The Portland daily press., 1877-10-19
XLVth CONGRESS-Extra Session.
SENATE.
WASHINGTON, Oct. IS.

OENAlE.
WASHINGTON, Oct. IS.
During the morning hour number of bills
were introduced and referred Among them
one by Mr.. Christiancy of Michigan, to enlarge
the jurisdiction of the court of claims
The Vice President laid before the Senate
message from the President of the United
States transmitting the report of the board ap-
pointed by the Secretary of the Interior TO ex-
anime into the cause Of the recent fire at the
patent office building. Referred.
Also a message from the President enclosing
the report of the Secretary of the Navy setting
forth the particulars of existing difficulties in
the aspirations for navy. Referred.
Bills introduced BY Mr.. Merrimop, pre-
scribipg an oath of office, also granting PEN
sions to certain soldiers and sailors of the war
with Mexico, and widows of deceased soldiers.
MIR. Davis of West Virginia submitted
resolution stating that there appeared to be
material ditferencies, alterations and dlscrepan
cies in the financial reports of the Treasury de-
partmeDt, and authorizing the appointment of
special committee to investigate such fnan-
cial reports, books and accounts of the Treas
ury Department..
In explanation Mr.. Davis said it was similar
to the resolution offered by him at the previous
sessions. He had used all his powers to have
such resolution passed, but failed. He believ-
ed there were material alterations in the treas
ury accounts and even forced balances.
1t was ordered that the resolution be printed
and lie on the table.
Mr.. Davis gave notice that he would call it
up at an early day and submit some remarks in
regard thereto.
At the expiration of the morning hour the
Sonata resumed the consideration of the resolu-
ton submitted by Mr.. Thurman to have the
oath administered to Henry M. Spofford as
Senator from Louisiana, the pending questo on
being on the substitute of Mr. Mitchell to refer
his credentials to the committee on elections.
After debate the substitute was agreed to,
yeas 36, nays 49, and the credentials of Spot
ford were referred.
Yeas-Messrs. Allison, Anthony, Blaine, Booth,
Chafee Christiancy, Conkling, Conover, Dawes,
Dorsey, Edmunds, Ferry, Hamlin, Hoar, IHowe, In
gals Jones Of MeY., Kirkwood. Mcmillan. Matth-
Plumb, Rollins, Sargent, Saunders, Spencer, Teller,
and Wadlegh-36.
NqgsL ; Armstrong, Bailey, Barnum, Bay
va, Dennis, Eaton. Garland, Grover. Harris, Here
farq, Hill Jones of Fla German, Lamar, McCreery,
Randolph, Ransom, Sauls bury, Sherman, Wallace
anu Withers-S3 (Windom paired with Johnston).
During the discussion which preceded the
vote MIR. Edmunds ked Mr.. Thurman to
state the difference between these credentials
and those OF Mr.. Kellogg referred at the last
session to the committee on privileges and
elections.
Mr.. Thurman argued that the legislature
which elected MIR. Spofford had been reco gniz-
ed the legal legislature of the state by all her
ceived the votes of all the members of the leg.
islature except ID. He was eeced not by Demo-
cratic votes alone, but received the votes of an
immense majority of the Republican me mber
of that assembly.
Mr.. Edmunds said that Mr.. Kelloggs GRE.
dentials on their face certainly bore some evil
dence of being valid The Senators on one side
of the CHAMBER said last spring that the matter
needed inquiry. Now those same Senators said
that the Louisiana Senato-ship ought to be de-
cl0aI without lnOuirV AT ALL
MI. M'tchell argued dr. Soofford's Gre
dentials did not constitute prinad tdcie case
upon which he should be sworn in.
MT. Bayard argued that Mr. Spofford had
prnad fdcae case and said the affairs of Louisiana
had in the minds of the American people re-
ceived absolute and final settlement He knew
how nearly balanced the political power stood
in the Senate, and yet he begged the Senators
to believe him wheu be declared that he would
not by any questionable act give the weight of
his little finger to obtain that power for the
party with which he acted The man was
blind who did not see that the drift of the pub
nc opinion in this country was against all po-
litical scheming Did not the interest of this
country require that the best energies of every
Senator should be bent in behalf of the people
and those passions aroused by party strife be
hushed. There was no need of further argu-
ment. There was no need of further evidence
in this Louisiana case. The Senators could not
turn their backs to facts which no one denied.
Messrs. Howe and Christiancy favored ref. |
erence of the credentials
After the vote Mr.. Whyte submitted reso-
luton referring the credentials, &c., and that |
said committee report thereon on or before the |
first day of November 1877 -
Mr. Mitchell, acting chairman of the com. |
mittee, said he was afraid it would not give /
the committee time enough.
The discussion was continued by Mr.. Wad- |
leigh who said that it might be that he as a |
member of the committee would not come to
the cOQCluSi0O that the rnm0Va1 of q 1
ernment in Louisiana by military force would |
settle for the Senate The question of who was /
entitled to seat therein. He did not think /
the White League of Louisiana, with its bayo-
nets, reVolvers and guns, could decide for him /
who was entitled to seat in the Senate rom
that state. But for the pressure of the League
the Packard government would have remained
the government in fact as he believed it was in
law. The proceeding under which Kellogg |
was elected Senator was valid and correct in |
form. The testimony in the Louisiana case
covered thousan DIS of pages and the com nittee |
could not examine all of it and report to the |
Senate by Nov. LIST.
Mr.. Edmunds SAID he had been taught to be.
lieve that the adoption of such resolution
would be virtually an affront to 4 sthe COM
mittee. The Senate might as we'll say that the |
committee should report Immediately as to say
it should report by the first of November Was
= now thought best not to inquire anything
about who was legally elected Senator fiom
Louisiana, but to take the last chap who ap-
peared as the true saint? That might be the
Democratic doctrine, but he did not agree to it,
MIR. Gordon inquired if any day could be fix
I'd for the committee to report on the creden-
als of Spofford Several Senators on the Re.
publican sde-NO, none whatever)
Mr.. Thurman said that at no time since '73 |
lad the state of Louisiana more than ole SEN |
Itor on this floor. He referred to the various
Investigations in regard to that state, and said, |
low after all these years of inquiry, we are |
old that this able committee cannot make re- |
'ort by November LIST. Every material fact
vas before the Senate already, and the Seaa-
ors were simply shutting their eyes to testimo- |
y to say they could not decide this case. What |
vas the reason for this attempt to postpone the
natter! Was It intended to postpone it for
n the railroad? If there was no dread of the
mashing OF cars as they came head to head
q the same track, he could not see why it was
o essential to postpone the matter.
MIR. Edmunds did not understand what the
enator meant by his paraphase about rail- /:
Dads.
MIR. Thurman said he would never attempt to
xplain anything to the Senator from Vermont
mich man of most ordinary comprehension | :
ould understand. Such an attempt would be
n insult to his intelligence.
Mr. Edmunds said the Senators on his side of
10 chamber were not runners of any railroad
ALL They always labored to promote the in I
Ie ests OF the people according to law. and did s
OF act IKE some others to cover up differences.
hoe1ty OF opinion had always been contended O
Or on his side of the chamber.
Mr.. Whyte agreed with the Senator from
ermont, Inat IL was very uncommon thing
order or direct any committee of the Senate |
regard to its duty, but 1T was a parliameuta-
usage, and parll imentary bodies had order | {
committees TO take charge of matters, retire 1
om the chamber aud submit report immedi- t
tely So it was not such heinous offence to | n
n "a q inf l !