New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-12-17
B Y TELEGR A P II
CONGRESS-.
AGnn1R-

ate, on motion of Mr.. Spencer, of Alabama.
the Committee on Privileges and Elections
was authorized to Inquire If fraud or cor
ruption was ueed to secure his election to
the seat he now holds in the Senate.
Mr.. Spencer said that at the last session
of the Alabama Legislature a committee
had been appointed to inquire whether cor
rnpt practices had been used to secure his
election 10 the Senate As the Legis latura
which appointed this committee was not the
one by which he was elected 10 the Senate
he had not appeared before it 10 answer the
charges. 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 elae.
ton, by which this Legislature was put in,
like that in Mississippi, WAS part of CON
epiracy to overthrow lawful government
IN the South. He recognized the Senate of
one United States as the only body having
authority to inquire into his election and
his right to a seat in this chamber. He
therefore offered a resolution instructing
the Committee on Privileges ard Elections
10 inquire whether George L. Spencer, q
Senator in Congress from the State of Ala
bama, did use or cause to be used corrupt
practices to secure his election to a seat in
the Senate, and authorizing said committee
to send for persons and papers, and sit
during the holiday recess.
Mr.. Davis suggested that the resolution
lie on tine table and be printed.
Mr.. Couklng said the Senator from Ala.
bama had been aesailed, and he asked for
an investigation by Senate committee.
He hoped the Senator from West Virginia
would not ask postponement.
Mr.. Thurman, of OHIO, said he knew
nothing whatever of the case, but il seemed
to him that the resolution, as drawn, simply
directed al inquiry as to whether the Sana-
I IT himself had used corrupt practices. The
broader question, as to whether the election
was secured by fraud, was not covered by
the resolution.
Mr., Spencer said he would modify it to
| meet the views of the Senator from Ohio.
The resolution was then modified to read
as follows:
ResOlred, That the Committee on Privi-
leges and Elections are hereby instructed
to investigate into and inquire whether in
the election of George +. Spencer, as a
Senator from the State of Alabama, there
were used, or caused to be used and EN-
Played corrupt means or corrupt practices
| TO secure his election to the seat he now
| holds, and that said committee be empGw
cred to administer Oaths, to send for persons
and papers, to take testimony, to employ
stcnographers and such clerical assistance
as they may deem necessary, and to sit
during the recess OF CungresS if considered
| advisable. and to report the result of their
| investigation as soon as practicable.
| The resolution as modified was agreed to
The resolution which passed the House,
to adjourn Monday next to the fourth of
| January, was amended by inserting Jan
uary and passed. 1T goes to the House for
! concurrence.
| Mr.. Morton's resolution appointing IL
| committee to investigate the Missis.i Dpi
election was discussed with considerable
bitterness, without action.
Mr.. Morton, calling up his Mississippi
resolution, said he had large number OF
| docunents written by number OF persons
in Mississippi, de 5ailing the circumstances
attending the recent election. The state.
| nent he proposed to lay before the S-na te
was not of his own knowledge, but re-
ceived from others. He reviewed the cleo
| lions in Mississippi as far back as 1869
The last election was $1,000 higher than
| any vote pGlied. Tue Democratic vote in
1873 was Sc, 500, against 4i,2l6 in 1873 The
Republican vote fell Oft some what, but not
| in ccrrespon ing ratio. He read letters
showing intimidation in several counties.
Mr.. Bayard said this resvl ution, So fa- as
| he knew, was without a precedent in the
Senate, and he would like to inquire of the
Senator from Indiana (Morton) under what
clause OF the constitution Of the Uuited
States he found authority to make the in
| curry in a case of this kind.
Mr.. Mort IN said he did not propose now
to go into constitutional argument upon
this question. He had only to say that it
had been decided heretofore, as in the
Louisiona case; besides, the enforcement
blow had fallen upon the coored people, as
| it was intended to.
| Mr.. Bsyard denied that the Louisiana
case was similar to this; that investiga-
| ton was under clause OF the constitution
| which made the Senate the sole Judge OF
the claims for seats in that body. If law
had been violated in Mississippi the courts
| were open, and this was government of
| laws-those courts were OPT n for the indict
ment of offenders, and for damages against
those who wronged others. In those courts
| the remedy was to be found. IL could not
be said that the political or party friends OF
| the Senator from Indiana, in Mississippi,
had not full ard equal chance before the
| law either in the United States or State
eourGs. The officers all over the State, from
| the Govern or down to the constable, were
OF the Senator's party, and if they could
| not punish violators of law it was a sad
confession for the Senator to make. When
| the new Senator from Mississippi came here
with his credentials, if there were grounds
that he was not qualified, then the Senate
could sit as judges, but until that time no
action could be taken. When, before,
in the history of this country, did
the Senate of the United States propose
to take testimony in regard to the
election of members of the other house of
Congress as this resolution proposed to do
The constitution provides that each house
| shall be the judge OF the qualifications of its
own members. The Governor of Mssis-
sippi asked for federal troops, before the
election, to keep the people Of that State in
awe. The correspondence between him and
the head of the Department of Justice
was known to ALL Governor Ames failed
to show that any cause existed for federal
interference.
Mr. Bayard then referred to the late
message of the President, and said there
was not one word in it about Southern
affairs The Department of Justice had its
agents down there gathering information
for the guidance OF that department There
was not one word or suggestion as to
these alleged wrongs If these things ex-
listed there it was remarkable that the
Presid. Mt of the United States maintained
this matter came from the Senator
from Indiana, who always seemed to
have in his possession statements hostile
towards the peace of the Southern States-
some assertions without character against
the whole people of that country. THIS was
a revolutionary proposition. 1t was but
another step in the march toward the cen
sOlidarion of power which the p' ople of this
country must see, This was the first time
that the Senate of ohe United States sought
80 take testimony concerning the election
of members in the other House of
Congress. At the time these Southern
at the foot of the Senator from Indiana
and his party, the Senators of bis
(Bayard's) side asked when the time
WAS to come that the Sorthern States conId