Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-02-24
Forty-Second Congressional Session
WASHINGTON, D. c., Feb. %.

SENATE
The vice president being absent, Mr.. Anthony
was again elected president Of the senate pro
temp0re,
TIC galleries OF the senate are again crowded.
An unusual amount of business was presented
aud referred or otherwise disposed Of
AT one o clock Mr.. Cole, the chairman of tho
committee on appropriations, moved that the
debate on the sale of arms resolution be closed
at Ave O'clock, but objection was made.
Judge Trumbull then took the floor and com
menced by asserting the right of every citizen
to advocate reforms.
In speaking of MIR. Morton, he said; In the
discussion OF the resolution under consideration,
he has devoted two or three hours to assaults
upon those who have felt it their duty to move
this INVESTIGATION; and, not content with that,
| he had taken occasion to wander away from the
| subject and talk about Senatorial cabal." |
| do not know by what authority any member of
| this body assumes to be the peculiar exponent
| OF the republican party, or even of the admiuis-
| tratiOn. intend TO say something IN reply to
repeated assaults that have been made by those
who assume to be better republicans than their
| fellow senators. | intend to show the course of
these senators, and, before have done, unless
| misunderstood The principles of the republican
| party, think shall be able 10 show that he
| who stands foremost here on all occasions to de-
nounce others as the aSsaultng party, has him
| self forgotten the principles on which the repub-
lican 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 remuv-
| ing MIR. Sumner from the craftsmanship OF the
| committee on foreign relations, in the resolu-
| hon to investigate the management of the New
| York custom house, and on the pending resolu-
ton, and insisted thar, on each and all of these
| questions, the majority had avowedly acted, not
| with reference TO the right or wrong involved
| but wholly with reference to the supposed inter
| est of the party. The senator from Indiana
| (Mr. Morton) speaking of the position of MIR.
Sumner, had boldly said the question was not
as TO the proFrcty, but whether the majority
| intended to stand by the organization and
| usagcs of the party. That was standard OF
duty for senator's acting under oathi When it
| was proposed to investigate the New York GUS
| tom house, the senator from Indiana did all he
could to defeat it, but now he boasts that ii vim
dicated itself from the suspicion that it was a
| white washing committee
That committee has not vet made its report,
| and he, Trumbull, would not aSsal il, but ITS
| conduct IN making the investigation was pub
| lie and was somewhat remarkable. The COM
mlttee bad been instructed TO inquire into the
official abuses OF the custom house, to inquire
| whether officials had improperly inteIfered with
the freedom of elections, whether they had not
lnterlered improperly in the organization oil con-
ventions, etc; but it had undertaken also to in
| quire into the conduct of the people, witnesses
| VINO testified that the custom house officers had
| nterleled with the legislature of New YORK
| were asked whether they were not there them
selves for the same purpose, as if people had not
| right to take part in politics, and us il the COM
| mittee could call the people TO account for their
political action. He had seen it stated, too that
notice had been given that the witnesses brought
| before the committee for the purpose Of expos
ing corruption and malfeaSance in Office were
| themselves to be prosecuted. A good way to
| encourage witnesses to tertifyl
Again, upon the pending resolution the same
Old cry OF party" party" had been raised,
| and senators who moved the resolutions were
| threatened with fine and Imprisonment. He
| could not comment on the motives of senator's
| but the people were thoroughly aroused against
| fraud and corruption everywhere, and they
would understand the motives of these sena-
| tors very we'll
The senator from Indiana. Mr.. Morton, not
| content with speaking Tor the republican party,
| assumed to know all about what all
political parties were going to do.
Inc discussion occupied the whole session.
Adjourned.
| HOUSE.
The diplomatic appropriation bill was taken
up. Mr.. voorhees, of Indiana opposed it, be-
cause It contained an appropriation for the con
| sui at Havana.
Mr.. Garfield followed Mr. VOORHEES,, but did
| not touch upon the matter relating TO Cuba. He
referred to the proposal to increase the salary OF
the mission TO Russia, on the ground that this
was no time TO change our foreign policy at all,
in view of possible complications abroad.
(ieh. Banks replied briefly, and said that he
| did not see any prospect of trouble with either
| Great Britain or Spain. The committee on fol-
eisn affairs would he said, at the proper time,
afford an opportunity to discuss the relations
| with both countries.
The house then proceeded TO consider the
amendments made TO the diplomatic bill in
committee of the whole, and they were all
| agreed to, and the bill passed.
| The committees were called for bills of Il pri-
waite nature, and Mr.. Holman, from the com
| mlttee on commerce, reported bill to grant an
American register to the British brig Isadore,
owned in Newton, Mass. The bill was passed.
| The house, at hall-past three. went into COM
mittee of the whole l.. Myers in the chair, and
| took up the bill 10 reimburse the college of
| William and Mary in Virginia for properly de-
| stroycd during the war of the rebellion by dis
orderly soldiers of the United States without
authority.
Messrs. Blair of Michigan, Farnsworth, Gar
Held and Stoughton opposed the bill.
me committee rose without taking action.
The house adjourned, the session to morrow
| to be for general debate only.