The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1875-12-17
BY TELEGRAPH
TO THE
WHEELING REGISTER.
Associated Press Report. by Western
Union Line, office Northwest cor.
of Main and 18th SITS.
FORTY-FOURTH CONGRESS.
WAsHINGToN, December IL.
SENATE.


were presented and referred to the Com
mittee on Finance.
The House bill TO provide for the APP
pointmont of commission on the sub
ject of the alcoholic l;quor traffic was re-
ferred TO the Committee on Finance.
Mr.. Withers, by request, introduced a
bill to and the Washington, Cincinnati
and st. Louis railroad to construct "A
narrow gauge railroad from tide water to
Cincinnati aad 81. Louis. Referred to
Committee on Railroads.
Mr., Conkling presented tho memorial
OF practical steamboat men and persons
engaged in navigation, designating GER
tain portions of the steamboat laws
which should be changed. Referred To
Committee on Commerce.
Mr.. Conkling said it gave him great
pleasure to present such paper, because
1T indicated particularly what charges
should be made and also showed that
men engaged in stcamboating had some
regard for the safety of those travelling.
The Renowned Senator Spencer
Speaks.
Mr.. Spencer said ut the last session of
the Alabama LegiS ature, committee
was appointed to inquire whether corrupt
practices had been used to secure his
election to the Senate. As the legislature
which appointed the committee was not
! the one by which he WAS elected, and he
had not appeared before it, he denied the
charges OF fraud and corruption and said
the. legislature which appointed this
committee was elected by fraud, the same
As the one recently elected in Mississippi.
The Alabama election, by which this
legislation was put in, like that in
Mississippi, was part of the conspiracy
to overthrow lawful government in
the South. He recognized the Senate of
the United States aS the only body hay
| ing authority to inquire into his election
and his right to seat in this chamber.
He therefore offered resolution that the
Committee on Privileges and Elections
inquire whether George +. Spencer Sen
ator in Congress from the State of Ala
bama, did use, or cause to be used, cor
rupt practices to secure his election, and
/ authorizing the Committee to send Cor
persons Iand papers, and sit during the
| holiday recess.
Mr.. Davis suggested that the rcsolu-
tion lie on the table and be printed.
Mr. Conkling said that the Senator
from Alabama had been assailed and he
asked for an investigation by n Senate
committee. He hoped the Senator from
West Virginia would not ask Il postpone
ment.
Mr.. Thurman said he knew nothing
whatever of the case, but 1t seemed to
him that the resolution, as drawn, sim
ply directed inquiry as to whether the
Senator himself had used corrupt prac
tices The broader question a to whether
the election was secured by fraud, was
not covered by the resolution.
Mr.. Spencer said he would modify his
remarks to meet the views of the Sena-
tor from Ohio
The resolution was then modified to
read as follows:
Rcsolred That the Committee on Privi-
leges and Elections are hereby instructed
TO investigate into, and inquire whether,
in the election of Geo. Il. Spencer as
Senator from the State of Alabama, there
were used or caused to be used and en-
ployed corrupt means and corrupt prac-
tlccs to secure the seat he now holds, and
that SAID committee be empowered to ad
minister Osths, to send for persons and
papers, To- take testimony, TO employ
| stcnographcrs and such assistance aS
they may deem necessary, To sit
during the recess of Congress, if
considered advisable, and to report the
result Of their Investigations as soon rs
practicable. The resolution as modified
was agreed to.
Morton StIII Waves the bloody Shirt.
Mr.. Morton called up the resolution
submitted by him yesterday providing
for the appointment of special commit
tee of five Senators to inquire into the
circumstances attending the recent cleo
tion in Mississippi. He said he had in
his possession n large number of docu-
mcnts written by persons in Mississippi,
declaring circumstances which alluded To
the recent election there. The statement
which he proposed to lay before Senate
was not Of his knowledge, but had been
derived from others First, he desired to
call attention to the total vote in that
State in lSG9-72-73. In 1863, ut the
| election on the adoption of the cOnstitu-
tion. the total vote WAS III 2S3; in 1872,
at the Presidential election, l29, 1863; in
| 1879, the last Congressional election, and
at the recent election 163, 800 an increase
of moIe than $4,000 over the highest vote
ever given before. The Republican
majority in the State in 1869 was 3S,OS3;
in 1872 it was 3iSs9; in 1913 it was -
! go. and at the recent election the Demo-
! cratic majority was 3O,li7. The total
! Democratic vote in 1869 was 3S,O97; IN
| 1872 it was 47,2SS; in 1873 1t was ii.2sG,
and in 1879 1t was 96 900. 1t
| has been allowed by those who made
statements TO him that large part ot
! the vote at the last election WAS spurious
and fraudulent, ms che Republican vote,
! though it fell of some, did not fall oil IN
| corresponding rates. He read from pa
/ pcrs IN his possession to show that there
was intimidation in many cases, and said
at least one Democratic newspaper had
/ called on its friends after the election To
be true TO their party and rot recognize
| those who had voted the Republican
I ticket. At Columbus there were armed
men, and where there had been Repub-
lican majority in previous years, there
were but seventeen Republican votes.
The ballot boxes were taken possession
Of by the Democrats in Republican coun-
ties and stuffed by them. In laZoo the
Republican vote in 1872 was q ,i3I. and
the Democratic vote was al. At the
las, election there were but seven Repub-
lican votes cast there, while there were
4Of4 Democratic votes and 1t was said
that those seven Republican votes were
put in under a compromise in order that
it aight be shown that Republicans could
vote there.
Senator Bayard Replies.
Mr.. Bavard, of Delaware said this re-
solution, SO far as he knew, was without
precedent in the Senate ana he would