The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-01-09
BY TELEGRAPH.
4sD COAGREss-sEcOND SESSION.
senate.

anu tiS uiutHulHeHts ltpWtcu ny tne com
mittee were concuned in In reply to a
question Of Mr.. Boutwell, Of Mass, Mr..
Sargent said the total amount appropriated
by the bill was little over sixteen millions
of dollars, which is somewhat larger than
the amount appropriated last year. The
principal item Of the increase was for coal
for ships use. The senate committee had
reported in favor OF increasing the appro-
priatious made by the bill, as it came from
the house in n very few small items. The
bill was then read The third time and
passed
The senate resumed consideration of I'M
finished business, being the resolution of
Mr. Thurman in rcgaId To the Louisiana
troubles.
Mr. Bayard Of Delaware said that two
years ago he introduced resolution calling
upon the president for information in re-
gard to the conduct of Major Lewis Mer-
rill L. :. a., in South Carolina. Then,
IA now, Conklng offered an amendment
leaving it discretionary with the president
to answer It. That resolution with the
amendment passed the senate on the 3D. of
March, 1873, and to this day the president
had treated it with contemptuous silence.
With full knowledge of his conduct this
Major Merrill in South Carolina, he had
been sent to "groeu fields and pastures
new" in Louisiana. Never since the time
when the American colonies separated
themselves from Great Britain had the peo-
pie of this country been brought face to
face with greater questions than those to-
day--qucstIons needing the most careful
consideration. Tie issue was whether we
shuuld have free government or military
dictatorship. The remarks of Senators
Morton of Indiana, Edmunds of Vermont,
and Logan of Illinois, were calculated to
obscure the question by partizan appeals to
divert the minds of the people from the
true facts of the case.
Mr.. Bayard then spoke of the circum-
stances attending the organization of the
Legislature of Louisiana, the action of the
returning board, etc, and said IN states of
three and four times the population of Lou
isiana, the election returns were tabulated
and promulgated within week after an
election. In great cities with population
equal to that of Louisiana, they had been
promulgated within fOrty-cight hours after
the polls closed, but in Louisiana the re-
turning board was occupied in canyassing
returns nearly two months, and in every
case Of dispute or doubt they decided in
favor of the Kellogg party. He read from
the constitution of Louisiana and argued
that there was an organization of the house
of representatives of that state on Monday
last by the conservatives. or that there was
a quorum of the house present, and that
that the organization was under the con-
stitution. He asked the senate and the
American people if Grant had legal war
rant to Interfere in the organization of the
legislature and declared it, the debate
would close and no lawyer would be able
to produce any statute showing the war.
rant for any such action. Mr. Bayard
then quoted from speech delivered by
him in the senate on the twrnty-seventh
day of February, 1873, in which he argued
that the dangers which were menacng the
liberties OF the people Of Louisiana then
they were also mcnacing the liberties of
the American people.
Mr.. Bayard quoted the dispatches of
Sheridan to the secretary of war, and ask
ed who would say that this officer, Sher
dan. was even fit to breathe the air of re-
publican government He next quoted
from the dispatch OF Sheridan urging that
certain persons be declared banditti, and
said II there was now the tone in the exec
utiyc department that there once was, that
officer, Sheridan, would never sign his
name again as Northumberland o. the
United States army If that officer had
been in hostile country he could not have
made more brutal or bloody threat. Such
language as that used in his dispatch was
like that used by IL captain of Jannissares
asking for instructions from some Oriental
despot. Sheridan had no one quality to
fit him for the duties to command Louisi-
ana. His first quality should be good will
towards the people of that state.
At the conclusion of Mr. Bayards speech,
which was continued to some length, Mr..
Schurz gave notice that he would call up
the following resolution for consideration
on Monday
Resolved, That the committee on judi
ciary he instructed to inquire as to what
legislation by congress is necessary to Sc
cure TO the people of Louisiana the rights
of self government under the constitution,
and to report, with the least possible delay,
by bill or otherwise,
The question then being on the amend
ment OF Mr.. Conkling, to insert in Mr..
Humans resolution calling upon the
president for information in regard to the
Louisiana troubles, the words, "If not in
compatible with public interest" Agreed
to-yeas 80, nays 81.
Mr. Morton submitted an amendment TO
add to the resolution the following words
land whether he has any information in
regard TO the existence in the state OF
Louisiana of an armed organization hostile
to the government of the state, and intent
upon oyerthrowing such state government
by force"
After an animated ard at times acri
monious discussion, in which Thurman,
Triton, Sherman, Stevenson, Scott, West,
Gordon, Morton and Merriman participant
ed, the amendment was agreed to.
Mr. Sargent submitted an amendment ia
insert in Mr.. Humans resolution, after
the word "senate," where II last occurs the
words "Under what circumstances and,
so that the resolution should read as fol.
lows