The Portland daily press., 1875-01-12
Forty Third Congressional Session.
SENATE.
WASHINGTON, ia

WASHINGTON, Jan. IL.
Mr.. Clayton of Ark, said he supposed every
Senator desired all the Information in regard
to the Louisiana troubles He therefore asked
unanimous consent to take up and pass the
resolution heretofore submitted, requesting the
Secretary Of War to transmit to the Senate he
official report and communication of Major
Lewis Merrill in reference to the Coushatta
trouble.
Mr.. Merriman objected.
Mr.. Clayton gave notice that he would move
to take up and consider the resolution as soon
as the morning business was disposed of.
After several bills, &C., had been introduced
! aud referred the resolution calling for the re-
port of Mai. Merrill was agreed to.
Mr.. Davis inquired if he was the same Major
Merrill who was on duty in South Carolina,
where he committed outrages on lnoftens!ve
citizens and afterwards transferred to Louis
lana, where be haudcuffed citizens, cut tele-
graph wires and committed sundry other Of
lenses, for which he was under arrest He
| (Davis) would like to have the resolution
amended so as to have Gen. Emory report up
on the conduct of this officer.
Mr. Clayton said he had known Merrill for
years and all he knew about him led him to be-
lieve he was an honorable man and true SOL
dier-a soldier who dared to do his duty in the
face of all the abuse levelled at every soldier
who dared to dol.his duty in Southern
state.
In the Senate at the expiration of the morn
ing hour, Mr.. Schurz called up the resolution
submitted by him Friday, inatructing the Ju-
dietary Committee to inquire what legislation
of Congress is necessary to secure TO the people
Of Louisiana their rights Of self government I'M
der the constitution, and report with the least
possible delay by bill or otherwise. He ad-
DIRE ssed the Senate upon Louisiana affair at
length in the presence of crowdedIgalleres,a and
large number of members Of the House, and
Others entitled to the floor of the Senate, who
occupied seats in the rear of the Senate desk,
aud the cloak rooms were crowded with ladies
unable to obtain admission to the gallery.
Mr.. Clayton then moved to amend the reSo-
luton by striking out the concluding portion in
reference to the Coushatta trouble and insert
ing the words ''relating to certain troubles in
Louisiana"
Mr.. Merrimon submitted an amendment re-
questing the Secretary of War to lay before the
Senate the official letters communications and
reports of Gen. Emory of the United States
army in reference to any disorders in any way
connected with the late election in Louisiana.
The amendment submitted by Mr.. Clayton to
strike out the words Sin reference to Coushat-
ia" and insert the words 'relatng to certain
disorders in Louisiana" was disagreed 20.
The amendment of Mr.. Merrimon, calling for
the official report of Gen. Emory in regard to
disorders in any way connected with the late
election. was also agreed to, and the resolution
as amended was adopted.
Mr. Schurz then called up the resolution sub
mitted by him Friday last, instructing the Ju-
dietary Committee to inquire what legislation
peSple of Louisiana their right of self-govern-
ment under the constitution, and report with
the least possible delay by bill or otherwise.
The galleries being crowded, Mr.. Stevenson
moved that the floor in the rear of the seats be
granted to the ladies who could not gain adj
mission to the galleries.
Mr. Hamlin objected.
MI Schurz then spoke as follows in favor of
the resolution submitted by him:
L beg the Senate to believe that | approach
the subject before US in no partisan spirit.
About to retire to private station, the success OF
no party can benefit, the defeat OF no party
injure me, except in those interests L have in
common with all American citizens, whose
children's futures are bound up in those OF this
Republic. have formed my opinions with
deliberation and in an impartial manner. l
shall endeavor to express them IN calm and
temperate language. The subject is so grave
that passion or prejuoicel should have no
share in our Judgment. | confess that the
news from Louisiana has profoundly alarmed
me. A thing has happened which not only
never happened before in this Republic, but
which, l trust, scarcely one of us ever thought
possible. In the debate of last week it was
frequently said that no expression of opinion
for that occurrence was right till an official re-
port should have laid all the facts in detail be.
fore us. l do not think so.
Mr.. Schurz then briefly rehearsed the admit
ted facts of the trouble i'll the Legislature, aud
then proceeded as follows:
Vino were those persons elected when the
Legislature convened? They were claimants
for seats on the ground of votes they had re-
ceived, some of them presenting claims SO
strong on the ground of majOrities so large
that a returning board such as Louisiana had
did not dare to decide against them, and when
they had been seated in Legislature organized
as have described, United States soldiers with
fixed bayonets decided the case against them