Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-12-06
Passage at Arms in the House Between
COuger, Of Michigan, and Speaker
Randall-COngeT Goes Down.
Appointment Of the COmmittees TO la
yestlgate the BulldOziBg In Florida,
South Carolina and Louisiana.
Amendments to the Constitution Offered
In the Senate-Passage between
Senators Thurman and
Eimunds.
A Committee OF Nine Ordered b. the Sen
ate TO Inquire into the Eligibility
Of the Electors Of Certain
STATES,
EIOISE.

HOUSE.
WAsHrSGToS, December j.-Immediateiy
after the reading Of the journal, hir. PlaIsted,
rising to privileged question, asserted that
on the vote Of Yesterday evening on Mr..
I Hewitt's resolution for three select commit
tees for louisiana. Florida and South Carolina
he had distinctly voted in the negative, and
had subsequently heard his name so read by
the clerk. but he now found he was not 50 re-
corded in the journal The correction OF hls
vote would have defeated the resolution, as
the two-thirlS majority would have only then
been gained by tie Of l56 70 q.
Any change Of the journal which wonld
effect The report was opposed by Mr.. Hoi-
man AMI other Democrats.
On the report Of the clerk, it was granted
by the speaker that the Journal was correct,
and that Mr. Plaisted's vote had not been
heard.
1t was cOntended OF the other hand by
/ Messrs. Banks, Kasson and other Republ-
/ cans that it was the right of every member
/ 10 have his name properly recorded m the
J journal, and that if that were done and
changed the result that the consequence had
/ to follow.
/ Mr.. Plaisted's assurance that he had voted
was confirmed by the statement Of Mr.. Blair,
+ Of New Hampshire, with the explanation,
/ however, that the answer did net come
I promptly on the call Of his name, blt just as
/ the next name Of the roll was called or about
being called There was therefore pOssl-
l bihty of the error having occurred IN tat
way, but 1t was positively asserted BY Ir.
/ Plaisted that he lad subsequently listened
/ with great care to the reading OF the vote,
and rad heard his name called on the list Of
negatives.
After considerable discussion Bir. Seelye
! expressed his surprise and indignation at any
! objection being raised as to the veraclty Of
/ the member He himself had voted in the
affirmative, but he would not allow by any
: action of his even righteous ends to be at
! tanned 10y unrighteous means.
J Mr.. Kasson sent TO the clerks desk and
had read an extract from the house journal
/ Of lS49 bearing on the case, and showing
/ that where bill had been passed on Satur-
/ day the journal had been corrected the fol-
/ lowing Monday and the bill had been de-
feated.
! Mr.. Holman asserted, 10 the great mnuse-
ment of the Republican side Of the house,
/ that there was no possible parallel between
/ the two cases.
| The Speaker-Ihe Judgment Of the char
/ is very clear on the point that the object OF a
record is to have a correct record, and there
| fore the speaker believes that the motion to
! correct the journal is In order and rules that
/ the vote must be recorded
! The triumph OF the kepubicsm side Of the
house was but momentary, for Immediately
4 Mr. Fuller rose on the Democratic side and
/ sad thill ne ll.ll yesterday Totc0 ili llt ~
( iirmatIve on the same resolution. and had az
/ terward come down to the clerks desk and
! ascertained that he had been so recorded, but
. -,+a ~ NsR
! journal t-s
I This statement was confirmed by Mr.. Hill,
/ and the journal was again corrected.
! The speaker then stated that If the vote had
been correctly stated yesterday it would have
stood l57 to 70, and the speaker would then,
! exercising his constitutional right, have voted
in the affirmative, thus carrying the motion.
| He now proposed. as a solution of the diii-
Guilty, that the vote should be again taken.
To this proposition there was general as
1 sent by the Republicans, the only exception
! being Mr.. Banks, who objected, but immed-
ately withdrew his objection. At the same
| time the speaker changed his view, and an
nounced that he would now exercise his right
to vote He supposed the gentleman from
Massachusetts Banks would admit his right
to do so.
Mr.. Banks-I do; there can be no doubt
| about it.
Mr.. Speaker-Then | use that right and
cast my vote in the affirmative. Loud ap-
| plause on the Democratic side and correspond
| ing depression on the Republican side.
Mr.. COnger-Not another Republican
! agrees with the gentleman from Massachus-
sets, Banks or with the chair; not one.
Mr.. Speaker-The chair is very sorry to dis
agree with the gentleman from Michigan,
/ [Laughterl.
MIR. Conger-I think the chair is NOT sorry
70 disagree with me in this matter.
Mr.. Speaker-The chair does not think
! that any action of the chair to-day warrants
the reflection which that gentleman has
made, either on its motives or decisions.
! Mr.. Conger-The chair proposeda solution
of the difficulty that new vote be taken; |
arose in my place after consultation with,
| those around me, and on behalf Of this SIDE
of the house assented TO that proposition,
and Immediately thereupon the chair took
another course and made new ruling IN
| favor of his partisan side, and ! therefore
made the remark which did, and was justi-
| fed in it.
The Spaaker-The chair desires to say that,
| as a matter of fact, his decisions to-day have
been on the side of the minority; and he was
| therefore greatly surprised to hear the gentle
man from that side rejecting On him. The
chair states in all frankness that after making
the proposition which he did, he was remind
ed that he had a constitutional right which
he might exercise, and having that right he
did exercise 1t.
Mr.. Conger-That Is the very thing Of
which complain. Laughter. The upshot
of the whole matter, therefore, Is that the
resolution for the appointment OF three COM
mittees remain in force.
Mr.. Hamilton Ind. then offered his reso-
luton assigning Saturday, the sixteenth IN
stant, for the presentation Of suitable reso!u-
tions on the death Of the late Speaker Kerr,
and the expression by members of the esteem
In which he was held for his unb.emished
character and eminent public services which
was adopted.
The speaker then announced the President 5
annual message, which was thereupon read
by the clerk.
On motion of Mr. Wood, n. Y, the mes
sage and accompanying documents were or
dered printed forthwith in pamphlet form,
and were referred to the committee Of the
whole on the state of the Union.
The speaker announced the following select
committees:
On Lousiana-Messrs. Morrison, jerks,
M'Mahon, Lynde, Blackburn Meade, House,
Phelps, New, Ross, Townsend Pa. Dan
loIu, HuIloaI lL-s'l' S'''tg anu 49,, ', =.
On FIoridd-Messrs. Thompson, DeBolt,
Walling, Hopkins, Garfield and Dunnell.
On the South Carolina committee the name
of Mr.. Cochran was substituted for that OF
Mr.. Stenger, excused Oh account Of illness IN
his family.
Mr.. Lawrence asked leave to offer ! resolu-
ton designed to secure equal school privileges
10 white and colored children, but objection
was made and the house adjourned.
SENATE.
WASHINGTON, December 5.--Senator Nor
ton submitted Joint resolution proposing an
amendment to the constitution, Tor the elec-