Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-01-17
FORTY.FOUKTH CONGRESS.
Second Session.
SENATE.

Patterson presented lengthy petition of d. H.
Chamberlain, k. IL. Gresves, +. L.. Cordoza r.
Is. Elliott, Jno. Talcott, and others of South
Carolina and said he would not ask to have il
read, but moved that it be printed in the Record
Alcorn objected TO anything being printed in
| the Record without being read IN the Senate
Ordered printed in Record.
Sherman, from finance committee reported
back the House bill authorizing the coming of
the standard silver dollar and restoring the legal
tender character, without recommendation.
Bill amending the Pacific railroad acts was
postponed till next Tuesday.
Resolution recognizing Chamberlain as the law
ful governor of South Carolina by the federal
government, referred to election committee.
Message Of the President relative to troops in
Petersburg taken up. Johnston made a long
speech.
In reporting the silver dollar bill to-day, sher-
man said the Senate having extended the time for
| the silver commission to submit its report the
committee did not deem it advisable to pass this
bill now. He gave notice that while the bill
should be considered he would submit a substi-
tue for it, authorizing the coinage of silver dol.
lars of the weight of 4l2 IL grains standard sill
yer, said dollar to be legal tender to the same
extent and for the same purposes as ~. S. notes
1t was ordered that the substitute be printed.
The resolution submitted by Mr.. Wthers was
agreed 10.
The Senate removed the consideration of the
report OF the committee rules revising the rules
for the government of the government of the
Senase, which were agreed to in the committee
of the whole and reported to the Senate. Pend
| ing discussion the Senate adjourned.
House.
Bill authorizing appointment of a comm issiop
to attend the International convention to INQUIRE
into the relative value of gold and silver laid on
the table, l25 to l04.
The House Judiciary comm ittee decided to rec
ommend that members of the Louisiana returning
board be brought before the House for contempt
In refusing to show their documents.
The House adopted q resolution to permit the
committee on privileges and duties Of the House
to send for papers and persons, and to sit during
the session Of the House, by vote Of las yeas to
20 nays.
Mr.. Lynde of Wis, from the judiciary commit
! tee, made report from that committee relative
| to the refusal of Messrs. Wells, Anderson Casa
nave and kenner the members of the Louisiana
returning board, to produce before the commit
| tee on the election in Louisiana certain papers
demanded by said committee. The report con-
clades with resolution directing the Sergeant
alarms to take into custody and bring before
| the bar of the House, the above named gentle
man.
Mr.. Frye of Maine, member of the judiciary
committee, said that when that report was agreed
| to in the committee, there was no republican
members OF the committee present.
For his part he regarded the doctrine enupcat-
ed IN 1t as monstrous one. Under it there was
no sovereignty anywhere in the country that was
not subject to be called before a committee Of the
house, and compelled to produce its original rec
ord.
lie held, on the contrary, that congress had no
more TO do with the returning board of the state
nf Louisiana than he as an individual had. He
held that the returning board having been legally
constituted by the authority of the constitution of
the l nited States, and proceeded with its dates
under the law of Louisiana, having made its re-
turns and these returns having been authorized
| by law, the house was precluded from going be-
| hind them. The only authority that the house
| had was the general condition of the country the
public veal, TO inquire whether or not there was
such state of things there that congress ought
| to take notice of.
| On that question he should at once admit that
| there was such condition of things there as re-
quired Congressional Intervention, if Congress had
| a right to interfere to prevent murder, outrage,
| and every other barbarism. lie believed there
| was now and had been for the last eight years q
deep, determined and absolute purpose not to per-
init to certain citizens of Louis the exercise of
| right OF suffrage, and he believed those citizens
were prevented from the exercise of that right bv
| murder, by blows, by every conceivable outrage.
| lie believed that in some things States were su-
preme, and in some the United Statos was SUI
| preme. lie believed Congress had no more au
thorlty to take these original papers and records
and to bring them out from under the jurisdiction
of the State of Louisiana to the city of Washing
ton, than the authorities of Louisiana had to take
papers of the nited States and carry them to the
city OF New Orleans. For States rights there had
| been one war, and was II possible that the man
| who went into the war for States rights had been
| so far converted by defeat as to be ready to say
| to day that Congressional Committee could take
and carry away the archives of a State, of State
count, or of State Returning Board.
1t seemed that nothing was sacred from the
democratic investigating committee. Even to-
| day committee of the house was committing the
indecency of demanding from a national commit.
| tee ITS whole manner of conducting a national
campaign, its whole correspondence, all its tee-
grams, all It's money collection &c. He was hap
Ply to say as a member of that committee that he
had adv ised the putting in of everything, letters
| kilograms, &e., for he knew perfectly well thai
there was nothing in them which would indicate
fraud in Louisiana, Florida or South Carolina.
lie knew that the committee believed the repub.
lcaDs had carried those three states honestly and
| fairly, and that they would be counted for Ruth,
erford Is. Hayes, unless the democrats of those
| states and Of the United States should steal by
| fraud the votes of these states. (Contemptuou.
| laughter on the democratic side and in the gallery ,
| He hoped the galleries would not help the demo
cratic side of the house in this debate.
| Mr. Lawrence Of Ohio proceeded to argue agains,
the resolution.
| Mr. Garfield spoke on the question, and in re-
spose to the suggestion about interfering with the
state authorities of Oregon, expressed hope that
| If there was no right to inquire into that fraud
without violating the constitution of Oregon, Mr.
| Tilden would be counted in. (Ironical laughter
| on the democratic side.)
| The previous question was then seconded and
| the resolution went over until tomorrow
The speaker laid before the house a communi
| cation from Z. w. Barnes the recusant witness,
| who stated that the answer he made in his last
appearance before the bar of the house, was made
| in good faith. He asked to be permitted to make
| an attempt to obtain the messages
The communication was referred to the judic-
| larry committee.