The Portland daily press., 1877-03-08
Porty.Fifth C0ngrcss-Extra Session.
SENATE.

WASHINGTON, March Z.
After reading of the Journal, l.. +. Grover.
Senator from Oregon, was about to be sworn
in, when Senator Hamlin, Of Maine, objected,
and the oath was not administered.
The Senate then resumed consideration Of
unfinished business, being the resolution of
Senator Blaine. submitted yesterday, to swear
in w. Pitt Kellogg as United States Senator
from Louisiana, and the substitute therefor
submitted by Senator Bayard. to refer his Gre
dentials to the Committee on Elections.
Mr.. Bayard, who was entitled to the floor,
said. his reasons for moving to refer the creden.
tials of Kellogg to the Committee on Privileges
and Elections were warranted by the unbr oxen
usages of this body, so far as he was informed,
since its organization. The credentials of Kel-
they were signed by Stephen B. Packard, who
was not Governor of Louisiana, either de lure
or de facto. On the contrary, the Senate mus,
take cognizance of the public fact that Francis
T. Nichols was the Governor of the state and
had legal legislature acting in accord with
the state of Louisiana except about an acre up.
on which stood hotel used by Packard as a
state house. He argued that Nichols was the
only Governor of the state to-day and his Ger.
titcate was the only one the Senate of the
United States could justly respect. He re piled
to the argument of MIR. Blaine that the decs.
ion of the Electoral Commission was binding
upon the Senate, and commended that the de.
cision had no force in law to control the action
of the Senate.
mont (EGmunds) did not satisfy himself as q
member of the Electoral Commission of the
legality. competency and constitutionalty OF
the Returning Board.
Mr.. Bayard said the Senator from Vermont
gave as his reason for accepting the Louisian a
Returning Board his want of power to examine
Into its returns and composition. Continuing
his argument he said that the Commission re-
fused to take the testimony which the Senate
was bound to take. The remarks of the SEN
ator from Maine yesterday led him with much
abruptness to challenge the position of the
President of the United States. The new
President seemed to recognize, so at the last
did his predecessor, the true condition of affairs
in Louisiana.
Mr.. Bayard then quoted from the inaugural
address OF President Hayes in regard to South.
ern affairs, and said they were wise words. he
(Bayard) recognized in the distressed condition
| of the country the need of that which the
President had proclaimed in regard to the
! Southern states. The peace of Louisiana was
the peace of all and her destruction was the
destruction of all.
He argued that the recognition of the Pack
ard government and the forcible overthrow oil
the Nichols government would not only shock
the very souls of the people of Louisiana but
would cause thrill in every bosom in this
land. He asked for Louisiana to-day the same
measure of law and justice that he would ask
| for Massachusetts.
Mr.. Bayard again referred to the remarks OF
Mr.. Blaine made yesterday, and said he recog-
nized in them the cry for sectional aggression
ears like bell at midnight and he earnestly
hoped 1t would not be heard by the President
and his constitutional advisers. In conclusion
he deprecated this sectional aggression and
hoped there would be an end to it now.
Mr.. Blaine argued that the same Returning
ROard which tho o1octnpo1 nc ;ss
ana to Hayes and Wheeler returned legisla-
lature Republican in both its branches and s.
b. Packard as Governor The legislature as.
sembled as provided by law and elected VIM.
T. Kellogg q: S. Senator. His election was
legal and valid. lie then referred to the re-
marks of the Senator from Delaware
(Bayard) and to his course on the Elec.
toral Commission, and said that Senator, as a
member of the Commission, never cnce voted
with the majority of the Supreme Court judges
on that Commission, who were considered as
non-partisan.
MI. Bayard-Oh, yes the Senator has not
followed the facts of that case at all.
Mr. Blaine-SO far as the test questions
come, do not know what the little courtesies
aside may have been. On all the test questions
known to the public think the Senator is uni
iormIy on record against the majority of the
judges:
Mr.. Bayard-The Senator has not read the
record and does not seem to know much about
1t.
Mr.. B laine-I except the Cronin case.
think the Senator did drop his partizanship on
the Cronin case.
Continuing his remarks Mr.. Blaine said A:
NOW, ME- PRESIDENT, this is simple question.
1t is simple invitation to this side of the
chamber from the other to abandon the ground
on which the people of the United States have
accepted the election of Hayes and Wheeler.
Yesterday spoke of the back door whispering
and talk in the corridors, and asked if apy
Senator knew there was any sort of an under.
standing. asked then and ask now if there
Is any gentleman on this floor who stands
voucher or sponsor for that understanding.
There has been put in my hands al this mo-
ment telegram which 1 feel authorized to
read; nay, which am requested to read, and l
think 1t may throw some light on the subject
profess to be a plain and blunt man, do moi
want hide and seek on this subject. want po-
sltions to be plainly taken and frankly avowed,
read this telegram not exactly bearing on the
Louisiana question but kindred to it, and it is
possible kindred dispatches are circulating in
new orleans at this moment for the surrender
ana abandonment of that state. The des-
patch is handed me by the gentleman now on
this floor and claiming to be Senator elect
from South Carolina.
The telegram is signed by G. W. Chamber
lain, of South Carolina, and states that ba
(Chamberlain) had letter from STANLEY Mat.
thews and Mr.. Evarts, asking him to Weld his
right for the good of the country, Chamber.
lain answers that if such action is desired he
wants to know it authoritatively. He says he
such responsibility.
ask who has been doing the whispering in
the corridors, and the answer comes from Co
!umbia. Is there any Senator on this floor who
desires to stand as sponsor for that despatch.
Or tor the policy that it covers? Is there any
Senator here who proposes to abandon the rem.
nant that is left of the Republican party be-
tween the Potomac and the Rio Grande. and
that it shall 60 down for the public good. as
Mr.. Stanley Matthews puts it. Being little
OF partisan, differing in that respect from the
Senator from Delaware, am not ready for
Mr.. Stanley Matthews or Mr.. Evarts to saw
that the public requires that the remnant Of
the brave men who have borne the flag and the
brunt of the battle in Southern States against
persecution unparalleled in this country, shall
retire for the public good. loud appla1se.7 /
do not propose it. am here to do battle with
one, in my humble way, who espouses that
policy. lay that gage down for any Senator
who stands sponsor to the suggestions of Mr..
Stanley Matthews or Mr.. Evarts on this cues.
ton, nor am to be dislodged from my position
by quotation from the late President of the
United States, of whom would only speak in
in terms of personal respect because the late
PRESIDENT OF the United States having, like
every one of the rest of us, the right to Change
bis mind and utter his views of public policy,
uAu hoC1 IL tuo ucbpotCu r6au Dy the senator
from Delaware, maintain the same attitn de
which he maintained in the despatch which I
shall now read.
The following despatch was received SUNDAY
evening at headquarters of the Department OF
the Gulf:
WASHINGTON, Jan. II, 1877.
To Gen. c. C, Augar, Neao Orleans, Louisiana
1t has been the policy of the administration
to take no part in the settlement of the cues
ton OF the rightful government in the state of
Louisiana, at least not until the congressional
committees now there have made their report
But 1t is not proper to stand quietly by and see
the state government gradually taken possess
sion OF by one of the claimants for gubernato-
rial honors by illegal means. The Supreme
Court set up by Mr.. Nichols can receive no
more recognition than any other equal humber
of lawyers convened on the call of any other
citizen OF state. A returning board existing
IN accordance with the law, having judicial az
well as ministerial powers over the count of
the votes, and in declaring the result of the
late election has given certificates of election to
the Legislature of the state. A legal quorum
OF each house, holding such certificates, met
and declared Mr.. Packard governor. Should
there be necessity for the recognition of
either it must be Packard. You NAV furnish
q copy of this despatch to Packard and Mich
oils
(SignedD U. S. GRANT.
The President it will be observed. stated the
case in January with the facts all hefora hin,