Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-01-06
CONGRESSIONAL.
Senator Thurman Arraigns Grant
for BayOneting Louisiana,
A Sharp Discussion, but Nothing
Accomplished.
Butler Calls Up Civil Right.
Three Hours Spent in FiIlibus-
tering.


WASHINGTON, Jan. 5.--Mr. Scott pre-
sented resolutions Of the American Iron
and Steel Association, protesting agains
the proposed reciprocity treaty between thi
United States and Canada. Referred.
Mr.. Logan presented the memorial Of Ter
thousand soldiers asking for the passage o
a bill reported By the COMMITTEES on Mill
tary Affairs, to equalize bOunt es. Laid OF
the table.
Mr.. Sargent, from the Committee on Ap
preparations, reported the naval appropria
tion bill with various unimpOTtant amend
ments. Placed on the calendar.
Mr. Thurman offered the following resO
luton, and asked its present consideration.
Resolved, that the President Of the
United States is hereby requested TO in
form the Senate whether any portion of the
army of the United States, OF any officer
officers, soldier or soldiers Of such army did
in any manner interfere or intemeddle
with, control or seek to control the organi-
zatiOn Of the General Assembly Of the State
Of Louisiana, or either branch thereof, on
the 4th inst, especially whether any per.
son or persons claiming seats in either
branch Of said Legislature have been de
prived thereof or prevented from taking the
same by any such military force, officer OF
! soldier; and, If such has been the case, that
the President inform the Senate by what
authority such military Intervention has
taken place.
Mr.. COnkling said he would suggest that
it would be better to preserve the custom
ary phraseOlogy in such resolutions, by in
serting the words elf in his judgment it is
not Incompatible with the pu 1lic interest. /"
Mr.. Thurman said be did lot agree with
Mr.. Conkling as to the propriety Of insert
ing the words suggested. This question
did not relate to any foreign power. If it
was such a question, then it would be
proper to insert these words. Ii was not
for the Senate to submit to the opinion or
judgment Of the President. It was proper
that the Senate should know the facts. II
was not a case where information would
interfere with waTlike movements, although
this Louisiana trouble has the appearance
Of war. 1t was not a war made by the
people. He would not say who did make
the war, but would wait for the facts In
the case.
Mr.. COnkling said be inadvertently had
given Senator Thurman an opportunity to
make quite an impressive and eloquent
speech. When the resolution came uD for
N0-1ANIA e-lAoAf AAI AGOAAhAAAl-I MNAlA LuUhE
to amend il, by inserting the words which
be had suggested, and he would ask vote
Of the Senate 10 see what the usage Of the
Senate had been. A single objection he
believed would carry the resolution over.
and it was not yet before the Senate. He
moved 10 amend the resolution by inserting
the words suggested.
Mr.. Sherman inquired if the amendment
would preclude an objection.
The Vice President inquired if there was
any objection to the consideration Of the
resolution at the present time.
Several Senators. Oh, no, don't OBJ
ject.
No objection being made, the Vice Pres
ident announced that the resolution was
before the Senate, the pending question
being on the amendment Of Mr.. Conkling.
Mr.. Thurman said he was familiar with
the usage Of the Senate long before the Sem
ator from New York (Mr. COnkling) was.
In respect to foreizn affairs, it had always
been the usage 70 use the words moved by
the Senator from New 7 FORK, but in time of
profound peace, a simple resolution Of in
quiry as to our domestic affairs was not
left 10 the discretion Of the President for
him to answer according to his will or
pleasure. This resolution related TO what
had already taken place. 1t was question
Of fact, and there was no possible way by
which the President could interfere with
the public interests by answering it, IL the
in Louisiana matters did take
place. The Senate could ask the President
to tell it by what authority Of law it did
take place. The Senate had a right to re-
quest information, and if there was any
reason why the President should not fur |
nish it, it was for HIM to communicate that |
fact to the Senate, or, if be deemed it |
proper, he could send it to the Senate un-
der the seal Of secresy, to be considered in |
executive session.
Mr.. Enmunds inquired if Senator Thur |
man could name a precedent where the /
words submitted by the Senator from New
York (Mr. Conkling) h2d been omitted /
from a resolution.
Mr.. Thurman replied that he could /
name a hundred if he had time to search
the records. He didn't think it was for
him, hat in hand, TO bow before the Presi-
dent and say it was for him TO exercise his
Judgment. Louisiana was not the only
State in which trouble had occurred in
reference to the organization Of a Legisla-
lure. In Ohio on one occasion there were
iOr two weeks or more two bodies, both
claiming to be the Legislature of the State,
but, thank God, they had no fraudulent
Returning Board. They had not de-
icended to that depth Of perditiOn. If
Martin Van Buren, who was then Presi-
lent, had sent the military to interfere in
hat Legislative conflict, his troops would
never have left Columbus alive. In Penn
Jylvania also there had been a similar in
tance, and how would the people Of that
State have acted had the Federal Govern
nent interfered? What would not be tol-
,rated in Massachusetts,, Ohio and Penn
ylvania for a single moment, was noW the
.ase in Louisiana. He desired to know
whether, because Of the first fatal step in
Oisting an illegal Governor upon
he people of Louisiana, all
liberty and all law in that State were to
,erish. He wanted to know who it was
hat called into use the army Of the United
states to organize the Legislature of Lou
siana. He did not want this matter de-
ided by clamOr or tumults. There would
,e tumultuOus spirit in New York, Ohio
nd Michigan if either Of those States were
ufIering from the same cause. i
AIr. COnkling read from various prece-
ents to show that the custom had been to
eQuest the President, if not incompatible I
nth the public interest, to inform the Sen
te, etc
A lengthy discussion ensued, Messrs.
IortOn, Howe, Logan and Edmunds favor
lg Mr.. COnkling's amendmentaud defend
lg the President. Mr.. Bogy criticised
harply the course Of President Grant in
be Louisiana matter.
Pending the discussion, the Senate ad-
burned.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 5.-John NJ. Thomp-
On, elected from the Twenty-tbird District !
f Pennsylvania to fill a vacancy caused by |
be resignation Of Mr.. McJunkin, was
worn in.
Mr.. Townsend, from the Committee on
'ublic Lands, reported back the Senate bill
ppropriating $4,000 for the distribution ,
{ seeds in portions of the country devas-
ated by, the grasshoppers. On a point Of
Tder made by Mr.. Willard, the bill was
sferred to the Committee Of the Whole.
klr. Phillips, from the same committee,
epOrted the bill amendatOry of the act Of
Ipril Z, 1869, for the relief Of settlers on
hawnee lands in Kansas. After expla-
ations by Messrs. Phillips and Cobb, the
ill passed.