The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1877-12-07

scene enacted M The senate Chamber to-
day which has never before been witnessed
IN the American Congress The occasion
was the contest for party supremacy IN the
senate. The central feature MAS the apoSiacy
81 TWO Republican senators .....Thc cir
cum-tanccs which led 20 the crisis to-day
can BE- briefly told. The Democrats since
the Presidential election have been plotting
10 secure The control OF the United states
senate. They had M The beginning ~ the
session bur a few votes ~ overcome. Df
these, death took One--that ~ Morton.
leader who has been sadly missed IN the eN-
ciiemen, ~ The last two day.. Blaine was
stricken w illness sharon was Joined ~
his money idols, and could not leave, no
matter l.vr much his country or patriotism
might a,mand. His friends Say h. Il try
ing "a save III great fortune from the wreck
lsal-ton made.
80 Il came about from various causc- thai
yesterday gain by the Democrats ~ htH
one Republican vote would have tied the
Senate. and gain 81 two would have given
the Democrats one majority. To gain these
two votes WAS their object..... plans 20
compass this end We're far-rcaching and
very subtle. In South Carolina the HamP-
ton Government. having Attained possession
OF the Courts, prosecutions were begun
against persons who had acted with the Re-
publican party. aud senator Patterson, the
only remaining Republican senator from
that state, was chosen a. mark. Infor-
tcrson's South Carolina life which left 10
open Ia attack. lie l. indicted, application
l. pending IN the Courts ~ this District for
his rendition 10 south Carolina. and II l. note
worthy that the persons having charge Of
this application appear 20 havcycry intimate
relations with the managers Of the contested
Democratic ease from that State Once
surrendered to the South Carolina authori-
ties, the precedcnfs in the cases Of ~malls
and Others seem TO leave little chance 10
Patterson 20 escape the Peni;cntiary. But
the friends ~ Gen. NJ. e.. Butler are said 10
hc ahl. "a stand between Patterson and the
state Prison. When the session opened to-
day, therefore. Patterson. a. one ~ his fell
l0w-Senat0rS said. seemed 10 have been
standing between hell on the one side and
the Pcmltenilarv upon the other. The Dem
ocrntic caucus had made II apparent thar
the Democrats relied upon two votes 70 aid
them IN their schemes. The second ~ these
votes wa- that ~ tonoycr. The Democratic
plan wa- ~ move 70 discharge the Elections
Committee IN the caSe ~ Butler, and 70
swear The latter in. This with the aid ~
TWO Republican votes. they expected 10
accomplish. That done. and having the
vote N Butler 10 aid them. they intended
10 move 70 seat EnStis. Of Louisiana. That
done, with the additional vote gained and
the two Republicans. the Democrats might
have s,a.ed >poilnru. and the control 81 the
senate would have been theirs.
The Democrats commenced this caucus
programme yesterday hy moving 10 dis
charge the Elections Committee from fur
Their consideration " the Butler case But
the Republicans. advised Of their plans, beat
them hy parliamentary management
successfully Yesterday, and forced an adj
tournament, motion being pending 10 table
the motion To discharge the Committee 81
the Butler ease. The Republicans had
hoped ~ be able ~ puf aside the Butlcrca case
by presenting the Kellogg case H. the sen
nj
Elections Committee were skillfn enough 70
prevent any final action In committee beyond
tho determination 20 close the Louisiana
case.
4 DO YOU intend 70 take possession ~ the
Senate to-day. Mr.. >enator" was question
asked 81 senator Thurman a. be was pro-
cecding ~ the Capitol this morning.
4 hope .o," was the reply. 'sThc Dem
ccrats ~ the Committee ought TO BE- able 70
prevent any voting In the Kellogg ease. a.
there j. 40 previous question IN Commit
tee
Thi~ was the situation when the senate
opened This morning. The senators were
promptly IN their places. The. Democratic
Senators we're evidently confident. although
there was shade " unrest upon Thnrman'-
face. The majority ~ the Republicans seem
ed 10 be impressed with the fact that the
destiny ~ their party domination was hang
ing IN the balance, aud that ~ the various
kinds 81 interest which belong % the pres
enf and ~ the past we're collected on one
spot, and in one house. Every step in The
proceedings seemed 20 impress the Repub-
lican leaders with a consciousness III the
increased gravity ~ the situation. The long
galleries were comparatively empty. for IL
lind not become generally known that the
day was 20 he an eyenfful one. There were
two faces among the senators which re~em-
bcd that 81 Cosgrove'S chloe: they were
false and common" The days events
showed whose faces they We're. Gen. M. q. \
Butler was about the Senate Chamber a.
early a. 10 o'clock, and TO accust0m himself
% what he supposed was the new order Of
things was making himself Al home in a
Senator's chair. The day opened by mo-
ton ON the part OF senator Thurman for a
correction 81 the journal. but after an hours
debate, which amounted 10 nothing more
than 10 gain time, the motion was with
drawn. The motion of Thurman enabled
Cunkling 70 notify any Republicans
They were resting under the SUBSECTION OF
their colleagues. Conkling did this In the l
commanding, copious, ~onorous eloquencc I
Of which he l. master. Turning alternately ,
towards the seats 81 the two Senators who
were about 70 bciray their party trusts and
10 impcril the very existence Of that party \
itself, Conkling said there had been riimors
and whispers ~ an alliance, holy or unholy, \
by means 81 which the Republican majority I
IN the senate was 10 be transferred "a the /
Democracy, and the motion OF yesterday \
had been made that the Senate might know
both who the allies were and how many. /
Conkling turned his glance Of scorn full |
upon Conoyer. A. II 10 burn him with II. I
The latter sat in his accustomed seat. un-
concerned, cam and mpassiye. Patterson |
In his scat had troubled look, as II he could |
only see before him the prison-docr on the
one side and national oblivion on the other. |
For future reputation he seemed 10 have
only 10 choose between that OF jail-bird
and that OF a Judas. lie turned away from
the pages, even. with pctulant air. The
chamber soon became too warm also for
Conovcr. Conklng's whitening insinuafions
had THAR cffas.f and hrfore the ela..,lpnf