The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1875-01-23
FORTY-THIRD CONGRESS-
WAsHrNGToN, January %.
SENATE.


the Clerks desk.
Mr.. Sherman moved thN the creden-
tials,and all accompanying the papers,
be- referred to the Committee on Privi-
lrgca and Elections.
Mr.. Thurman said he wished to know
the scope of that motion. What pur-
ported To be- the credentials of this per-
son two years ago were referred to the
Committee on Privileges and Elections,
and reported back to the Senator subse-
qucntly they were recommitted to the
committee at the request of the Senator
from Indiana, Mr.. Morton.
Mr. Sherman said that it would be inn
possible for the committee TO make an
examination of all the facts in the case
unless they had all the papers. His mo-
tion to refer was agreed to.
tials of Thomas F. Bayard Senator elect
from Delaware for the term of six years
from March 4th, 1879. Placed on file.
Mr. Lewis introduced bill to repeal
the act to provide government for the
District of Columbia and for other pur-
poses, approved June 20, l774. Refer
red.
Mr. Edmunds introduced bill to
establish Il court for contested elections.
Referred.
The morning hour having expired the
Senate resumed the consideration of the
resolution from the Committee on Priyi-
lcgcS and Elections, proposing an amend
mrnt to the Constitution IN regard 10 the
election of President and Vice President.
Although said subject had been so
thoroughly discussed in the elaborate re-
port of the chairman of the committee,
that nothing remained to be said upon the
Inconsistency and danger Of the present
system of elccting the president and dis
ableness of change, he reviewed the
working of the electoral college for the
last fifty wears and in conclusion said he
gave his cordial assert TO this important
change, which was So clearly for general
good. Further consideration of the reso-
luton was then postponed until We'd
ncsday next, and then the Senate resum-
ed the consideration of the resolution
submitted bv Mr.. SchurZ, instructng
the judiciary Committee t. inquire what
legislation i, necessary by Congress to
secure to thrpeoplo of Louisiana the right
of self Government under the Constitu-
tion.
Mr.. sherman being entitled to the floor,
said hc did not regret that 50 little time
had elapsed since this question was dis
cu>,rd here, rs il could now be elevated
with less excitement he then referred To
the organization of the Legislature on the
ith inst. and said Of the l02 members
present - We're Republicans and 10
Democrats; the conduct of Wilt was
bold and daring assumption, and any
member would have been justified in
going up to the Speakers chair and
bearing him from his seat; he quoted
from the report OF Foster Phelps and
Potter, and said it showed that Wilt
had violated the law and Constitution of
louisiana; the Senators on the Demo
cratic side had not uttered one word of
condemnation of the course of Wilt,
while denouncing that of Gen. Sheridan
and Gen. Grant.
Mr.. Buyard said that the question be-
fore Senate was not whether the conduct
of Wilt wa regular or irregular, but
that it was not within the provin - of
the President of the United States to
interfere in the organization Of Il State
Legislature.
Mr.. Sherman, resUming said: This
act of usurpatiOn on the part of Wilt n
q crime, was more dangerous in its con-
sequences than the murder of hundred
or a thousand men. 1t was the first time
in the history of the country where mi
nority had usurped the rights ofthc ma
jority in this manner. The sigma! gun of
all this trouble was the usurpation Of
Wilt. But for his conduct, there never
would have been any interference by the
Federal power in the Louisiana Legis-
laturc.
Mr.. Schurz said if the Senator was will
ING 10 take the report of the House sub
committee which visited New Orleans ~
true. then he must admit that the gros-est
frauds were committed by the Returning
Board, and Therefore that boarG was the
cause of the trouble.
Mr.. Sherman said he would refer to
the Returning Board afterwards. In his
Judgment Wilt would have been over
thrown hy revolutionary force, had not
Gen Dctrobriand intcricrcd, there would
have been Il scene of bloodshed in that
hail.
Mr.. Bayard said Wilt had admins
tered the oath to lO2 members, who were
present; hence the Legislature wNs Il
lawful body.
Mr.. sherman said that roll call had
been denied in that legislature 10y the
Democrats. The supposed roll call had
been denied in the House of Representa-
tiycs when General Banks was elected
Speaker. Did any one doubt that there
would have been blood.hed? There had
been IL half dozen times in the history
OF the country, when refusal to call the
yeas and NAYS, would have resulted IN
bloodshcd. With the five men whose
seats were contested and excluded, no
one could doubt that the majority OF
that legislature was Republican. Nothing
could excuse or defend the lawleSS-
ness of Wilt in thi, matter; the Demo-
cratic party in Louisiana had seized upon
the organization of the Legislature, ana
trampcd under foot every guarantee OF
Constitutional liberty; they would
rather win by force than gain by fair
ness. He sent to the Clerks d"sk and
had read an article from the New York
Times. which he SAID he learned was
written by ID. W. Stoughton, lawyer
Of eminencc, and he thought took al un-
prciuliced view of the whole matter; 1t
it was the duty of Kellogg to put down
all irregularities in the Legislature; the
oath which he had taken compelled
him to interfere; he could not
do 30 by calling upon the state militia
because his call would not have been
obeyed under all ditIicultie, which sur
rounded him. He was perfectly rlg Int
in calling upon the military power OF the
/ general government. General Dctro-
BRAND went into that Legislature without
any intention to trampio upon the .iher-
ties of any. He went there to put out
five men who had no business there.
His colleague, Thurman had asked him
he approved of that; hr, Sherman np-
proved Of it Il, the President ofth" nItrd
Statcs dido call this Louisiana trouble