The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1875-01-06
FORTY-THIRD CONGRESS.
WAsHINGToS, January 5.
SENATE.

Mr.. Scott presented a petition of the
American Iron and Steel Association
protesting against the proposed Reciproc-
ity Treaty between the United States
and Canada Referred.
senator Thurman After the Presi-
dent.
Mr.. Sargent gave notice that he would
call the bill up for consideration at an
early day.
Mr.. Thurman offered the following
resolution, and asked its present cOnsid-
Grafton:
Rssoiced, 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, or any
officer or officers, soldier or
soldiers of such army, did in any man
ner interfere with the control, or seek to
control the organization of the General
Assembly of louisiana, or either branch
thereof OF the 4th inst; especially
whether any persons claiming seats in
either branches Of sand Legislature,
have been deprived thereof or prevented
from taking the same by any such mill
tarv force of officers and soldiers, and if
such has been the case, that the President
inform the Senate by what authority
such military intervention and interfer-
fence have taken place.
Mr.. Conkling said he would suggest
that it would be better to preserve the
customary phraseology of such resolu-
tions, by inserting the words, "lf III his
Judgment it is not Incompatible with the
public interests
Mr.. Thurman said he did not agree
with the Senator.
Ms. Conkling-AS to the propriety of
inserting the words suggested, this ques-
tion did not relate to any foreign power,
but if it was such question then If
would be proper to insert these words.
1t 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. 1t was not case where
information would interfere with warlikc
movements. Although this Louisiana
trouble had the appearance of War, 1t was
not 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 he inadvertently had
given the Senator (Thurman) an oppor
tunitv to make quite an impressive and
eloquent speech When the resolution
came up for consideration he lConkling)
would move to amend by inserting the
words he had suggested, and he would
ask vote of the Senate TO see what the
usage of the Senate had been, rs Il
single objection, he believed, would carry
the resolution over, and it was not yet
before the Senate. The Senator from
Ohio seemed To- think that he dIstin-
gu-hcd this case from all others by Oh
serving that the topic did not concern
our relations with any foreign power. If
there was sense or reason in rule which
commits something TO executive discre-
ton, he (Conkling) thought it should
apply to tins resolution, which related 10
serious disorders in one of the States of
the Union. He thought this rule was
suggestive Of considerations which should
address themselves to every Senator, not
rs a partisan. but us he stood upon his
oath to be true to the great trust com
mtted to him. Turbulence and de-
fiancc of law stall high-handed in
the public way, and the Senate did not
know but tnat now, even while
dcliberuting over this resolution
that peace, order, security of lite,
and law, were being tramplcd in the mirc
in the streets of New Orleans. The
Senator (Thurman) says that it i for Us,
in the uncertainty of the danger and
grave peril which surrounds the subject,
to saw absolutely, in the twinklinG OF IN
eve, before the sun goes down tomorrow,
that the President must communicate ali
the facts to the Senate. He (Conkling)
argued that the Senate had no facts upon
which to act, and say TO the President
he must, with all promptncSs, commune
cate to the Senate. 80 that there can be
flashed back to Louisiana, by telegraph,
the exact truth in respect to en-
plovmcnt, in respect I" location.
in respect to the proximity of that power
which may alone of all other powers bc
used to trampic out the disorderly dis
position on one side or on the other.
Senator Conklng continued awhile in
this strain and moved to amend by in.
scrting "if in his judgment notmcompat-
iblc with the public interest
Mr.. Thurman replied by saying that
this referred to domestic affairs in time of
peace, and the Senate had II right to
make the demand of the President. If
the President could not give the COM
munication, he should state his reasons,
and the Senate could consider them IN
executive session.
Mr.. Edmuuds inquired if Senator
Thurman could make precedent where
the words submitted by the Senator from
New York IConkling) had been omitted
from Il resolution.
Mr.. Thurman replied that ne could
name hundred if he had time to search
the records. He did not think it was for
him to. hat in hand bow before the
President, and say it was for him to cN-
crci,c his Judgment. Louisiana was not
the only State in which trouble had oc-
CURED in reference to the organization
of the Legislature. In Ohio on one oc-
casion there were. for two weeks or
more. two bodies both claiming to b"
the Legislature of the State. Bnt thank
God, they had no fraudulent Returning
Buard-thcy had not descended to
that depth of perditiou. If Mar
tin Van b rcn, who WIS then
President. had sent the military to inter-
ferc in that legislative conflict, his troops
would never have left Columbus alive.
In PENNSYLVANIA, also, there had been i
similar instance. and how would the peo-
ple of that State have acted If the fedora!
government had interfered? What
would not be tolerated in Massachusetts,
Ohio and Pennsylvania for single mo-
ment. was now the case in Louisiana. He
desired to know whether because Of the
/ Presidents fatal step in foi-tlng an lie
gnI government upon the people OF
Louisiana, all liberty and all law IN that
State was to perish He wanted to know
who II WAS that called into use the army
of the United States to organize the leg
. i.lature of Louisiana. He did not want
this matter decided By clamor or tumuit.
/ There would be Il tumuItuouI spirit in
/ \.,,. N,rl- pbi, and Mirlivan If either