The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-12-06
SESSION.

LII tne SENATE, November 20, NJ. Wadle1gh
| from the Committee on Privileges and Elec-
tons, submitted report accompanied by a
| resolution declaring Mr.. w. P kellogg en-
TITLED to a seat as Senator from Louisiana
for six years, from March 4, 1877. He asked
| the present consideration of the resolution
| but objection was made by Mr.. Merrimon,
of North Carolina, and others, and the res
oIutlon was laid over until tomorrow. Mr.
Merrimon submitted a minority report,
signed by Hill, salisbury, and himself in
favor of seating Mr.. Spofford. Ordered
printed. The House bill, to repeal all that
| part OF the act of January IA, 1875, known
| as the resumption act, which authorized the
Secretary OF the Treasury to dispose of
United States bonds, and redeem and cancel
| greenback currency, was read by its title,
and referred to, the Committee on Finance.
| The latter part OF the morning hour was de-
voted to discussing the resolution submitted
| by MIR. Chatfee, calling upon the President
! TOR information as to what inpediments ex-
| lst which prevent him from executing the
| laws against the Union Pacific Railroad and
its branches. But before reaching a vote
! the morning hour expired, and considera-
| ton was resumed of the resolution to
| discharge the Committee on Privileges and
! Elections from further consideration OF the
credentials of NJ. C. Butler, claiming a seat
| as Senator from South Carolina, and Mr.
| Davis explained the reasons why he favored
| the motion to discharge the committee
Mr.. Edmunds made a speech in reply, in
which he made an appeal for proceeding
with due regard to the rules and regulations
OF the Senate, and settling the case with
proper regard for law and justice, and not
introducing in the place of these partisan
scrambGng for seats or results of a corrupt
bargain, precipitated by the battle which
till then had not taken definite shape. Mr..
Mcdonald interrupted to ask if Mr..
Edmunds charged that there had been
corrupt bargaining. "No," said Edmunds,
adding however, with great emphasis, but
believe it." Mcdonald interposed that he,
for one, would help investigate such a
| charge, and Edmunds retorted that Mr.. Nc
| Donald could have chance to help if he
lived much longer. Edmunds, who had
| been given the management of the Repub-
| Hcans, then moved, in order to allow the
Butler case to go forward regularly, as it
| should, and that it mi ght no longer impede
/ important business, the Senate should pro-
ceed to the consideration of executive busi-
ness. With this motion it was designed to
test the purposes of Patterson and Conover.
Both on roll call answered No, the
vote standing yeas, 2S; nays, 80. Dur
ing the discussion that followed Mr..
| Patterson thought it necessary to
explain his position. He said he was not
afraid of the criticisms that were made upon
him by his party associates and by the
newspapers. Nor was it true that the con-
| newspapers, attempted to bull-doze him in
| the corridors of the Senate. He had not
| been bull-dozed in South Carolina during
the eight years he had been there, and with
a triumphant air, he said that this was not
good place to wind up the bull-dozing
operation. Abiding to the charge that his
| course in the Senate recently is the result
of corrupt bargain, he said that the allega-
ton was untrue, and, not to use harsher
| phrase, it was unkind to make such. He
| did not know of the existence of any holy
or unholy alliances. He had announced
as long ago as last spring that he intended
| to vote for the admission of Butler, and
| that determination was not the result of any
| understanding or unholy alliance; besides
| there was no man in the Senate who could
read him out of the Republican party. He
| has always been consistent, and is now as
| good Republican as anybody present, and
| the Democrats never got any aid or comfort
from him. In this strain he continued fully
half an hour, repeatedly giving testimony
to the high character of General Butler,
| who was present on the floor at the time
| listening intently to Patterson's remarks.
He closed with a promise that he would
have something more to say tomorrow.
Then ConOver delivered a speech from
manuscript, defining and defending his
position, claiming that he is no less Re-
| publican on account of what he is now
| doing than were Edmunds and other
| Republicans who claimed to have voted
| against the admission of Pinchback upon
their conscientious convictions of right and
duty. After further debate, the Senate took
| turn at executive session, Vice President
| Wheeler giving a casting vote to that effect.
| But the Senate, at the close of the execu-
| tive session, refused to adjourn, and re-
sumed the South Carolina debate. The con-
test is, in fact, whether the Democrats shall
obtain control of the Senate. There are
several incidents in their favor just now,
and they are not disposed to relinquish any
morning there was no prospect of closing
the debate.
In the Senate, November 81, some time
elapsed before quorum was present, dur
ing which Mr.. Wadleigh read from book
the testimony taken by the committee Of
the Senate in South Carolina year ago
The resolution of Mr.. Thurman, after vari
Gus remarks, pro and con, was finally passed
by vote of 81 to 20, Messrs. Patterson ant
Conover voting on the side of the Demo
Gratis. The resolution reads " ResolUed
That the Committee on Privileges ant
Elections be discharged from the con
sideration of the credentials o
NJ c: Butler, of South Carolina
Immediately after the announcement of tn,
vote by which the resolution dischargins
the committee was adopted, Mr.. Edmund
objected to the present consideration of th
credentials and under the rule they were
, laid over. Mr.. Edmunds gave notice that
Immediately after the reading of the journal
tomorrow, he would call up the highes
matter of privilege, touching the credential
of Mr.. Kellogs, reported from the Committe
, on Privileges and Elections. The Senat
, then, on motion of Mr.. Thurman, by a vot
of yeas, Is; nays 81, went into executiv
session, and when the doors reopened
the Senate, after continuous ses
D ieia E trra oirr1,t
| until twelve o'clock to-lnorrow........
In the House, several bills wer
introduced and referred. Mr.. Crittendel
asked unanimous consent for the considers
ton of his resolution requesting the Presi
dent to state what legal impediments, ifany
exist that prevent him from executing tn
| laws in relation to the Union Pacific Raj
road and its branches. Mr.. Price objected
: Mr.. Crittenden then moved to suspend tn
| rules and adopt the resolution, this bein
one of the last six days of the session, whe
it is in order at any time to move to sus
r pend the rules. The Chair entertained tn
4 motion, and the question being put, tn
resolution was adopted-129 to Al; two
third in the affirmative. The House the
u | adjourned until Friday.
j. In the Senate, November 2S the Vic
b President decided that this body could pro
ceed to the resolution for the admission G
: Mr. Kellogg as Senator from Louisiana, as
question OF lne ulpHeSu privilege, nOIW1ui
> standing the rule providing that no report
= of committee shall be proceeded with i
r the morning hour unless by unanimous col
sent. Mr.. Thurman appealed from the d.
cision, and it was sustained by vote
,, 80 to %, Mr.. Conover voting with the r,
f publicans, and Mr.. Patterson contra. Th
question then recurring to the resolution,
= vote was taken, which resulted in yeas, 29
nays, 29 The Vice President voted in tn
v affirmative, and the resolution was take
up After long debate following on tn
is right by the Vice-President to vote on th
question of seating a Senator, Mr.. Saulsbur
. submitted substitute for the resolution
g the Committee reciting at length the variou
charges made by Judge Spofford against til
Returning officers in Louisiana, the legalit
e of the Legislature which elected kellogg
It and that Kellogg himself, the Governo
" joined in illegal acts with such Returnin
= officers, and therefore providing for the +,
70 committal of the whole question to the Con
l, mittee on Privileges and Elections, with il
l. structons to said Committee to take test
ia n,.1 lnln i