American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1877-12-08
FORTY-FIFTH CONGRESS.

u II Il l.
In the Senate, on the 26th, Senator Wad-
| leigh, from the Committee on Privileges and
| Elections, submitted a report, accompanied
by resolution, declaring w. P. Kellogg en-
titled to a seat as Senator from Louisiana for
| SIX years from March 4, 1877. He asked pres
ent consideration of the resolution, but OBJ
lection was made by Senators Merrimon,
laid over until morrow. Senator Merri-
mon submitted a minority report, signed by
Yor of seating snoorS 3 rdereS in ed
The House bill to repeal that part of the act
9c oc January M knG%r g as the Re t
mittee on Finance. At the expiration of the
morning hour consideration was resumed of
4 charge the Committee on Privileges and
ELECTIONS from further consideration
of the credentials of M. c.. Butler, claiming a
/ seat as Senator from South Carolina, and
Senator Davis of Illinois explained the rea-
| son why he favored the motion to discharge
| the committee. Senator Davis said it was
| important that the vacant seats from South
! Carolina and Louisiana should be filed The
| legislation of Congress was binding upon the
! people of these States and they had q right to
1 expect that the claim for these seats should
be acted upon at the earliest possible mo-
| ment. Had the Committee on Privileges and
Elections reported in favor of Senator Kel-
MANI submitted his resolution to discharge
the committee from the Butler case, he
would have voted to consider the Kellogg
resolution of Senator Thurman having been
| Senator Edmunds, after brief reply, moved
that the Senate proceed to executive bust
Conover and Patterson voted with the Demo
Gratis in the negative. In announcing the
iamity in the family of the Senator from Cal
| ifornia (Sargent) he was compelled to be alb
sent, and he (Eaton) had paired with him on
made quite lengthy speech, defending his
| position, in which he said: 81 am prepared to
give the Senate and the country the reasons
why vote for the admission of NJ. G. Butler
| as a Senator from South Carolina, and am
ready to stand fall upon the verdict of
the public when 1 give those reasons........
1t is said that propose to transfer the pollt-
party. No man living has authority to quote
me for such a purpose. would sooner lose
my right arm than do any thing to endanger
| the supremacy of the Republican party. If
voting for Gen. NJ C. Butler, because he is hon
estly and fairly entitled to it, is to destroy the
Republican party, God knows it ought to be
destroyed very soon. The Republican party
can not be affected by the question of right /;
stand here to represent the people of South
Carolina. When vote for Gen. NJ. c. Butler
and wish of the people whom 1 have the
| honor to represent on this floor. They
decided that the Legislature which
elected him is the legal and lawful
body, and am bound to obey their mandate.
| followed with brief speech, stating the
grounds upon which he voted for the admis-
sion OF Butler. He said: &c see Democratic
State Administration in South Carolina recog-
nized by President Hayes, the leader and
head of our party: If Democrats carried the
State, our President has determined, can
not see why they have not right to elect a
| Senator belonging to their own party. 1 am
not willing to oppose the decision the Presi-
dent has made upon this subject and am
not willing to stultify myself by saying that
| a Democratic State elected a Republican
senator. a bitter fountain can not bring
forth sweet water; no more can Democratic
States elect Republican Senators. This
Democratic State has not done so......
All reports, all whisperings that 1 have
| a wit DaInOnr1fS ara Mt
terly false. No Democrat, inside or outside
of this chamber, has ever approached me
with assurance of benefit to mySelfif would
vote to seat Butler, and one reason why
make this declaration of my purpose is that
may not be approached with like assurances
by my political friends if will vote the other
way" Senator COnOverS speech was loudly
applaudedi by the galleries les , Senator : Ed.
to preserve order, took the floor, and in the
course of some severely personal remarks re-
In which he referred to certain news
paper statements to the, effect that the
vote with the Democrats through improper
influences, moved that the Committee on
Privileges and Elections be instructed to in
vestigate the charges referred to. The mo-
| ton, on being put to a vote, was rejected
yeas q, nays 80. All the Republicans, with
| the exception of Conover and Patter-
son, voted yea. After several incffec-
an adjournment, Mr.. Edmunds moved
to go into executive session, which was car
Tled by tine deeinddng vote 70 of the VICE.
accompanied by the explanation that he did
SO because he knew there was important
executive business to be considered. When
the doors were reopened, consideration was
resumed of the resolution OF Mr..
from further consideration of the credentials
of Mr.. Butelr. Numerous amendments were
by the Republicans, but at a. m. the Senate
was still in session, the Democrats refusing
to adjourn until Mr.. Thurman's resolution
was disposed OF.
Senator Wadleigh, who took the floor at
0:3O p. m. on the 26th, to speak upon the
South Carolina contested case, did not relin-
quish it until noon on the 9th. The evidence
taken by the committee which visited South
Carolina was read in detail, the New Hamp
| by other Republican Senators. During the
night many motions to adjourn, to take re-
cess, and to go into executive session, were
ate was ordered, which developed the fact
that there was not a quorum present, when
in the absentees. At noon, Mr. WadIeigR
having yielded the floor, Mr.. Dorsey moved
to resume discussion OF legislative business
mon then took the floor and replied briefly to
Senator Wadleigh, after which the question
was put upon the resolution of Senator Thur
man, that the Committee on Privileges and
Elections be discharged from further con-
ried-yeas %, nays 27. Senators Conover and
Patterson voted with the Democrats and Sen
ator Davis of Illinois was paired with a Re-
publican upon this question. Mr.. Thurman
now moved that Mr.. Butler of South Carolina
Ae es in the from oo5 ha5 s8t Wen Under
for one day. Mr.. Edmunds then gave notice
journal to morrow he would call up the high
est matter of privilege, touching the creden-
t1als OF Kellogg, reported from the Commit
| then, on motion of Mr.. Thurman, by vote
| of yeas %, nays 27, went into executive
session, and when the doors reopened, the