National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1877-01-17
FORTY-FOURTH CONGRESS.
SECOND SESSION,

| TUESDAY, January 10, 1877.
| The Senate was called to order ut II m. by
President pro fempore FERRY, and prayer was
offered By the chaplain.
/ Bills, petitions, sc. were offered and referred
i as follows: -
| The CHAIR laid before the Senate letter
4 from the Secretary of War, in compliance with
the resolution Of yesterday, transmitting report
| containing all Information In possession of the
Department in relation to the bullst-machine Of
W. H. Ward. Ordered to be printed and lie on
| the table.
Also petition Of S. G. Busey in relation to
catalogue of the National Medical Museum. Or.
dered printed and lie on the table.
| GOVERNOR cHAMBERLAIN's MEMORIAL.
| Mr.. PATTERSON presented the memorial of
| Governor ID. H. Chamberlain and other State
officers of South Carolina, in relation to the
| troubles in that State, and asked that it be
| printed in the Record.
| MI ALCORN objected, on the ground that as
| the Senate was responsible for what appeared in
the Record, they ought therefore to know what
MI. PATTERSON explained that it was me-
mortal very similar to the one sent to the Senate,
| Mr.. ALCoRN. Well, 1 object to its being
Mr.. PATTERSON. Well, demand its read
Mr.. SHERMAN. 1t is generally understood
that when q Senator presents paper Of this
1
| its import, and knows whether there is anything
improper in it, and it seems to me unnecessary to
Mr.. ALCoRN. 1 object to anything being
n the RssSS unless hno" Sas +
| Mr.. ALCORN. Yes, sir; 1 do, decidedly.
The PREs1DENTprote mpore. The memorial
| During the reading, Mr.. THURMAN asked,
on telegraphic request from senator HITCH.
| IN nj N of the Pacific railroad.
| and for other purposes which was made the
special order for to-day. be postponed till one
| week from to-day, till Mr.. HITCHCOCK returns.
After the reading of the memorial had pro-
terrupted the reading, and said it was manifest
| what the import of the memorial was, and 1t
seemed to be useless to have the reading con-
| Mr.. ALCORN said that, having made his
point, he would not insist upon the further read
| Mr.. DAVIS said unless the Senator from South
Carolina would say that he had read the memo
rial, and that there was nothing improper or dis
Sr PA said he had not read it, for
| MI. DAVIS. Well, if the Senator will say that
he believes there is nothing disrespeotful in 1t
| MI. PATTERSON. Oh, yes; will say that
| Governor Chamberlain is q gentleman who would
not send anything untrue or disrespectul here
The memorial was then referred TO the Commit
| mittee on Privileges and Elections.
la4s. nSS6el Of dfssns Of
land between Second street east and Second
| street west and b street south, In washington,
D. G., and add Il to the Capitol grounds. for the
| preme Court and the Congressional Library, and
| that the sum of one and half millions about to
Commission G. Ra be appropriated for that purpose
Referred to the Committee on Public Buildings
and Grounds.
NoN-sEcEssIoNIsT PETITIONS CONGRESS.
Mr.. COOPER presented petition from citizen
OF Tennessee In relation to counting the electoral
| vote. He said that SO far as the loyalty of the
petitioner is concerned 1t was sufficient to say that
see this petitioner voted against secession solely
his town. Referred to the select committee.
ury to pay Mary H. Tolson Is, SEQ for use of her
lands during the late war, was reported from the
e Wsr Gsni ss and FL
nance, reported back the bill authorizing the
coming Of the standard silver dollar and restor-
be placed on the calendar. He said that. mas
much as the Senate did on yesterday extend the
time for the Silver Commission to make its report
for one month the committee did not deem 1t adj
| visable to make any Recommendation about this
bill at the present time but simply desired 1t to
| ordered
He said that when this bill was taken up some
time in the future he would offer substitute for
IL. AS NOulu INV dsA W w PAihecus Nv
) Mr.. SPENCER, from Committee on Mill
| the relief Of CLANCY ]. Poore, which was placed
On NM ire GkaYToN, from same committee, re
ported adversely on bill for relief of Dickson Shi
| nault, and 1t was indefinitely postponed.
Also adversely from same eS%mittse the oill
endar BY request te Of M. CocKREII INC COL
Also, from same committee, favorably on bill
for the relief of John NJ. Shelton. Placed on
Mr.. MORRILL,. from Committee on Finance,
reported fayorably on the bill for the relief OF
John q. Jones, and John H. Stipe, releasing them
from the payment of taxes assessed on the brandy
distilled by them in 1893; which was passed.
Mr.. WHYTE introduced q bill to encourage
and promote telegraphic communication between
| Europe and America. Referred to the Committee
| on Foreign Relations.
THE TURKISH REVOLT.
MI ANTHONY introduced a resolution call
ing upon the President for copies Of the CORE
spondence between this country and Turkey con-
| corning the revolt in the Turkish Provinces.
MIR. PATTERSON introduced a resolution set
| ting forth that the government of Gov. Chamber
lain is the lawful government in South Carolina,
is republican in form, &c. Privileges and Elec-
| tons.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS.
The CHAIR laid before the Senate the uu-
finished business being the bill for the relief of
MT WRIGHT said he had been requested by
Mr.. GORDON, who was interested in this bill, and
who was absent on account Of illness. to ask that
the bill be laid aside temporarily till he should
be present. So ordered.
TROOPS IN PETERSBURG.
| MI. WITHERS called up, as per previous notice,
| the message Of the President in relation to the
occupancy Of Petersburg by troops on election
| that the Committee on the Judiciary be requested
to inquire whether the construction Of the law by
| the President and Attorney General in their in
hale ~
MT WfrHrEs yielded to MI JOHNSTON, who
addressed the Senate upon the occupancy of
rn 81 9b the state Of vns S tine nnd Dry
nounced it unconstitutional and unnecessary,
and as an act of usurpation on the part Of the
He recited the circumstances of such occu-
pancy, set forth the peaceable character of the
citizens and the crime, IS he thought 1t, Of send
ing troops among them for the purpose Of intini-
dation and influencing the election.
Mr.. WlTHERS spoke at some length upon the
the President can unconstitutionally employ the
United states troops to influence our elections
Ifs then the Senate was wasting time in trying
to devise means to count the electoral vote peace
ably. He claimed that there WAS absolutely no
necessity for the action of the President in send
| ing troops to Petersburg. He read several state
| ments and affidavits to show that there was no
| terror or intimidation in the State Of Virginia
during or previous to the late election.
He said the teachings and tastes Of the Presi-
dent were of military character, and he was ac-
| customed to controlling by force, and there was
nOtnlnK IN MS antecouente or his EDUCATION Indt
would prevent him from exercising the power of
the army to the last extreme to carry out his de-
signs. The warmest friends Of the President
| would not deny that he was the most ambitious
occupant of the White House that ever sat there.
| The steps to q dynasty and overthrow Of the
Republic were corruption. fraud aud force. He
would be q bold man who would rise in his place
and say that the first two steps had not been
already taken. Should the third step be taken?
| They were already menaced by troops here in
| the Capital, and they sat as . legislative body
almost surrounded by United States soldiers.
The South had passed through the fires Of af-
Fiction he said, and 1t was not for them to take
much action in this matter. They had lived un-
der very depressing and humiliating circum.
stances during the past ten years, and could still
endure 1t II the Northern people could consent to
such action. These were momentous times and
threatened with disaster and steps should be
| taken to avert 1t.
The question on the passage of the resolution
| was called.
| Mr.. WHYTE suggested that the resolution be
amended. He said the difhculty was in the species
| of legislation that had prevailed In previous
years. There was a clause in the law, he said,
| that might be possibly construed to give the
| President authority for sending troops into a
State at any time. That clause was, that he
/ might do 1t "to keep the peace" He would sug-
| gest that the resolution be amended as to in
clude the inquiry by the Judiciary Committee In
to the proprfety Of allowing those words to re-