Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-03-26
Speech of Hon. Robert E. Wlthers,
OfVirKinfa. In the Senate OF tno Un IL
ed States. on Monday. March e,

OfVirKinia. In the Senate OF tne JILL
ed States, Oh Monday. March So
1875.
The Senate having un Ter consideration the
resolution approving the Presidents actlon ID
regard to Lou!siaDa-
Mr.. Withers said:
MIR. President: With very limited leglsa-
tive experience, all unused to discussions De,
fore so grave deliberative body as this, all
the experience have had in the discussion OF
questions of state craft being that derived from
the rude assemblages of the hustlngs, appear
with great Difference and with profound feeling
oil distrust in my capacity properly 10 discharge
the duties Incident to my position, aud attempt
to discuss question which has already been
worn threadbare by the Concentrated analyses
of minds mutured by legal experience, by en-
larged statesmenship, and bylhorough knowl-
edge of the subject know that 1t would be
presunlptuous iu me to suppose that L can say
ANYTHING new upon q subject already so thor
uuphly discussed But Mr.. President, when
remember that stand here as the represen'
tative uf one Of the old thirteen States winch
originally composed this Uulou; State whiel'
| undertake to say contributed as much to the
construction OF this Government as any other;
State which in times past has welded as
eruinent as any other; a State whose sagcs,
whose soldiers aud whose statesmen SURROUND
| ed the very cradle of our national existence
aud with firm hand steadled the recling pillars
Of that infant State aud fixed them Oh the firm
basis of u free Constitution i State whose
sons have ever been found first and foremost
10 defense of those great principles OF c0nstltu-
tiopal liberty which underlie the foundation OF
our Government, may we'll claim Tor that
State right to be heard OH an occasion such
as this, when the fundamental principles OF
republican liberty are as>a!lcd and when 1t
seems to be the fixed purpose Of the majority
to establish u precedent which will forever
break down the distinctive features OF this
National Government and establish upon It's
ruins consolidated despotism. >,
Tin the progress of this discussion | shall
in any way trausgress the rules which cusom
has decreed in the consideration OF matters be-
fore this body [ beg 10 advance to apologize
therefor and tc say thatit is not my purpose
10 any sentiment that utter, in any express
sion that [ use, to derogate IN the slightest
degree from the dignity OF this body or In any
way to lower the high prestige OF body com
posed Of the conscrlpt fathers OF this Repu0iic.
In commencing my discussion of the resou-
ton DOW peuding L feel impelled to CONCUR IN
the sentiment ANNOUNCED by several who have
preceded me on this side Of the question, aud
to deny utterly the power of the Senate to con-
slider in executive session measure so traught
with the most important interests, but utterly
foreign to the business which we have been
convened to consider; and while do not pre-
sumo to question the correctness under the
rules of the Senate of the decision OF our Pre-
siding Officer In declaring that the question OF
admissibity could not be entertained by the
Chair after resolution is once introduced toto
this body, yet must express my regret that
when called 10 executive session the Senate
should have transcribed what conceive to be
the legitimate limits OF the business 10 which
it can properly engage to engage III the con-
sderation of matters such as this.
BY the introduction aud passage OF these
resolutions We propose 10 advance to express
an opinion and commit the Senate to the ln-
| dorsation of the acts of the Executive 10 u
manner which might hereafter cmbarrass aud
impede our action. Remember that under
the Constitution the Senate 10 some cases be-
comes court of last resort, whose duty 1T Is to
try aud decide all allegations made OF malad-
ministration Of power in the hands OF the Ex-
ecutiye Whether the case under consdera.
ton be one which might properly be regarded
as coming within this rule it is not for me to
say; but the effect of acting upon the subject
will be to establish precedent which, IT DOT
in this, yet in some future case may debar US
| from the proper exercise Of those judicial tunc-
tons which may devolve upon us. This con-
ceiye to be valid objection to the passage of
such resolution as this now pending.
| The history of this measure is traught with
instruction. If public reports be true, and L
have no disposition to question them, it has
been carefully considered day after day 10 a
party caucus and with much difficulty have
| conflicting views been harmouzcd. Something
objectionable must have been embodied 10 the
resolutions, some serious defect, either in the
mode 10 which they were drawn or in prucl-
ples to which they commit the majority, must
have existed to require such mature aud re-
pcated deliberations before it was thought
proper to lay them before this body; yet When
they come before us the distinguished geDte-
man who presented the substitute now under
consideration Indicated purpose to act upon
it at once, without discussion upon that side Vi
| the Chamber, declaring ID few words that argu-
ment on both sides was exhausted, that It had
been debated for such length OF time that
oothing new remained to be said upon 1t, aud
| therefore he saw no motive, no reason, no
object for more prolonged debate.
| 1t appears to me that it would have been
both opportune and appropriate had this dis.
tinpuished Senator or some other who approves
the resolution indicated to the Senate some Of
those reasons which proved sufficiently potent
to induce them to abandon the views previous
y epuneiated n this body, to recede from thor
refusal to iudorse the acts Of the Kellogg aud
Pinchback government OF Louisiana and con
sent to an endorsation of every act done by the
Executive 10 defense and maintenance OF that
government 1t will be remembered that 1t
was urged here during the discussion Of the
Pinchback resolution by several distinguished
Senators Of the majority that that government
was monstrous usurpatiou, that it had no le-
gal existence, and consequently the applicant
| who had knocked so loudly at the doors of this
Senate Chamber was rejected or what was tan
tauouut to rejection his case was relegated TO
December next for further consideration. l