Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1875-12-08
CONGRESSIONAL.
First Session 4Ath Congress.
SENATE

Cooper, OF Tenn, presented the cre-
dentiale of David nj. Key, appointed
| United States Senator in place of
| Andrew johnson, deceased, and he
| was sworn in.
The usual resolutions to notify tho
House Of Representatives aud Presi-
dent that quorum of the Senate had
assembled and was ready for business,
wee adopted and at 1916 the Senate
took recess for half an hour.
On rcassembling Boutwell, announc-
ed the death of Vice President Wilson
and said that at sn early day reaolu-
tons relating to his life, character and
public services would be offered.
Anthony said it was not prabable
| that any message wonld he received
from the House to-day, or If at all it
would be at very late hour he there
fore thought the Senate might as well
adjourn. He made motion TO that
effect which was agreed to aud at
IL 40 the Senate adjourned till to-
morrow.
HOUSE.
| Organization nj the uouse Kerr.
Elected Speaker.
Tho attendance of members was
very full, nearly every seat was oe-
e0picl.
Mr.. McPherson called the names of
the members by States, commencing
with Maine.
In regard to the representation
from tbs 33d District of New York.
/ Clark reminded the House that the
/ n faln tal o.~I
person elected to fiji the vacancy
had presented his credentials so pecn-
liar in form that the Clerk preferred to
submit the question TO the House.
In reference 10 the Louisiana dele
CATION the Clerk said he had received
two sets of certificates for four dis
tricts, but both sets indicating the
election OF the same persons; that as
to the fifth district he had received
two certificates one signed by VIM.
/ 2. Kellogg. showing the election of
! Mr.. Morey, and the other signed by
John McEnery showing the election
Of Mr., Spencer, and that as Mr.. KEEL
/ logg was the defaeto Governor the
/ Clerk had acted on his certificate and
! enrolled Morey. AS to the sixth dis
\ trict, he had received one certificate
! signed by Kellogg, and he had acted
on that The call concluded, the
/ Clerk announced that 226 members
had answered TO their names. The
absentees are Dobbins, of n. J. Tg-
bert, of Pennsylvania, (who returned
home this morning on account Of
and Oliver, OF Iowa. These, with
4 two vacancies from the Goth district
I! Of New York, and fourth district Of
] Illinois, make 292 members of which
4 the House is composed.
4 lamar moved that the House pro-
coed to the election of speaker. Agreed
to.
Lamar then nominated Michael G.
Kerr, of Indiana, and Wheeler, OF
New York, nominated James G.
blaine, of Maine, for that position.
No other nominations were made and
the House proceeded to vote with tho
following result:
y Whole number OF votes caat $50 !;
for Kerr IT'S; Blaine LOG; Willisme OF
Michigan, 1; Alexander Campbell OF
Ills, l.; VIM. Anderson, Ills, l.
Randall and Blaine then assorted
Kerr 10 the Speakers chair, when the
latter made brief speech, promising
complete fairness and impartiality
towards all
Mr.. Kelly, az the oldest member of
the House in contionous service, adj
ministnred the oath OF Office to Speak
er Kerr, who then administered the
oath 10 the members. The iron clad
oath was administered to all but 6t
bon
modified form.
Mr.. Wood, oil New York, objected
to Mr., Marey, Of Louisiana, and Mr.
Garfield objected to Mr.. Goode, of
Virginia.
These gentlemen, therefore, did NOT
qualify
Mr.. Wood then offered 4 resolution
referring the credentials of Messrs.
Mercy and Spencer to the COMMITTEES
on Elections, with Instructions to re-
! port which of them was elected to "A
aeat. lie said HIS object was not to
raise the question rs TO who waa Coy
ernor of Louisiana, bnt only to deter
mine what form credentials should be
in.
Il MIR, Blaine declared that there was
no ground whatever Tor mentioning
McEnnry as Governor of Louisiana.
That the question had been finally set
tied by the last Congress, even Ste
phens voting in favor OF Kellogg in
order that the matter might be finally
settled. He hoped the whole Lonisi-
: ana case was not 10 he rsopened by
! the gentleman.
: Mr.. Wood asked why, ii there WAS
!. no reason to regard McEDery as Gov
ernor, all papers were signed by him
as we'll as Kellogg. He did not in
tend 10 raise the question as to who
was or was not Governor of Louisi-
ana, bnt AMPLY whether Morey'a Gre
: denlials entitled him to a.aeat in the
House
Mr.. Wheeler took the aame ground
as Mr. Blaine.
Mr.. Wood asserted Thar the last
Congress only decided ON the question
of Louisiana Legislature not ON that
of the Governor.
Mr.. Lamar contested that the rcgu-
lar method in such cascs was to refer
! tho matter to the Committee on Flee.
tiona.
Mr.. Lamar remarked that the uues.
/, Governors was Governor or not was
the very question to be referred to 4
Committee.
Mr.. Blaine then said nndcrstand
tho gentleman to- mean that this liz !,
formal opening of the whole I4onisi
]. ana case, and not merely question
"a to the seat of the member.
Mr. Lamar then said The gentle.
| man simply understands that 1t ID q
D question which the Clerk OF the House
: has RENTED to tho House. Whethe.
!, or not it involves the other question
( az TO tho validity Of the Gubernatorisl
) incumbent of Louisiana, Ia a question
8 which ought not to be decided infor-
0 maily or by the mere seating of .
. member. but ought to be formally re-
|, feired TO the Committee and grayely
and maturely decided.
r Mr.. Blaine again asked If the case
o had not been settled by the last Con.
I gress?
q Mr.. Lamar admitted that compro-
! mise had been made, acknowledging
/, Kellogg as acting Governor and
asked Mr.. Wood TO modify his reso,
E luton, emitting the prcamb G. and
! only instructing the Election Com.
, mittee TO report on the pffma focie
case.
i Mr.. Wood aeeeded.
: The Clerk of the House then stated
that the controlling reason for his &C.
cepting and enrolling the names OF
the Kellogg members was that KEEL
logg had been recognized as Govern
or by all branehesof the Government,
! and he had enrolled those who held
J Kellogg certificates, without regard
, to the political aspect of The case.
The question being put, after fur
r thcr diseu sion, The resolution was
i rejected.
Mr. Blaine moved that Frank Morey
be recognized as a member This
: was agreed 20 without division, and
Mr.. Morey was sworn in after short
deliberations
! Mr. Goode was also sworn in.
The Territorial delegates then took
the oath.
: The Senate was Informed that the