National Republican., 1877-03-07
UNITED STATES SENATE.
SPECIAL SESSION.
SENATE.

this morning, and at u o'clock there were few
vacant seats out side Of the members' and dplo.
matte galleries.
At IL o'clock Vice. President WHEELER came 10,
followed by the chaplain. Mr.. WHEELER fingered
at the corner OF tho desk, AMI 10 place of tho
loud thud Of the mallct brought down with so
much viRor by Mr.. FERRY, he gently tapped a
little tattoo on the rail, while the stepped
into the desk and, when quiet was restored, offer.
ed up prayer.
There has becn o general changing OF seats
among Senators. Old Senators have moved up
into more eligible seats vacated iy retiring
Senators, and new Senators have dropped down
into any scat assigned to them.
Amer the reading Of the Journal, the Chair
apologizcd for not being familiar with the order
of business of the Senate, but would trust to
such aid as he might receive as business pro.
gressed.
hr. SHERMAN presented a petition asking
for a pension. and requested that 1t lie on the
table till the committees were appointed.
Mr. CONKLING inquired II legislative busI.
was in order ut this special executive session.
The CHAIR was OF the opinion that II was not
in order.
Mr.. ANTHONY thought petitions might be
received for reference.
Mr.. CoNRLING said that had been done here.
toforc, but he believed 1t was done by special
order, and not under any rule and he believed 1t
was practice not to proceed to legislative bust.
ness
Mr.. THURMAN said he was not certain but
that legislative business could be introduced for
reference, and would rather this matter would
not be discussed now, as thore were Senators to
be sworn in, and that was question Of the high.
| est privilege.
| Mr.. CONKLING said ir o petition was received
for reference and laid the table 1t was then
| ceivcd as much as ever 1t could be, and was be
fore the Senate; and was part of the business
| Mr.. HAMLlN reported from the committee TO
| wait on the President, and said the Presld ent
| had notified the committee that he would p.oba.
| bly, communicate with the Senate in writing to.
| morrow.
| DEBATE oS TIE ADMISSION oP Nh. LAMAR TO
| SEAT AS SENATOR PROM MISSISSIPPI.
! Mr.. WALLACE sent up q reso luton that tho
credentials Of Mr.. LAMAR, Of Mississippi, bo taken
Mr.. ANTHONY moved that the Senate ad.
| journ. The question was put and declared lost,
| MIR. BLAINE hoped the Senate would not ad.
pending. Here was a senator who had Just as
| much right to be sworn In as he himself had.
aueson SSout r. sns Il sSouId aceeye tSe ma
labored Investigation in the Senate, but now, on
his credentials, he should be sworn in.
report Of the Committee on Privileges and Elec-
tiens made on the Mississippi election:
teenth rule, which was read, submitted tho quos-
| tion to the Senate, and II was defeated.
MT. DAW E6 SAID lie could not see any good
| roason why Mr.. LAMAR should not be sworn lr.
| He had come here with proper credentials, and
should be received: rec ely. IT. was a question whether
| one third out when they come here every two
years.
the report offered by Mr. SPENCER was not 10
order any way; that nothing was In order but
the resolution offered by him.
| Mr.. THURMAN said the report had nothing
| to do with a case ofthIs Kind. That here wlis q
senator with al the proper credentials for seat
and he should be sworn in.
| MIR. MORTON said the Senator from Ohio had
lad down a doctrine on which one year ago he
occupied lSs1 the opposite sde m trG% tSS, which
| case was the same, and while he Mr.. MoRToNl
was in favor of PinchbacG, tho Senator from Ohio
| the same kind OF credentials that Mr.. LAMAR
| had, and all the other side of this Chamber,
PnchbSek OUT He would not now now Sea say anytSinr " @
about the legality OF the Gorernorship of Misss.
| lie IMr MoRroS) had not changed his mind or
his opinion about the principle involved but there
| had been an entire revolution In the minds Of
| Senators on the other side of this Chamber on
this question. Mr.. LAMAR was hero with the
| credentials Of the Governor, the same as Pinch
| back.
Mr.. THURMAN said he did not know as the
| Senator from Indiana had changed his mind, but
In his remarks Just made he had shown . weak
ness Of mind that ought to alarm his friends and
| that weakness was loss OF memory. The case
here now was not at all like that OF Pinchback.
has the proper credentials, and this was not such
case as to withhold irsm him the privilege Of
M. MORTON said the Senator from Ohio
| talked about failing faculties, but he tMr. NOR
| ToN) had certainly sadly failed If he had for
gotten that the Senator from Ohio stood on
actly opposite ground in the Pnchback case. The
election In Mississippi was the most shameless
outrage that ever took place. AZ that oecurret
TO that Of Mississippi. That State was an armed
camp, and great Republican majority was over.
that could be devised. But the eases are reversed
nov. IL !: not Pincheaek Who wants to be sworn
~tS certac.te signed BY nsSs recosnIaea tST iSre
ernor, and Mr. Plnehback was elected BY LegIs.
laturo Infinitely more legal than that which
Mr.. BLAINE said he had been here Just long
enough to know what = disadvantage 1t was TO
acts agree with his record, and while the Senator
from Ohio was departing from his record and for.
,li.ns hn tnS me, f%shpack % case ne wanted TO
get his record. He believed that Pinchback
ought to have been seated, and he believed that
Mr. LAMAR ought to be seated; He wanted to
have all the States treated alike, North and
Mr.. MORTON said he had no trouble with his
record, and he would take care Of that. Perhaps
the Senator from Maine would have as much
trouble in taking care of his own record as he
Mr.. MoRToNl would. He again claimed that the
i've cases Of LAMAR and Pinchback were similar.
Mr.. DAWES said he voted against Pin ohback
signed the credentials Of Plnchback as Senator
not single department Of the Government had
recognized GovernOr Kellogg as Governor.
Mr.. SPENCER said he was opposed to having
Mr.. Lamar sworn IN, for the Legislature that
elected him was fraud and usurpation, and as
much Of mob as the Legislature Of Louisiana
| had been alleged to be. He sent up the report VI
the Committee on Privileges and Elections. made
In 1915, known as the Boutwell, report and asked
that II be read as part Of his remarks.
MT SPENCER said that the evidence support
Ing this report covered over 1900 pages Of testi
mony and fully proved the truth Of the testimony
lie did not believe that mob organized as tn,
Mississippi Legislature was competent to max,
prfnd fdcie case, which could justify them IN
would not call for the reading of tho evidence bu
would submit the ease on this report.
Mr.. CHRISTIANCY read portions OF the svl
dence, and said he was member Of the committee
and II was very clearly brought out that the In
timldation and fraud In Mississippi was confined
only to portions Of the State, and that there wer
enough members elected to the Legislature from
portions Of the State whore no intimidation ex
isted to form majority Of the Legislature whicl
elected Mr.. LAMAR.
He said the case was very different in Louis
illegally elected; therefore he did not cOnslde Ell
the cases Of Pinchback and Mr. LAMAR at al
alike.
Mr.. MORTON read portions OF the evidence
and claimed that II there had besn fair electio
there would have been Republican majority I
tho Legislature, and that the resignation Of Gov
|, Ames was brought about by party that put tn
present Lieutenant Governor In the Governor
char, and he II was that signed Mr.. LAMAR
, certificate. This, he said, was somersault No.
on the part Of the Democracy, and when the
would be somersault No. ., but that would be
| haPk w n ri apt - Ia ~ a