New-York tribune., 1877-03-07
OPPOSITION IN THE SENATE.
THE DEBATE ON SOUTHERN sENATORs-HR. BLAINE
DEFENDS PACKARD AND COMES OUT AGAINST
PRESIDENT HAYEsS POLICY.

DEFENDS PACKARD AND COMES OUT AGAINST
PRESIDENT HAYEs's POLICY.
lDY TELEGRAPH TRIBUSE.l
WASHINGTON, March 6.-There is rough weather
ahead for the new Administration if the indications
of to-day prove trustworthy. breeze arose over
the Louisiana question i'll the Senate which now
threatens to increase to fierce gale of opposition.
and TO force the President if he would keep true to
the course marked out in his inaugural to encounter
strong clements of antagonsm in his own party.
The most popular of the Republican leaders planted
himself squarely upon the ground That honor and
good faith require the party TO uphold the Packard
Government and in manner so positive and az
gressve that its significance could not he mSunde-
STOOD he declared that there was no authority in the
land that could be permitted TO compromise that
honor.
Thcssession opened with brisk cross currents of
debate over the admission of Mr. Lamar of Mlssis-
sppi, who not allowed to take the oath yester-
day because of objections made by Mr.. Spencer.
Mr.. Wallace, as chairman of the Democratic caucus,
introduced a resolution that he be at once sworn ill.,
Mr.. Anthony, to gain time for caucnsing, moved an
adjournment but the motion failed by a vote of
80 Nays TO IS Yeas. Mr.. Blaine insisted that, as
Mr.. Lamar's certificate regular and uncontested
he had the same right 10 take his seat the prima
facie case as any Senator who came in yesterday.
Mr.. Spencer demanded the reading of the Mississippi
Report of 1879, but point of order rnled it out.
Mr.. Dawes aud Mr.. Thurman supported NJ. Blaines
position and Mr.. Spencer weakly striving to make
head against such antagonists seemed like boy
sent to do a mans work. There was
man behind him, however, for Mr.. Morton
soon took the floor and ngeniously opened the con-
test by comparing Mr. Lamars to that Of Finch
back. He sought to put Mr., Thurman III an attitude
of inconsistency for proposing to admit the one after
having voted two years ago to exclude the other.
The two veteran debaerS took hold of each other on
the issue of inconsistency, each trying to show that
his antagonist had shifted ground since the contro-
versy over Mr.. pnchback. Mr.. Morton skiliiully
avoided committing himself, however, on the valid
ily Of Mr.. Lamars claim for admission, but he set
forth in such a forcibc way ali the horrors of the
campaign of violence and blood which gave the
Democrats control of Mississippi in 1879 and elected
the Legislature which chose Mr.. Lamar that it
looked as if he intended to vote TO keep him out
Perhaps he was only testing lis Republican
associates, to learn how many would follow hln II
lie finally determined to make direct attack on the
Mississippi Senator. If this were his purpose, he
took the right way TO accomplish it, for by stirring
up the debate he found that nearly the whole body
Of the Republicans prepared to vote with the
Democrats for Mr.. Lamars speedy admission. Only
Mr.. WaGlegh made speech against 1t, and he was
apparently deceived into thinking that in doing so
he was following the lead Of the party chief under
whose banner he habitualiy serves. Mr.. Spencer,
who can make no speech, forced the Senate to pre-
tend to listen for an hour and half TO the Mssls-
sippi Report, which he had the Clerk read
a part of his remarks. biessrs. Chr;stancy Ne
MILAN and Howe all maintained the perfect valid
ty of Mir. Lamars prima facie title; and Mr Blaine
made forclble speech, begging Mr. Morton not to get
wrong at the moment when Mr. Thurman was get
ting right and insisting that Southern and Northern
States should be treated alike. lie said that he had
seen enough of the SangradO policy; when blood
letting and warm water were resored to, that sort
of treatment had 10 be kept up This enigmatcal
remark was solved by all listeners meaning that
Mr. Blaine intended to support the new Southern
policy, but the sequel showed that they were en-
tirey mistaken. Mr. Morton brlsling up at the ref
erence to him, said that lie would take care of his
own record, and would not perhaps have as much
trouble in doing so as the Senator from Maine i'll
taking care of his.
At the close of the debate Mr. Morton, having
tested the ground of opposition to Mr.. Lamar and
found that 10 force could be rallied upon it, fell back
leaving Mr.. Spencer and Mr. Wadcigh stuck II Tie
mire. Then he announced that his purpose had been
to call attention to the change of position the Dem
ocrats had made. The roll was called and there
were only two votes against admitting Mr.. Lamar.
He had listened to the debate throughout, sitting
by Gen. Gordon and now came forward and took
the modified oath.
This furry over, the admission of Mr.. Lamar inter
estinQ and significant rs it appeared at the time
speedily forgotten when real battle opened which
bid fair 10 divide the Republican Senator'S into two
warning factions Mr. Blaine introduced simple
resolution for administering the oath 10 Mr. Kellogg,
and refused to yield to allow Mr. Bayard to have
the case of Mr.. Morgan of Alabama, which would
evidently lead TO no controversy, determined hrst.
He put Mr.. Kellogg Oil the same plane As Messrs. La
mar and Morgan and insisted that all three presented
themselves with an equal prma facie right, each
being certified to by Governor and Legislature rec
ognized as valid by all departments Of the United
States Government. He then launched out upon
vigorous defense of the Packard Government, speak
ing in confident and aggressive manner, which re-
called his former exploits of dashing leadership i'll
the House. Standing with arms akimbo as if pro-
yoking attack, he declared that no Senator who
voted to accept the electoral vote of Louisiana
permitted to doubt that Packard was by right the
Governor; there might be some sort of reasoning
that would make ont that Packard with 200 votes
more than the electors was not elected while they
were but he did not expect ever to understand 1t;
if he stood alone, he should maintain that the
honor faith and credit of the Republican party
binds it to uphold the acts of the Returning Board
if il was a good board TO count in the electoIs was
it not good board to count in the Legislature
which declared Mr. Packard Governor This q1es-
ton was addressed TO Mr.. Thurman who answered
cruty that he thought the Returning Board good Tor
nothing except to be hung. "Yes" retorted Blame,
that is what your Democratic friends think ought
to be done with the Electoral Commission" only
with a majority of them" replied Dir. thurman.
.r.a,b Mr. Rlaine turued toward Mr..