Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-02-24

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Southern Railroad Notes.
On motion of Mr.. Sherman, a bill passed
to prohibit individuals and corporation,
from issuing bills as circulating medium
The bill is aimed especially at railroad
companies in the South, who are issuinf
small notes, thus setting up an unauthor
lied banking system.
The Evansville Bridge.
Senator Chandler, from the Committee
on Commerce, reported a bill authorizing
the construction of railroad bridges across
the Ohio river at Mount Vernon and near
Evansville.
The resolution to investigate the alleged
sales Of arms to the French then came up.
Mr.. Cole endeavored to have the final
vote taken at P. NJ, but
senator Trumbun
took the floor and addressed the Senate.
He said that every effort at reform In this
body was met by assault upon those who
make the effort, by aspersion upon their
motives, by charges of bad party faith.
Questions affecting party government and
the welfare OF the public are in tEs opinion
OF some members of this body, who assume
to be the peculiar opponents of the Republi-
can party, no longer to be decided on their
merits, but only with a view to their bear
ing on the party chief. Among those who
would subordinate the public welfare to
party stands the Senator from Indi-
ana IMorton). In the discussion of
the resolution under consideration, he has
devoted two or three hours to assaults on
those whs have felt it their duty to move
this investigation, and not content with
that, he has taken occasion to wander away
from the subject, and talk about a
Senatorial CabaI.
do not know by what authority any MEM
Der OF this body assumes to be the peculiar
exponent Of the Republican party, or even
of the Administration. l intend to saw
something in reply to the repeated assaults
that have been made by those who assume
to be better Republicans than their fellow
Senators. l intend to show the course of
these Senators. and before have done, I'M
less misunderstood what the principles of
the Republican party are, think l shall be
able to show that he who stands foremost
here, on all occasions, to denOunce others
as assaulting the party, has himself forgot
ten the principles on which the Republican
party was founded, and is himself at war
with them.
Mr.. Trumbull then reviewed the course of
the majority in the Senate on the question of
removing Sumner from the Craftsmanship of
the Committee on Foreign Relations, on
the resolution 10 investigate the manage
ment Of the New York Customhouse and
on the pending resolution, and insisted that
on each and all these questions the majority
had avowedly acted not with reference to
the right or wrong involved, but wholly
with reference tie the supposed interests of
party. The Senator from Indiana (Morton)
speaking of the position of Sumner, had
boldly said that the question was not as to
the propriety of the act but was whether
the majority intended TO stand by the or
ganization and usages of the patty. That
was the standard of duty for Senators
Acting Under Oath.
When it was proposed to investigate the
abuses of the New York Customhouse the
Senator from Indiana did all he could TO
defeat it, but now he boasts that it has
indicated itself from the suspicion that it
was a withdrawing committee. That
had not yet made its report, and
be (Trumbull) would not assail it, but its
conduct in making the investigation was
public and was somewhat remarkable.
who testified that the Custom
house officers had interfered with the
Legislature of New York, were asked
they were not there themselves for
the same purpose, as if the people had not
the right to take part in politics, and as if
the committee could
Call the People to Account
for their political action. He had seen it
stated too, that notice had been given that
witnesses brought before the committee for
The purpose Of exposing corruption and
in Office were themselves to he
A good way to encourage wiz
lesses to testify. Again, on the pending
resolution the same old cry Of "party, par
"" had been raised, and Senators who
moved the resolution were threatened with
inc and Imprisonment. He would not
comment on the motives of Senators, but
he people were thoroughly aroused against
raud and corruption everywhere
md they would understand the
motives of these Senators
7ery well. The Senator from Indiana de-
bounced the platform Of the Liberal Repub-
ans as anti-Republican and essentially De-
and he would now undertake to
show that the man who held that view
lidn't know the meaning of Repu Ulicanism.
He then went over the resolutions in the
platform one by one and insisted that they
we're all in complete accordance with the
principles Of the Republican party. They
we're principles he had contended for
through all his public life, and God helping
lin, he would contend for them to the end.
MIR. Morton said he was sorry that Mr..
rrumbull had identified himself with the
Missouri movement, but as he had done so,
,thers could not do less than recognize the
act. Mr.. Trumbull had pretended that
here was no evidences that the
Cincinnati Convention
vas 10 make a nomination for President.
lie (Morton) thought there was no doubt
bout that, and it was generally understood
hat Senator Trumbull was to be the can
lidate. The people generally understood
hat the Senator had stepped out of the Re-
publican party, stopping, however, within
.asy returning distance, and was standing
With his back all chalked over
stBarkis is WiIIin.''
Laughter.) Mr.. Morton reiterated his
tatement that the Liberal Republican plat
orm was essentially Democratic and that
le based his criticism on the resolution
which declared the Ku-Klux law unconsti-
utiOnal He said there was still rebellion
u the South and he believed more men had
zen killed and wounded by the Ku-Klux
Turing the last four years than were killed
q the war of 1912.
Mr.. Morton said the Senator (Trumbull)
lad charged that he (Morton) had attemp-
ed to defeat investigation by raising the
ry Of party. That charge was not true,
tut he acknowledge that
He was q Party Man.
dr. Morton claimed that Trumbull had
lways been party man, and had received
t the hands of the Republican party the
highest honor that could be conferred, with
be exception of the Presidency, and now,
he wished to desert that party he wished
o know it. If he intends to come forward
nd support the nominee of the 5th June,
low is good time to say it. As said the
'ther day, | don't want to be cheated.
and
TOOmbs and SIIdeII,
laving decided to go into the rebellion, staid
,ehind in this chamber to betray the Gov
rnment and country. l hope their exam
lie will not be followed by others.
Mr.. Nye obtained the floor, but Welded to
motion to go into Executive Session.