The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-01-06
Forty Third Congressional Session.
SENATE.

WASHINGTON, Jan. D.
The resolutions of the American Steel Asso-
citation against the reciprocity treaty were
presented and referred.
Mr. Logan presented memorial of 100 900
soldiers asking the passage of the bill reported
by the Committee on Military Affairs to equal
ize bounties
Mr. Sargent, from the Committee on Appro.
prations, reported the naval appropriation bill
with various amendments of unimportant char
acter Placed on the calendar.
Mr.. Sargent gave notice he would call it up
at an early hour.
Mr.. Conkling presented a memorial of Moses
Taylor and other citizens of New York, setting
forth that they were owners of merchant yes
sells destroyed by the rebel pirate Shenandoah
before she arrived at Melbourne; that they are
excluded from sharing in the Geneva award as
the law now stands, and asking that the law be
so amended that they may become beneficiaries
of said award. Referred to The Judiciary
Committee.
Mr. Thurman offered the following resolution,
and asked it's present consideration:
Resolved, That the President of the United
States is hereby requested to inform the Senate
whether any portion of the army of the United
States, or any officer officers, soldier or soldiers
did in any manner interfere or intermeddle with.
control or seek to control the organization of
the General Assembly of the State of Louisi
ana, or either branch thereof on the 4th inst,
and especially whether any person or persons
claiming seats in said Legislature have been
deprived thereof or prevented from taking the
same by any such military force, officer, or
soldier, and if such has been the case, that the
President inform the Senate by what authority
such military Intervention and interference has
taken place
A debate sprung up on the motion Of Mr..
Conkling to insert the words ''If in his (the
Presidents) judgment it is not incompatible
with the public interests" Mr. Thurman
opposed the motion.
Mr.. Conkling said he would suggest that it
would be better to preserve the customary
phraseology of such resolutions by. inserting
patible with public interest"
Mr.. Thurman said he did not agree with the
Senator (Conkling) as to the proprlety OF in
serting the words suggested. This question
did not relate to any foreign power. If it was
such question then it would be proper to in
sert the words.
1t was not for the Senate to submit TO the
opinion or suggestions of the President. 1t
was proper that the Senate should know the
facts 1t was not a case where the information
would interfere with warlike movements.
Mr.. Conkling said he had inadvertently Civ
en- the Senator (Thurman) the opportunity to
make quite an impressive and eloquent speech.
When the resolution came up for consldera-
ton he (Conkling) would move to amend it by
inserting the words he had suggested, and
would ask vote of the Senate, to see what
the usage of the Senate had been. A single
objection he believed would carry the resolu-
ton over, and it was not before the Senate.
The Senator from Ohio seemed to think he
distinguished this case from all others by OBJ
serving that the topic did not concern our re-
lations with any foreign power. 1t there were
sense or reason in the rule which committed
something to executive direction, he (Conklingl
thought it should apply to this resolution which
related to serious disnrdersin one of the states
of this Union. Turbulence and defiance of
law stalks high handed in public way, and
the Senate did not know but that now while it
was deliberaton over this resolution, peace
order, security of life and law were being
trampled in the mire in the streets OF New
Orleans. The Senator tThurman) says it is for
us, in the uncertainty, the danger and great
peril which surrounds the subject, to say abso-
lutely, in the twinkling of an eye, before the
sun goes down tomorrow, that the President
must communicate all the facts to the Senate.
He (Conkling) argued that the Senate had no
facts upon which it could act and say thus to
the President.
In conclusion Mr.. Conkling moved to amend
the resolution by inserting after the word re
quest ted" ''if in his Judgment not Incompatible
with public interest"
Mr.. Sherman inquired ii the amendment
would preclude an obi ection.
The Vice President inquired il there was
any objection to the consideration of the reso-
luton at the present time.
Several Senators-"Oh. we don't object"
No objection being made, the Vice President
announced that the resolution was before the
Senate the pending question being the amend
ment of Mr. Conkling.
Mr.. Edmunds en4uired if the Senator (Thur-
man) could name precedent where the words
submitted by the Senator from New York (Mr.
Conkling) had been omitted from resolution.
Mr.. Thurman replied that he could name
hundred if he had time to search the records.
He did not think it was for him, hat IN hand,
to bow for the President and say that it was for
him to exercise his judgment. Louisiana was
not the only state in which trouble had occur
red in reference to the organization OF a Legis-
lature. He cited Ohio and Pennsylvania as
examples.
MI. Conkling read from various presidents
to show that the custom had been to request
the President if not Incompatible with the pub
lie interest to inform the Senate, &C.
Morton favored the amendment of Mr.. Conk-
ling. He SAID that the senator from Ohio Mr..
Thurman) urged the resolution as II it were in
the nature of mandate, when the very Ian
euage of the resolution was 1.-THE Pre- sident OF
the United STATES is hereby requested"
Mr.. Howe supported the amendment OF the
senator from New York.
Mr.. Logan said that when the colored men
were murdered in Louisiana no voice was raised
on the Democratic side of this chamber to chal-
lenge the wrong perpetrated.
Mr. Thurman said he had been asked to point
out presidents where the words suggested by
the senator from New York (Conklng) were
omitted from the resolution of inquiry, and he
quoted several. Among them one submitted
by Mr.. Edmunds in 1868, requested the Presi-
dent to inform the Senate whether he had es-
tablisbed military departments, etc.
Mr.. Edmunds-Did any one raise the point
that the words ''if not incompatible with public
interest,"" should be inserted?
Mr.. Thurman-Why nobody imagined that
the Senator from Vermont could offer resolu-
ton not in one form. Naughter.) He next
quoted from a resolution submitted by Mr..
Morrill, of Maine, in 1874, in reference to the
occupation of Indian territory.
The Senate adjourned without voting on the
amendment
HOUSE.
John NJ. Thompson from Pennsylvania, to
fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of
McJunken, appeared and took the oath.
MIR. Townsend, from the Committee on Pub
lie Lands, reported back the Senate bill appro
priatng $50. 600 for the distribution of seeds i'll
the country devastated by grasshoppers. Re-
ferred to the Committee of the Whole.
Mr.. Orr of Iowa reported bill granting the
right of way and depot grounds to the Oregon
Central Pacific Railroad.
Mr.. Holman of Indiana moved an amend
ment that the states through which the road