that it must have been in the "lightest
possible whisper" He, however, in
sisted that his name should be omitted
In the new Committe on Privileges and
Elections, to which he had boen as
signed as Chairman. All motions to
postpone we're voted down by small ma
joritities, the Democrats voting with
the republicans who sustained Mr..
Sumner. The evident determination
of the majority of the Senate was not to
adjourn until the question was settled !;
and finally at six o'clock vote was
reached, when the order was adopted
by vote of SO to 8, those in the mega
tive being Democrats. a number of
Republican Senators left the Chamber
just as the vote was taken, and among
them were Messrs Logan (who made
his maiden speech to-day in favor of
Dir. Sumner) Schurz, Trumbull, Upton
and Wilson. Mr.. Patterson was not in
the Senate at all to-day. Mr.. Cameron
came into the Chamber at about three
o'clock, but seemed to take. no interest
in what was going on, and did not vote