Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1872-03-16
scenes in the Senate.

farkerSourS JOWa0t radical.
But in the Senate the scenes were the re-
verse of all this The last days session was
the E.ost stormy of any during the forty-ive
days. Generally speaking, the Senators have
been good natured and courteous in their bear
ing toward each other, but on the morning of
the day Of adjournment, nearly every one of
them seemed TO have lost his temper. Out
side lobbyists had good deal to DO in bring
ing about the turbulent state OF affairs on this
occasion Several measures distaSteiul to the
minority in both Houses had to be forced
through the Houses in indecent haste by the
use of q gag aud the thumb screw, and it was
discovered that on the morning of the ADJOURN
ment the triggers were all set to apply the gag
il the Senate, a thing unusual, and force these
obnoxious measures through under the opera
ton Of the previous question" The FIRST of
these bills that would come up was one pro-
posing to transfer the States interest in the
Great Kanawha river to a company Of eastern
capitalists, under the pretext that these capt.
talsts would construct through water line"
from the sea board to the Ohio river. A good
deal of excitement was created in Charleston
over this Till, most of the people regarding
this improvement as Wall Street paper kite
speculation. Allen 7. Caperton of this State,
Mr. Gordon a distinguished lawyer from Viz
GINA, and other gentlemen Of influence were
urging the passage OF the bill while Col. r.
B. Swami, Judge James H. Brown, Judge
James H. Ferguson and others were doing
their best to defeat it. The President Of the
Senate, Captain Sperry, was the patron of the
bill and was 50 determined to put it through
that his rulings in the chair became very ar
bitrary, and it soon became evident that the
majority were determined to drive the minori-
ty to the wall. The bill had been ordered 10
its third reading by ii for it to against it.
OF course the objective point of the friends Of
the bill was to compel vote and pass it.
The opponents Of the bill seeing that the ma
jority had determined to gag them by the
previous question resorted to filiGuster-
Ing" and being better parliamentariauS than
the friends Of the bill they succeeded several
times in defeating the call for the previous
question: by the counter motions which gave
them 4 chance to speak. Senator Scott Of
Richie, was the leader of the minority, and
being the best parliamentary tactican in the
Senate, 1t was found impossible so far to cor
ner him. Meantime most exciting scene
occurred between Senator Wilson of Jefferson,
and President Sperry. The former having
the floor, the President made several attempts,
as Mr. Wilson thought, to rule him down in
order to carry ont the programme of forcing
the bill to its passage. Senator Wilson be-
came intensly excited and addressing himself
directly TO the President denounced him in
unmeaSured terms as prostituting his high of-
fee by entering into a combination with q
gang Of spectators 80 force through the Sen
ate il violation of its rules, an Infamous meas
ure to rob the State Of property worth three
millions Of dollars. That TO accomplish bis
purpose he was, in a most arbitrary manner,
striking down the rights Of Senators Such a
course was diSgracefpl, uDgentlemanly, undig-
uifed, tyranncal aud cowaFdly in the extreme,
and for one lie did rot intend to submit to it,
During the delivery Of the first part Of this
scathing invective the President, who seems
naturally cold and stolid, was unmoyed, but it
was not long until Lis phlegmatic face become
liyid with rage. After Mr.. Wilson had con-
cluded Mr.. Sperry left the Chair 10 reply
lie denounced the language of Wilson Is an
gentemanly aud insulting in the highest de-
gree; the statement that he was in league with
spectators to procure improper legislation
was false; that he had acted arbitrarily in
his conduct toward Senators was also false
hood, and the senator who had made these
charges had acted the part Of a bastard and u
coward. This much he had to say in defence
Of bis o6icidl conduct-that portion Of the SEN
at0r's remarks which reflected upon him per-
SoHally he proposed to answer elsewhere. This
brought Wilson, who is veritablc Hotspur,
TO his feet again. Shaking his finger at tho
President, and, with look that cannot be de-
scrbed, he reiterated what he had said before.
The President of the Senate might, he said.
be physically stronger than himseli-he might
be more skilled in those modes of defense prac-
ticed elsewhere than in the Senate, but all
this would not deter him from asserting his
rights on the floor Of the Senate aud assault
Ing any Senator however high his position
who Invaded these rights lie had not a
word Of what he had said to take back. The
action Of the President was tyrannical-it was
daStardly, aud he wished that officer to under
stand distinctly that he now repeated and
hurled back the charge with compound inter
est. As for the personal aspect Of the case he
was ready to settle that els. .cAere at such time
/ aud place as the gentleman might see proper
to designate.
Here this personal alteration ended, for
the present at least, and, i; is to be hoped, for
the future. But the fight over the " through
water line " bill was renewed with redoubied
vigor. 1t was now l. o'clock, three hours
until the hour of adjournment Before the
majority were able to make a successful move
to enforce the previous question" Senator
Scott was on his feet, auG could not be dis
turbed as long as he bad the floor. He pro-
ceeded at great length 20 address the Senate in
opposition to the bill. 1t was now evident
that the minority had resolved to prevent
vote by speaking against time, and the on
ly hope left the friends of the bill was to get
the floor at the conclusion of Mr.. SCOTS
speech, rush through the previous question,
and in this way cut oil all further debate
This move, however, was anticipated by the
enemies Of the bill: aud after Senator Scott
had spoken perhaps an hour and a half, Sen
ator Wilson arose to ask him question This
little maueuver threw the majority off their
guard Scott dropped suddenly into his scat,
Mr.. Wilson as quickly addressed Mr. PreSi-
dent" and was entitled to the floor. The
friends of the bill now saw for the first time
their real danger, since Wilson can as easily
speak twelve hours as twelve minutes Points
Of order were raised, and many appeals were
made 10 the voluble Senator to yield the floor
{" just a minute" that some things which
could not be omitted might be attended to be-
fore the hour Of adjournment but no appeal
could touch the stony heart Of Wilson He
I talked on, and Senators went without dinner
/ Two o'clock came and he talked on
/ The President NOW turnei hack his