The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1877-01-31

he reassembling Of the two committees
senator Edmunds announced that the
senate committee was unable to agree
10 the house propositions in reference to
the composition of the commission, or to
The evidence to 20 before 1t. or to the
power of it, lie stated that his commit
tee had concurred with some minor prop
ositions (which are not necessary here TO
be Defined.
The senate committee proceeded to
make counter proposition in regard to
the judicial part Of the commission, sug-
costing that it should consist OF the four
senior justices-Cliflord, Swayne. Miller
and Davis--these four TO select a fifth. A
long dialogue, which abounded in wit
and delightful bons mots, ensued con-
corning the bias, ''if any," that these
justices might be supposed to have. The
states where they reside, their family
histories, there personal lives and predi-
Lotions. and especially their political
opinions, were subjected to an inquiry
which formed one of the most amusing
episodes in the history of the joint COM
mittee's deliberations. The courtesy
with which this and all the discussions OF
the committee were conducted was mani
tested never more funnily than by the
use OF the before mentioned words, "if
any, which were almost invariably ap-
pended to a derogatory personal allusion.
These words appear numerously in the
bill and the report, and they were EN-
ployed so frequently at the meeting now
described that Senator COnkling made a
sortie against them. which provoked
peals OF laughter. In the midst OF the
merriment member OF the house COM
mittee intimated to the senator's that the
words might properly be applied'to the
tail end of the bill itself, concluding the
sentence, "The committee shall have
power to employ such persons as may be
necessary tor the transaction of its bust
ness and the execution of its powers"
with the words, "if any
In response to the senate proposition.
which was acceded to by the Republicans
of the house committee, the house Dem
ocrats asked for time until the following
morning. Consent was reluctantly given,
as the whole committee were DESTROYS to
reach a conclusion.
Again at ten o'clock Tuesday morning
the two committees assembled separately,
and at eleven met In joint convention. At
the separate meeting of the house COM
mittee 1t was voted to reject the last
proposition of the senator's in reference
to the judges and to make a counter
proposition Oh behalf of the house. As
the Republicans Of the committee still
adhered to the ground taken by the SEN
ators the proposition was OF course that
OF the Democratic majority. 1t was as
foll0ws:-
To appoint the two senior Justices
Clifford and Swayne-they to choose two
other justices, each to name one, and the
four to name a fifth.
At the meeting OF the joint committee
this plan was submitted and the senate
asked time to consider it. The house
committee thereupOn retired.
ENDEAvORS TO AGREE.
Now ensued the most important meet.
ing held bv the senate committee. Sen
ator Conkling was especially concilia
tory toward the Democrats of the com
mlttee, and urged that it continue its la.
bors during the day, and the evening, II
necessary, until an agreement should be
had. The differences seemed so slight
that 1t would, IN his opinion, be very I'M
fortunate ii the committee should be un.
able to reconcile them. Still, neither
this appeal nor the efforts of other sena.
tors Immediately sufficed. After mature
consideration the house proposition was
disagreed to, and the two committees
met together again about four PM. in
the senate judiciary committee room
the usual rendezvous. There Senator
Edmunds explained the inconvenience,
and the committees Immediately sepa.
rateu until SIX o CLOCK.
At that hour Senator Edmunds an.
nounced to the house committee that
Senator Conkling had submitted propo-
sition which the senators had agreed to
To take the following four justices, Cliff
ford, Strong, Miller and Field, aud allow
them to choose the fifth.
Senator COnkling urged this plan as the
fairest which could be adopted. Senator
Edmunds pointed out the geographical
significance of 1t, abiding to the fact that.
In tho first place, none OF the justices
named live in the states where either of
the disputed candidates voted for as
president or vice-president reside and
next, to the fact that their abodes are
widely separated. Clifford lives In Maine.
Strong in Pennsylvania, Miller In Iowa
and Field in California. Senator Bayard
earnestly appealed to the joint committee
to adopt the new proposition, insisting
upon its complete and absolute fair
ness.
At last, as the hour was late. il was
decided to grant the house Democrats the
rest Of the night tor reflection.
wednesday morning the clouds cleared
away. The house committee, assembling
early IN Its room, adopted almost imme.
diateiy resolution to the effect that the
SENATE proposition in reference TO the
Judges should no ao,an,oa =,