The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-11-22

ate will take final action on the bill unit
the regular session.
Almost the entire session OF the House
has been devoted to q dry debate on tht
supplementary-defie bill, which the
Appropriations Committee reported back
minus the appropriation to pay the ex
penses OF the Macyeagh commission to Lou
isiana, which expenses, it is asserted, were
paid by, Secretary Sherman out OF the fund
for the detection and prevention OF crime.
Ben. Butler made it lively for few mo-
ments on the subject OF appropriating
money to pay such commission, but most
OF the work OF the day was routine and dry.
THE COMMITTEE TO REPORT IN FAVOR OF KEEL.
LoGG TO-DAY.
As soon rs the Senate adjourned special
session OF the Committee on Privileges and
Elections was held. The session lasted not
more than fifteen minutes, but in that time
it was resolved by strict party vote 10
close all testimony in the Kelogg-Spof1ord
case forthwith, and notify both contestants
that each would have half an hour to-mor-
row morning to present his case. The CON-
mittee will meet at 10 O'Clock to hear them.
| The object OF this is plain. Republicans
in the Senate are utterly demoralized over
Thurman's motion in the Butler case. They
now propose to report in favor Of Kellogg to-
morrow. Thurman's motion Is the untin-
ished business, and the report from the
committee will take precedence and cut it
out. Hence the discussion will have to go
on on the Kellogg-Spotford case instead of
| that OF Butler. 1t is claimed that Conover
and Patterson, the doubtful senators, have
been seen, and that there are assurances
that they will vote to admit Kellogg. The
latter once in the Senate, they will not be
in so much danger OF the Democrats get
ting the supremacy in that body. II But
| Ter should be admitted first. there would
scarcely be any hope OF seating Kellogg.
RUMoRS OF THE ORGANIZATION OF NEW
=. PARTY.
There have been quiet rumors for day
| or two past that several important confer
ences have recently been held by prominent
politicians with the view of forming new
party organization. The rumor is OF such
vague shape that. there is no way of ascer-
tanning if the proposed new organization is
under Democratic or Republican manage
ment; but it is believed that straight-out
Republicans who oppose Hayes contem-
plate making one final effort to rally the
party and divide the sheep from the goats,
and that in a few days an important political
address to the country will be issued under
several prominent Republican signatures.
ASSOCIATED Press Reports by telegraph TO the Dis
patch.l
THE PRESIDENTS LOUISIANA COMMISSION.
WASHINGTON. November 21.-Thc def
cheney bill that was before the House to-day
| does not contain the item to defray the cN-
pcnscs OF the Presidents Louisiana COM
mission. There was such an item in the
bill as originally reported from the Commit
tee on Appropriations, but subsequently
that bill was withdrawn and recommittcd,
and rs reported back it omitted all reference
to the Louisiana Commission. 1t is surmiscd
that this change OF mind on the part OF the
: committee was caused by desire to avoid
4 text for political discussion that might
he both dilatory and excited.
BILLS SIGNED By THE Observation-Disclosures
OF THE EXECUTIVE SESSION REMOVED. ~
The President has signed the army bill
and navy deficiency bill.
| Secrecy has been removed from the exec
utive session proceedings OF the Senate re-
garding Sante Domingo. 1t is unknown
whether this action is intended to unearth
or to bury the scandal.
The report OF the Commissioner Of Inter
nal Revenue shows q million increase OF
revenue from distilled spirits. Total in.
crease of internal revenue from all sources
one and three eighths million. The pro-
is largely increased, more especially on CT
garettes.
The habedS corpus case OF Senator patter.
son was resumed to-day and the argument
commenced. 1t promises to occupy several
days.
| THE SpOFFORD-KELL0GG CASE.
| The following is an abstract OF briefs il
the Spofford-kellogg case before the Com
mittee on Privileges and Elections:
Judge Shellabarger's brief for Kellogg de-
MES the power of the Senate to question the
award of the Returning Board: admits
that the returns as made by the Commits
sloners OF Elections show that three OF the
Packard senator's and ten OF the represen.
tatives who Joined in electing him, and
were essential to his quorum, were beaten
at the ballot-boX, but claims that they were
beaten by intimidation, and were rightly
counted i'll by the Returning Board; that
| the Sherman and Howe testimony is ample
proof in the case; that the Packard Gov
crnment was the true Government chosen
by the people, and after his election-oyer-
thrown by criminal reyolution-that Long,
OF De Soto, was Democrat who denied his
own election to aid his party.
Judge Spotord reioins that the power OF
the Senate is plenary to determine which
was the real Legislature, and that end to
inquire who the people elected that the
admissions show that enough OF the Pack.
ard Senate and House were defeated to
leave both without quorum every day they
pretended to sit ;>that the seating OF Baker
and kclso was an illegal farce: that kel'
logg's Joint Assembly contained only.sev.
enty elected members, nine less than aquo-
rum; that the Returning Board was with
ont constitutional power to suppress sim
gle poll, as the commissioners returns were
required to go unchanged to the Secretary
OF State; that the destruction OF polls by
taking evidence OF intimidation was :
! judicial act, which the Constitution in
! hibited to the returning officers; that thell
count was illegal and void because they only
looked at the supervisors consolidated state
ments, and did not compile the commission.
ers: returns; that they trampled on their owl
law bv making forbidden inquiries withou
the foundation that law prescribed; thai
Kellogg himself instituted illegal com
plants, and the Board acted on them col
lusiyely and fraudulently; that the Vernon
parish returns were altered by forgery III
order to defeat Smart and elect Brown tt
| TIA unnso. tLat no nthnr acts OF VIOLENCE