The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1876-12-08
FIRST DAYS WORK IN CONGRESS.
SENATE.


ceased, were sworn i'll. The new Sen
ators from Colorado drew for their
respectice terms, when Mr.. Chaffe Sc
cured the long term ending March 4th,
1879, and Mr.. Lilley the short term,
ending March 4th, 1877.
Committees were appointed to notify
the President aud the House of Repre-
sentatives that the Senate was ready
for business, and at 1890 recess
| for three-auarters of an hour was
taken.
After the usual fortnalities, Edmunds
offered Il resolution which was laid on
| the table hnd ordered printed, setting
forth that, "Whereas, the Constitution
provides for the method of electing
Representatives to Congress, and re-
cites who are entitled to vote for such
Representatives and whereas, it Is
alleged that in the States of South Car
Dina, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana and
Mississippi, the rights ofmany such per-
aons were denied and abridged during
the late election therefore
| "Resolveti, That the Committee on
| Privileges and Elections be authorized!
| to inquire whether such rights were.
| denied and abridged, and il so to what
| extent, and who have been effected by
such denial and abridgment, and how
| it has been carried ON. Also, that sai.!
Committee inquire into the fact wheth-
er any Presidential Electors in the late
election were disqualified, and whether
any of them have been interfered witt,
in their rights and qualifications, and
whether there is any constitutional
remedy; therefore, resolved, that sait.
Committee employ clerks and stenO-
graphers, and tie empowered to take
Adjourned.
| The House was called to order By
| Chief Clerk Adams.
a motion was made to elect a Speak
er. Banks appealed from IL decision o:
! the Clerk that the Speaker be electe.
| before new members were sworn in. a
vote is progressing on a motion to table
the appeal.
Two hundred and forty members an
| swered the roll. The election of Speak
er preceded all other business.
Randall addressed the House, thank
ing the members for the honor confer
rcd, and calling attention to the fac.
that he was not elected to the post 0r
account of the death OF Speaker Kerr,
to whom he paid Il high culogy for tn.
purity Of his public and private life
No one could appreciate more than III,
! I R.sndalD did, the great honor of bcins
| calle.4 upon to preside over the delibel-
| ati.,ns of the Representatives Of tn.
| American people, and in the uischars,
of his duties he should endeavOr to b,
| absolutely fair and impartial, anu
wnite uphOlding all the rules of til,
House he should protect each am,
every member in his individual rights.
The House stands now in the preseilc.
Of events which in the last degree dc
nand the most careful consideration o.
every officer of the government, ant.
he expressed the hope that the represen
tatives of the people would act onl!
with IL keen sense of right, so as to car
ry out the just expectation Of the poo
pie and to enforce the right.
The credentials Of 4. W. Butts, o:
South Carolina, were presented. Mr.
Morrison objected, aud they were re-
ferre,l to the Committee Oh Elections,
under protest filed by counsel for con-
teStant.
Banks presented the credentials OF
James b. Bedford, of Colorado. Sprin-
ger objected, and moved that the cert.
ticite he referred to the Committee ON
judiciary, with instructions to ascer-
tain and report it Colorado was Il State
of the Union, and whether the person
presenting the credentials was elected :,
member OF the House. Banks proceed
eel to- address the House in favor Of Inc.
adm sAion of Bedford. His credentials
were finally referred to the Judiciary
Committee.
Committees to go to South Carolina,
Florida and Louisiana were ordered,
six to Florida, nine to South Carolina
and fifteen to Louisiana. The commit.
tee to South Carolina consists Of N[essrs.
'SiyiOr, of Ohio; Abbott, of Massachu-
sets Stingrr, OF Pennsylvania; Elder,
of Illinois; Jones, of Kentucky; Phil
lips, of Missouri Banks, of Massachu-
setts Lawrence, of Ohio, and Laphan,
of New York.
The suspension of rules, to pass the
resolution ordering Committees to
Southern States, was obtained by the
votes OF three Republicans, which gave
the necessary wo-thirtls-namely ::
Geo. 3agley, of New York, and Henry
l.. Pierce, and Julius Seetye, both OF
Massachusetts.
The South Carolina Committee will
meet tomorrow and leave for Column
bia tomorrow night. The. resolution