Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-01-23
CONGRESSIONAL.
The Irreprsssible Pinchbaek Vex-
ing tie Senate Again. F
The Louisiana Troubles Dis
cussed.
About Agricultural College Funds
The Republicans Don't Want TO
Hear from Vicksburg.


for the term expiring March 4, 1879, and
they were read at the Clerks desk.
Mr.. Sherman moved that the credentials
and all accompanying papers be referred to
to the Committee on Privileges and Elee-
tiOns.
Mr.. Thurman said Ile wished TO know
the scope Of that motion. What purport to
be the credentials Of this person two years
ago were referred to the Committee on
Privileges ard Elections, and reported back
TO the Senase. Subsequently they were
recOmmitted to the committee a. the re-
quest Of the Senator from Indiana (AIr.
Morton.)
Mr.. Sherman said it would be impossible
for the committee to make an examination
Of all the facts in The case unless they had
all the papers. His motion to refer was
agreed to.
ar. Scott presented a petition from citi-
zens Of Pennsylvania against the restOra-
tion Of the duty on tea and coffee, and for
the repeal Of the law Of 1872, relieving for
eign products Of ten per cent tax. Re
ferred.
Mr.. Salisbury presented the credentials
of Thomas f. Bayard, Senator elect from
Delaware for the term Of six years from
MAJ u = lOi i0s IldccQ on ulbs
Mr.. Boutwell, introduced a bill to pro-
vide for bar of the two Houses Of Congress.
Referred.
Mr.. Lewis introduced a bill to repeal the
act to provide a government for the Dis
trict of Columbia and for other purposes,
approved June 20, 1874. Referred.
Mr.. Edm1nds introduced a bill to estab-
lish a court for contested elections. Re
ferred.
The Senate resumed the consideration Of
the resolution from the Committee on
Privileges and Elections, proposing an
amendment to the Constitution in regard
to the election OF President and
Yice-President. Mr.. Anthony said the
subject had been so thoroughly
discussed in the elaborate report Of the
chairman Of the committee, that nothing
remained to be said in regard to the dan
ger of the present system Of electing the
President, and the desirableness of a
change. He reviewed the working Of the
electoral college for the last fifty years, and
in conclusion, said he gave his cordial as
sent to this important change, which was
so clearly for the general good.
The further consideration of the resOlu-
ton was then postponed till Wednesday.
The Senate resumed the consideration
Of the resolution submitted by Mr.. Schurz,
instructing the Judiciary Committee to in
quire what legislation is necessary by Con-
gress to secure TO the people Of Louisiana
the rights Of self-goyernment under the
Constitution.
Mr.. Sherman said he did not regret that
some little time had elapsed since this
question was last discussed here, as it
could now be debated with less excite
ment. He then referred to the Organiza-
tion of the Legislature Of Louisiana on the
4th inst, and said of l02 members present
fifty-twO were Republicans and fifty Dem
Gratis. Tie conduct Of Wiltz was a bold
and daring assumption, and any mem
Der would have been justified in
going up to the Speakers chair
and tearing him from his seat. He
quoted from the report of EosteFs- Phelps,
and Potter, and said it showed that WiltZ
had violated all law as we'll as the COnsti-
tuition Of Louisiana. The Senators on the
Democratic side of the chamber had not
uttered one word in condemnation of the
course OF Wilt, while denOuncing that Of
Gen. Sheridan and Grant.
Mr.. Bayard said the question before the
Senate was not whether the conduct Of
Wilt was regular or irregular, but that it
was not within the province Of the Presi-
dent of the United States to interfere in
the organization Of a State Legislature.
Mr.. Schurz said, if the Senator was will
ing to take the report Of the HOnse Sub
COMMITTEES, which visited New Orleans, as
true, then he must admit that the grossest
frauds were committed by the Returning
Board, and, therefore, that board was the
cause of the trouble.
Mr.. Sherman said he would refer to the
Returning Board after a while. In his
Judgment, Wilt would have been over
thrown by revolutionary force, had not
Gen. DeTrobriand interfered, and there
would have been a scene Of blOOdshed in
that hall.
bIr. Bayard said Wilt had administered
the oath 10 102 members who were pres
ent, hence the Legislature was a lawful
body.
Mr.. Sherman said the roll-call had been
denied in that Legislature by the Demo
Gratis. Suppose the roll-call had been de
MED in the House Of Representatives when
Gen. Banks was elected Speaker. Did
anyone doubt that there would have been
blOcdshed? There has been half a dozen
times in the history of this country when
a refusal TO call the ayes and nays would
have resulted in blOodshed. With the five
men whose seats were contested excluded,
no one could doubt that a majority of
that Legislature was Republican. Moth
ing could excuse or defend the lawleSsness
Of Wilt in this matter. The Democratic
party in Louisiana had seized upon the Or
ganizatiOn of the Legislature, and trampled
under foot every guarantee Of constitutional
liberty. They would rather win by force
than gain by fairness. He sent to the
Clerks desk and had read a communication
from the Nelg York Times, which he said
he learned was written by D. W. Slough
ton, lawyer Of eminence, and be thought
he took an unprejudiced view Of the whole
matter. Il was the duty OF Kellogg to put
down that irTegularity in the Legislature.
The oath which he had taken com
PEELED him to interfere. He could not
do so by calling on the State
militia, because his call would not have
been Obeyed. Under al the difficulties
which surrounded him, he was perfectly
right in calling upon the military power of
the general government. Gen DeTTObri-
and went into that Legislature without any
intention to trample upon the liberties
Of any. He went there to put out
five men who had no business there.
His colleague (Mr. Thurman) had
asked him if he approved Of that. He
(Sherman) approved Of it as the President
Of the United States did. To call this
Louisiana trouble a great historical out
rage, where the rights Of the people had
been trampled upon, was simply making a
mountain out Of mOle-hill. What was the
result Of this interference? No blood was
shed, but five men who had no business
there were excluded.
Mr.. Thurman asked if his colleague did
not KNOW that the body claiming to be the
Louisiana Legislature had seated five men
in place Of the five put out, without any in
vestig tion whatever.
Mr.. Sherman said he did not know it,
but if ii was so, he hoped Congress would
do its duty when the question came before
it in the admission of Senator.
Mr.. West said the Senator from Ohio
(Mr. Thuman) stated that the Legislature
had admitted five men in place Of those put
out by Gen. DeTrObriand.
Mr. Thurman replied that he saw it so
stated.
Mr.. West said the Senator was misin-
formed. Only three men had been admit
ted, and they were from Republican par
ishes. Gen. Sheridan had not declared
that the whole people Of Louisiana were
banditti. He said leaders Of the White
League were. The word banditti meant
robbeI, outlaw, and these men were rob
1,arc or,I vuan ,,,rrrTl1ro1 r,Irr-1