The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1877-02-15
IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE.


Graphic Description OF the -ccnr when the
tamProa,tsr nili Was Presented.
It cannot hc said that the plan Il the
committee was received very tayor,hly
hN the members uf either house, writes
u IrihUu, Washington correspondent.
Almost every one had ideas ut his own
which he desired a. have adopted, aud
the passage ot this bill supersedrs the
pet plan ul procedure which a majority
Of the members hoped to see agreed 60.
At least such is the plain outlook now.
The men who dcuuuucr IL most strmgY
DO not say that they anticipate Its de-
feat, and DO not even propose "a make an
open fight against IT, They usually
end their criticisms hy saying that they
suppose the final adoption of the com
promise Is inevitable
Nothing MAS thought of or talked
about NJ the capitol except the report Of
the electoral committee Although the
outlines Of the hill agreed to were gen
orally known, there was an anxiety and
ragenIess manifested not only 10y the
senators and representatives but by hun
drcds ui people who gathered 40 the
capitol early IN the day 10 hear the text
Of the measure read and to learn how il
would bc received.
The report Was presented to the Sen
ate hy Mr.. Edmuuls just rs soon as the
committee adjourned their meeting, being
apparently for the purpose Of carefully
examining the printed copy ut the bill
agreed upon. The news that the report
WAS IN spread rapidly through the lob
bles and coat at-roums and thc vacant
chairs iu the chamber were speedily tillrd,
Perfect silence prevailed and the closest
attention WAS given the reading. Every
body recognized the gravity and import
ancc Of the occasion The members of
the committee had look 81 serious sat
isfactiOn-all except Mr. Morton, who
appeared % he in al humor. Mr.. Couk-
ling uvpuuslv washed hls hands with
invisible soap and water Mr.. Ed
muuds sat with fingers iuterluckei acroSs
his vest. twirliug his thumbs, Mr..
Bayaui took his pen and made AN occA-
sional note, Mr. Thurman wore an Inn
passive and judicial look Mr. Ere
lmghuyscu WIS more than usually Dig
uihed. Not senator left his seat until
the blll and report had been read. The
excited interest IA the subject WIS shown
at the moment the secretary announced
the title Of the report in manner al-
most unprecedented iu the Senate. A
score uf vgicas demanded Read,
read. Evidently the report was written
by Mr.. Elmuuds for when the secrr-
tary stumbled oucs or twice over the
manuscript, Mr. Elmuuds prompted
HIM. Besides. It's language and logic
an characteristic.
When the report had been read
through, the secretary said Signed
by the member, al the committee,
.' Read the names" insisted NJ least
score Of senators IN one breath. They
were read, and then Il WAS found that
Mr. MurtoN's uaIae WAS not there. or
the fourteen members oi the joint com-
mittcc, every one hal signed it except
the Indiana senator. Al ewes were
turned toward him. but he offered no
minority report and said nothing. A
buzz of relief from the suppressed ox-
element that had prevailed nan through
tie galleries. Mr.. Sargent, who came in
after the biil had been READ, insisted On a
second reading.
Mr Morton stated o. one 81 the House
members NJ the committee that. although
h should not sign the report, he should
probably sly nothing IN the Senate 20
oppose the passage os the hill. He took
strong groun Is last session against the
constitutional powers ot Congress 70
throw the settlement uf disputed qucs-
tiuns growing out Of a Presidential elcc-
ton into the supreme court or into any
tribunal outside Of the two houses.