The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-11-28
XLvth CONGRESS-Extra Session.
Senatorial Struggle.
Continuous Session of 80
Hours.

Hours.
Thurman's Motion
Finally Adopted.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 27.-At 23O a. M, Mr..
Ransom of North Carolina as the reading of
the testimony in regard to the Hamburg massa-
ere was about being resumed, enqured if M
U. Butler had had an opportunity of cross-ex-
aiming the witnesses.
Mr.. Cameron of Louisiana, said the testi-
mopy OF the witnesses had been taken down by
stenographeer and banded to Butler and he
suggested to Mr.. Merrimon, member of the
committee, such witnesses as he desired to
have examined and the questions he wished
asked.
Mr.. Ransom asked if this testimony was not
excluded from the sessions of the committee
Mr. Cameron replied in the affirmative,
Mr. Hoar-(Sotto Yocej-"The usual way"
Mr. Ransom referred to the remark made by
Mr.. Hoar, which he said reached his ear and
said it was unusual infany civilized community
to have testimony taken to damn man and not
to allow him to be present to cross-exa mine the
witnesses. Had not Corbin, the contestant
OF Butler, these same witnesses with him two
or three weeks?
Mr.. Cameron-Nearly all the Democratic
witnesses were under an indictment, and they
were summoned to- Columbia to attend court,
Corbin then being United States District Attor-
| ney for South Carolina
| Mr.. Macdonald of Indiana asked if the Sena-
| tor from New Hampshire would not read the
| testimony of Butler.
Mr.. Wadeigh said he thought it best to put
in one side of the case first.
Mr.. Hoar said the Senator from South Caro-
| lima (Ransom) assumed style of speech unbe-
| coming to him.
| Mr.. Ransom-"Mr. President"
| Mr.. Hoar (exeitedly)-"I do not yield. 1
| nave the Hoor." Continuing his remarks he
| that in any place where common or Christian
| law prevailed, and that among the members of
agreat party not man was found to raise his
hand to stop them.
Mr.. Ransom said that he held the floor by the
courtesy OF the Senator from New Hampshire
/ (Wadlegh) but the Senator from Massachusetts
| (Hoar) interrupted him and then claimed the
floor; that that Senator during his remarks took
occasion to first reflect upon him, then upon the
i party with which he acted and upon the sec.
tion which he loved. He had desired to say
once for all that when he desired to be instruct
ed as to what was becoming, he trusted he
| should have the good sense to seek that instruc-
ton from other .sourcel than the Senator from
1 1loSooOuuSCeec. w uou no Ildu6 LD6 SldG6moQG
that in no civilized country could man be
condemned without an opportunity to cross-ex-
| anime the Witness was it an answer for the
Senator from the great state of Massachusetts,,
| TO say that IN no country would such wrongs be
| committed as there had been in the South
That answer was unbecoming bis character, and
| nothing prevented him from using harsher
term to denounce the statement of the Senator
from Massachusetts,, but the proprieties of the
Senate chamber. There was not good man in
S0ufh w q moi oil %ba
RACES. Did it become an American Senator to
throw calumny upon eight millions of people,
upon thirteen great states whose glory did not
pale before that of Massachusetts herself? Here
today, the Senators had witnessed an assault
made by the other side of the chamber upon
one of their own number, one whom the policy
of the Republicans had put over the people Of
the South. The Republicans had had control
OF that section, they had the army and navy
and judiciary. and now they undertook to lay
their own crimes at the doors of the Southern
people. If his (Ransom's) manner was wrong
or Objectionable, he could not help 1.-THE could
not help his nature. But he desired to say
to the Senator from Massachusetts that when
ne tRansom) saw the man come here who was
the peer Of all, in whose veins flowed the blood
OF Oliver Perry-when he beard that bright
name assailed, he must defend it.
Mr.. Hill of Ca, said he desired to appeal to
the sense of justice of the Senator from Massa-
chusetts, to know what the discussion about
| the Hamburg trouble had to do with the cleo
ton of Corbin or Butler.
Mr.. Cameron of Wis.-Has not Gen. Butler
/ been indicted?
Mr.. Hlll-He has not. He had asked to be,
but Republican solicitor said the evidence
| was not sufficient
Mr.. Wadlelgh again quoted from the evil
dence before the South Carolina committee and
said that the Au-klux outrages were not de-
nounced by the Democratic party
Mr.. Thurman said he had denounced the
outrages over and over again, and it was the
Senator's Ignorance which had made him as
sert what he did.
adjourn. Rejected, 25 to 81.
Discussion upon the legality of the legisla-
ture which elected Butler, the political troubles
in South Carolina, &C., was continued at some
length by MIR. Conkling, who read numerous
extracts from the report of the committee in
in the South Carolina case. He said that with
the beginning of the Hamburg affair and ex-
tending on until election day, there were disor-
ders, acts OF violence, tumults and terrorism
in that state. Referring to the testimony of
| Adams, who commanded the colored company
| through which the white men drove horse a
buggy just befort the Hamburg trouble, Mr..
Conkling said that he might have been gnor-
| ant, he may have been painted black by ma
lures brush, he may have been the descendant
| of tiger hunters on the coast of Africa, but he
was born leader of men. He spoke of the
| acts of Adams, and said that whether he wore
the robe or rags, he would pin his faith to him
with more confidence than he would to other
| men-Do matter whose blood runs through
| their veins The evidence shows that Butler
| was party to unlawful and brutal and vile pro-
ceed'ngs in South Carolina, and he was pres.
| ent on election day, observing and taking part
in some degree at least in that reign of terror
which beat down and overwhelmed the ballot
box. He could not think it was hostile to him
to favor an investigation of the whole matter
| by the commi ttee.
| Mr.. Wadleigh again referred to the testimo-
I 49, \
sanction, cover up or excuse testimony like
this. He favored an investigation of the whole
affair by the Committee on Elections.
| MIR. Salisbury inquired if it would be proper
to refer this case to committee, three mem
bers of which had prejudged it this evening
Mr.. Spencer at $50 moved an adjournment.
Rejected, 26 to %.
The Republican Senators made many mo-
tions for adjournment and recess, but all were
rejected
AT o'clock Mr. Wadleigh held the floor and
read lengthy extracts from the testimony tax
en- by the Senate committee which visited South
| Carolina.
At $50 dilatory motions from Republicans
| continued. They favored an adjournment and
| If they could not carry it, favored continue
ton of the session until IL o'clock, when the
Kellogg case was to be reported by the Com
mittee on Elections, and would take precedence
| of the Butler case.
The reading of the testimony taken by the
committee which visited South Carolina was
continued at length, at the request of Mr. Wad-
leigh, who held the floor, by yielded occasional
ly for motions for recess or to adjourn, all of
| which were rejected.
| At 3.45 a. m. all the seats on the Republican
| side of the chamber were vacant Mr.. Chaffse,
| who occupies seat ON the Democratic side.
arose to question of order that no quorum was
present, and call of the roll developed the
| fact that but thirty-four Senators, three less
| than quorum, were present.
/ During the roll Call Mr. Mitchell came into
| the chamber, and his name beiugicalled he said