Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-03-01

it. That is the duty Of patriots. The
senator from Wisconsin cannot fright.
en- me by saying sour country-righi
or wrong" In certain sense. ] say
so, too. My country is the United
States, and Isay, my country, If right,
is to 70 be kept right, and il wrong, is
to beset right. [Applausein the gal
leries.1
Senator Corbett moved as substi-
tute a preamble setting forth that the
whole subject had now undergone an
exhaustive discussion of nearly three
weeks, and that none Of the allega-
tiOns contained in the original pream-
BILE had been sustained, and fesOlu'
ton declaring that the war depart
ment officials were guiltless OF any
wrong doing in any of these transac-
tiOns, and that it was the sense of the
senate that the discussion of the sub
ject should cease.
He then reviewed at length the al
legations and evidence adduced to
sustain them and argued that
they were were shown to
have had no foundation whatever.
Senator COnkling fully agreed with
Senator COrbett, and said that the
substitute WIS eminently just and
proper; but, inasmueh as its adoption
would prevent investigation, he ap-
pealed TO the senator to withdraw it,
feeling confident that an investigation
would completely explode all the
charges, insinuations and imputations
that had been made.
Senator Corbett withdrew his sub
stitute.
Senator Harlan moved an amend
ment to the amendment offered by
Senator COnkling some days since,
which directs the committee 10 in
quire whether any American senator
or citizen has bsen in unauthorized
communication or collision with the
agents of any foreign power, which
was adopted.
Senator Morton said if the senator
from Massachusetts, and senator from
Missouri could succeed in establishing
their case, the effect would be to make
case for Prussia against this country.
According to Senator Summers own
argument in the Alabama case, Prus-
sia would have a claim against the
United States for consequential dam
ages amounting to hundreds of mil
lions, for she could maintain that by
supplying France with arms we had
prolonged the siege of Paris, and
thereby put her TO enormous addi-
tional outlay and loss.
Senator Oe4kling said that Senator
Sumner had tried to make out q
stronger case for Prussia against the
United States than our case against
Great Britain, because he had argued
that France, when she got those arms
from the United States, WAS PROSTATE
and unarmed, and therefore we had
not merely furnished one belligerent
with arms, but had actually set her
on her feet again, and enabled her to
continue the war.
Senator Morton continued: I shall
vote for this resolution, because 1
know, as well as know anything that
has not transpired in my own
presence, that this whole inquiry
is a sham and pretence without fOun-
dation whatever, and l may say that
l know it will result in the vindica.
ton OF the government, and l shall
vote for the res olution for the purpose
OF squelching the scandals that have
been scattered abroad from here for
mere political effect; but II l thought
there was reason to believe
that through the chiei Of ordnance or
anybody else my government had
done wrong l should not vote for the
resolution, because l do not believe
that there is any moral or patriotic
obligation resting on me to go for ward
and make out 9 cause Of action against
my owu country.
The senate continued the debate
until seven o'clock, when the resolu-
ton was sdOpted-yeas 81, nays 8.
The following are the nays: Sena-
tors Cole, Edmunds, Gilbert, Harlan
and Wright.
The preamble was laid on the table,
all voting aye except Senator Ed
munds, who wanted it voted down
directly.
Senators Morton and Conkling said
that Senator Sumner voting to lay the
preamble on the table, was a confess
sion that it was wrong, which Senator
Sumner Indignantly denied.
The legislative appropriation bill
was taken up.
After which the senate adjourned.