New-York tribune., 1876-12-06
yLIyrn CONGRESS-2D SESSION.

RE(lJLAK
rup npMUNps RESOLUTION ADoPTED-MR MOTIONS
PRESIDENTIAL BIIL-NARR0W ESCAPE OF THE
,n,wIrr RrsoLUIIoN-A TERRITORY OF THE
n,,cK JutIs--MHuBERs OF THE SOUTHERN
COMMITTEES.
SENATE. WASHINGTON. Dec. D. 1875.
After the reading Of the journal of yester-
a.xs proceedings, message was received from the
ne OF Representatives through Mr.. Adams, the Clerk
thereof announcing that the House had organized and
ready to proceed TO business Also that committee
a been appointed to join the committee on the part OF
ne senate TO notify the President that quorum OF the
tuo Houses has assembled.
Me MORTON Qsep., lnd) submitted joint resolution
propasing an amendment TO tae Constitution OF tho
tncd sates as 10 provide for inc election OF Pfes
Aent ard VcePresident Of the United states by direct
vote of te people. which read ana II was ordersa
lie on o table until the 66 oI pflyeae.
and Elections In submitting the resolution MT oG'Sn %
The Committee on Privileges and Elections TWO years
age wo,asr iron Iowa, presen,ed pcti;son Of the
citizens OF love- asking that that State be divided into
TWO judicial districts TO be known as the Northern ana
Southern Districts Ordered TO be referred 10 thc Oon
MIR MORTON presented a document compiled by
fhc counting Of the electoral vote from TO 1875 aud
said the information contained In the eonpaon was h GI
time. He moved that 10000 copies be printed ior us
Mr.. THURMAN tDem., Ohio said he had seen many
inaccurate statements this subject prepared oy others
lie had great e3nhdeAee ID me aDty oi @ nne Gn,inon
for himself before authorizing its distribution among the
pcople He had no objection printing the usual mum
Der Of copcs bat was opposed TO printing extra copies
prctsed by the Senator from Ohio (Mr. Thurman):
Mr. MoisToN then modihed his motion 70 prSyiSe inat
xSTeed TO- He then moved that $500 extra copies DC
printed for distribution, such motion to DC eicFreu
The committee when appointed. -, 1. -.
MIR. SPENCER Qep, Ala) introduced oill 70 & estap @
lisa tne Iert.oy =, .e ,brcf ISi On the table until
committees shall be appointed.
AN INQUIRY INTO SOUTHERN ELECTIONS.
Mr. EDMUNDS (Rep., VII moved to take up for CON
sideraton the resolution submitted by him yesterday
ordering an inquiry tho late election in South Caro-
Ina Flcrida louisiana Mississippi, Georgia, and Ala
bama
Mr. BAYARD QDem., DELI hoped the Senator from
Vermont M EdmuDds would allow the resolution 70 @e
passed for the present as there were many Se"tos
who desired to be heard upon 1t. . -, lie ,,,,
Mr. EDMUNDs said personally " would give tn ni,I
Delaware but the condition of public affairs was such
that inquiry proposed by the resolution should pe Or
Mr. BAYARD said it was perfectly plain that this reso,
luton opened ny anew e reDns @ M anew t of
Congress 10 make inquiry into the dolnes'G aIs VI
ion aud denied that the had any power TO make
the inquiry. Errors in voting were always coinmttcu.
men naS Sccunisry IJ nature. by the promise of
Office or employment. All these things had occurred
the mower asserted this resolution there would oo no
end to nterminable inquiries by Congress into e DO
meaning OF form OF government for Congress 70 ex
eTrise any such power He thought the resolution was
conssjon OF the wortnessncss OF Congressional action
during the last eleven years in regard 10 e states
Mr MORTON raised the point of order that the Consli
tutona power OF Congress the ne1ts OF inc
ecTd not be GsegSsa SS bT qio t5S cSar o iAe up
The motion being 10 take up the resoluton IL WIS
ar. EDMUNDs then modified his resolution so as to
authorize the Committee also 10 extend ITS inquiry 10 INC
other amendments of a verbal character, and said bo
was greatly surprised at the views pressed oy nus non
tbs resoution He commented the remarks OF that
Senator and argued that Congress had power TO make
the inquiry. Tie Constitution declared that inc repr
sentaiiOn of State should be based upon the whole
number OF e inhabitants q s@ea ga ~ the r 70 vote
when the representation should De decieSseu SccorU
Mr. ANTHONY (Rep., R. L., from the Committee to
wait upon the President reported th9t tng! nSu t H
wonid communicate with Congress- IN writing forthwith
At 1:1O p; L. 8 Grant, jr Private Secretary 10 the
Mr. EDSiTINDS resuIning his remarks, said he wished
he could believe that the report OF the COMMITTEE %oua 10
Lad been free and unabridged The Tay 70 Sseg a
to order this inquiry argued the resolution did
not commit tine ssnats e any Ers%or 1R me reo
tion was laid aside for the present. ana the Mesa 90 oi
fhe President taken up and read ,oo o,.,oo, ~,
Secretary GOrham, and was conelu Cd at o'clock.
It ordered tnat i be printed WIZ tHo % t
in documents, and the usual motion 70 PRINT extra
copies entered TO be hereafter referred 10 the No
Iautee Printing. -, o.o,r,,on
rGuestng the President the Senate If not in
tSnv and for What purpose troops OF the United States
occupied Petersburg, Va the 9TH day of November
,is76 tie day OF the election.
OBJECTION was made by Mir. EDMUNDs, and the reso-
Mp TIirRMAN suggested that the resolution Of the
Senator from Vermont in regard To the inquiry III va
nous Southern States be laid over utii OOffo" ano
y FSrGSns T @ said he could not consent to it going
over felt II TO be his duty to ass the sehhte W act
upon it to-day
STATE LAWS ABRIoGING SUFFRAGE,
Mr. THITRMA AN said the Senator from Vermont had
arued that the adoption OF this resolution would not
commit the Senate any particular doctrine or dOsnh
He ir Thurman) denied this, and argued that u did
commit the Senate de c0Dtended that there mao Dee
no violation of the Constitution OF the United states py
ary the sates named in the resolution Under recent
amendments TO the Constitution those States could have
r,,bed ,ronertv or educa tona qualifications to ex
eude the cOOred from the Dalioi-pVN p. w 90 l
do So II was said that this inquiry eod oe Sc. on
IL entirely outside 0i Tue oonS'iea'i'"' "'" "'
Mr. TDMUNDS said laws and statutes oil severai Oh
these States did operate to deny suffrage , lam, 4,
Mr. THURMAN denied that there was any suen law lawn ~
either Of the States, aud the senator t bdIn9n1lI i
eOua not urOduoe any such sSAtute The LAWS Oh tIgc
states acted SiSc ON both white and eolccd voters VINO
had possession of South Carolina and Louisiana SINCE tS
warf Tho Republican party. Who had possession VI
Alabama upti within the last two yearsr The Republican
party Yet y Sss s, shr1Ssd ealMoa 'eS The sst Of tbs
RESOLUTION WIS simply to 20 into the 9ues uon VI .I
daOn and furnish si.eS1 n 6Ss and eH eIeetinr other
men than those chosen by the people nM S.'es 1c
involved IN is resolution WY rig Had he never
heard OF he employees ia the great aliieloriSs pens
marched or to the polls ane made 70 xS'G aS
Mr. EDMUNDS-I never heard Oi pnl Onc as'an tI ~ M "
that kind and that was the case OF ne nonoyf Vote
'ny Nr the Senator is the most ignorant
man who lives III New-liagia lLaughtcr.J
Res,nans mis- argument M. THURMAN said that the