The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-03-02
The Agreement in the Senate.

The Agreement in the Senate.
The ciyil.rights law (as the reader may
learn by readingit as it appears In another
colump) Is a small evil as compared Withthe
force bill which the Democrats killed Off by
their agreement of Thursday last. Let 1t be
remembered that on Thursday they knew
not how soon the force bill would be passed
and sent to the Senate, and then let the fol-
lowing be read, and 1t will be seen that Inc
Democrats made a wise arrangement On
Thursday in the Senate
Mr.. EDMUNDS: have this proposition
10 make to gentlemen on the other SIDE tnat
we will adjourn whenever 1t now sults Inelr
convenience, after the matters upon the "a
bile are cleared off, and that general debate
shall terminate on this bill on Saturday next
of Q O'Clock in the afternoon any amend
ments proposed are to be disposed OF on a
fiya.ninutes' debate on each side then thirty
m;nu,es to be allowed to the senator 10
charge to close the debate, and then the Oil
TO be finally disposed of without further de-
hate. no other measure TO De tnterposeo our
side of the morning hour uhile hls b,H IS un'
der consideration. l ask unanimous COB.
sent that there may be an understanding Oh
this character. ~.
MIR. LOGAN: ask the senator II 10 bis
proposition he means that the hVe-mnu tes
debate on amendments shall continue al1er
2 o'clock on Saturday? -u
Mr.. EDMUNDS: If amendments Shall
be offered.
Mr. LOGAN: Why not allow amend
ments TO be offered during the time between
now and then?
Mr.. EDMUNDs: Any amendment may
be offered, but it might happen tna' 'nele
would be no opportunity before.
Mr.. LOGAN: By ive-minutes oeoate
on amendments we might be Kept mere
WEEK. mf: EpMuSDs: Z do not think there is
any Danger Of that.
Mr. LOGAN: do not like that at all.
The agreement was made, but on Friday
some Republicans desired to violste it. Now,
learn how we'll the agreement operated. In
the Senate On ,Friday-
Mr.. MORTON: I should like to know
about tina: agreement. understood 1t meant
this. that vote should be taken as early as
= O'Clock TO. morrow, provided the debate
lasted that long; but If nobody wants TO
sneak. are We not entitled 10 have vote at
once and have the matter out Of the Tayy i
suppose that il the spirit of the agreement.
MIR. MERRIMON: The understanding
was that the vote ould not be taken earlier
than 2 o'clock tomorrow.
Mr. MORTON: If persons want to speak
that long.
Mr, MERRIMON: And further, that this
aide of the House were to have to-day TO de-
bate the bill at their pleasure, all day and all
night if they pleased, and that at all events
the vote would not be taken until O'Clock
tomorrow.
Mr.. ALCORN II there is no person to
debate it now. move that the vote be taken.
Mr.. EDMUNDS (Renubican): That l
think would certainly be in violation OF the
understanding. Isuppose We all appreciate
how il is. The gentlemen on the other side
have stock of very good speeches.; they are
applicable to this subject, and they may be
applicable to other subjects which may come
before US. They bad it in their power. Of
course, to eXpcnd them upon this OIL II no
time was Fixed, and could have talked 1t into
next week if they liked and felt 1t to be their
duty to do so. Not knowing how long they
WlSQGQ 10 sIeuk-DuI lucy VI SouiS0 oS''"S
for themselyes-Ns agreed that no vote
should be taken until tomorrow at O'Clock.
Now, if they do not wish to occupy
the time and are unwilling to modl-
fy the understanding 80 as to vote
now, certainly feel bound by the engage
men,. We lose nothing except the inability
to 90 on and do business, arising from the
fact they stand by the letter of the contract.
The gentlemen upon the other side insisted
upon having this much time for debate, and
as I understand the agreement it so reads:
"No vote shall be taken Not even on an
amendment, because senators, knowing there
was to be no vote, would wish to do some
thing ese-"untll tomorrow at o'clock"
and "no business IS to interpose except 6y
general consent" so that the gentlemen on
the other side could not have any just right
TO say that the time which they wished to
occupy in speaking had been taken away
from them.
l am disposed to stand by the agreement.
So that on Thursday, when the senators
did not know but the force bill would reach
them that day, the Democrats got an agree
ment made that no force bill and no other
business should come up before Saturday
afternoon without their consent.