The Portland daily press., 1873-02-28
XLIID CONGRESS-.
WASHINGTON, Feb. q.

sdaa,8 .s.sa. WASHINGTON, Feb. q.
sEif 7s5ee liee SENATE. ssHs.
The credentials of r. j. Oglesby, as Senator
from Illinois, were presented.
A bill reported from the Committee on Elec-
tion and Privileges, providing for a new election
in Louisiana, was takeA up. G1tHo
Mr.. Hill, of Georgia, offered substitute fa-
voring the formation of Legislature out of
the legally elected members of both bodies
now claiming to be the Legislature of Louis
lana, and authorizing such Legislature to count
the returns of the last election and declare the
legally elected State officers.
Mr.. Carpenter supported the majority report
OF the committee, and had despatch read al
legged to have been received from several citi-
zens OF New Orleans, to Mcmillan and War
moth, stating that the citizens throughout the
State would IL not acknowledge the Kellogg gov
ernment. They would not pay their taxes un-
less forced to do SO by United States troops,
and Kellogg can only be sustained by the con-
quest of the people.
A long debate followed on the Louisiana
question.
The House reassembled at 10 o'clock, the hour
up to the regular time of meeting being consid-
cred part of the legislative day of Yesterday
and to be divided out in small proportions
among the members who have not yet been
heard on the expulsion resolutions, and who de-
sired to say something on the subject
favor of the power of expulsion. ,F
Mr.. Holman of Indiana, took similar grounds
and regarded this as the first great contest be-
tween representative government and the great
money corporations of the country.
MI. Townsend of Pennsylvania, declared him
self against the right of expulsion for offences
committed before election. He agreed some-
what to the views expressed by Mr.. Holman,
as to danger from great money corporations. as
in this capital itself proofs of the decay of NOR
al virtue had found exhibition, but the remedy
was not to be found in expulsion of some of ifs
most honored members.
Mr.. Wood of New York, said that on the
question of jurisdiction he differed somewhat
from the views expressed on either side He
made distinction between the class of offences
over which the House might exercise judicial
power. He held it had such power over official
offences committed before person was mem
Der where the results Of such offences were of
continuing character SO as to affect their votes
and acts as members. His own construction of
the facts were that the special committee had
exceeded its authority, which was simply to
lind out and report what members of Congress
bad been bribed by Cakes Ames, That certain
ly did not justify the resolution of expulsion
against Ames, who seemed to be chosen as a
victim simply because he told the truth, because
he made clean breast of it, because he had in
fact turned states evidence. His colleague
(Brooks) was net regarded as comprehepded
within the scope of the jurisdiction of the COM
mittee. He certainly was not bribed by Oakes
Ames He was not member of Congress in
the sense of the resolution appointing the COM
mittee. There was nothing in the testimony
which justified the conclusion that Mr. Brooks
was bribed by Ames, and he Wood contended
that no man who was bribed by Ames could be
properly reported by the committee The whole
amount of the offence committed by his &C.
league was that he had subscribed for, held and
received profits from Credit Mobilier stock.
In conclusion, he said he could vote against
the report in both cases, believing in one in
stance man was to be punished for turning
states evidence, and in the other man was to
be punished as a make weight for the purpose
of holding up member of the Democratic
party to odium.
Mi Potter of New York, regarded the ques-
ton as an Objectionable form of condemnation.
1t happened to be form which some thought
would establish a precedent which might at
some time be dangerous. He had therefore
hoped that in some way or other the condemna-
ton Of the House might take some form which
did not involve that difficulty,
Mr.. Speer of Pennsylvania, declared that the
position in which he was placed was painful to
him. painful almost beyond expression; but he
nad lived long enough to learn that duties were
not to be avoided because they were not pleas
ant He confessed to have entered on the con-
sioefatlon OF the question as partial jndge in