Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-11-23
The Sfruggle in the Senate.


I. s. Senate, yesterday, says:
The scene in the Senate to-day was cic o'
i'm posing interest. The S2oatGis Vi cIca sits'
realizing the importance Of The contest "hich
was to ensue, were all in their PlGccS earig-
| The republicans we're reinforced by Judge -
munds. who had jnsl returncd from two days
shooting excursion, and the benefit OF his adto!l
aud skillful tactics WAS very apparent before
the session was ended. The purpose OF the re-
pubcaps had been TO report the Kellogg case
| this morning FROM the COMMITTEE On PnV!iC'
ges and attempt 10 secure acton on u 10 al
vance of the Butler case. This purpose was
| defeated through the tactics OF tao dcul"crallc
| members Of the Committee 90 Privileges a!o
Electiocs, who kept up the dIscus>Ioa 10 TIE
committee unil the hour for the meeting q
the Senate. As soon as thc readDS CT TIC
ouroa was completed Mr.. Thu1naa rose 10
motion to amand IT, The Journal s;a,tl that
the motion made by Mr. HOar to l4y On tie
table was still pending. Mr.. Thurman he'd
that as the motion TO lay on the table had been
Withdrawn to allow Mr.. Bayard tc speak acd
had not been renewed the j)urnal vas 10 error
| 10 representing 1t as pcDdlng.
Senator Conklng Immediately disputed tins
position and maintained that IS he had calico
for the ayes and nays on the motion 1t could
not be Withdrawn. lie thea took the occasion
to refer in sarcastic tcnc ard mauncr 10 ne
whispers 10 the air Of an sisuce, whether iey
or unhoy, by which the majority il the Selatc
was 10 be changed l1on onc SHE 10 HE oticT.
lie said that he waited 10 sc VINO We're the
high contracting parties to this ailarGa, aA1 Is;
this remark fell from him he directed his eyes
from which shown mlugieu rcproacn, d.haLca
aud contempt, at the ITO suspected rcruhi'
cans, C0Doycr and Patterson. lie turthcr
4 L., ,,t.
lex that the democrats, led Ey Mr. Thurman,
we're cpdeavoricg to secure 81 advantage
through 40 supplementary trick. There vas
90 foundation Tor the iDsinuation, but it suited
MIR. Conkling's purpose TO make II.
Senator Bayard gave his understanding VI
the matter, which was thGt as the motion was
| Withdrawn merely to accom- uodate hlm, the
journal was correct ln representing II as now
pending. Mr.. Bayard said that as 4 question
of honor affecting hins@lf he could take no
other view. This remark 1splcased Mr.. fur
map, who construed it as rehsciOn upon him,
and he replied 10 Mr. Bayard with some dis
play of heat II was particularly gratifying TO
the republican side Of the chamber uotcr thc
circumstances TO witness any appearance" u dis
scusinn or i'll feeling am0Hg the dcnnc!aI5, ana
Conkling, EimunGs aud others c"u.d not cOn-
cea their suilrs. The trouble with Judge
Thurman is that with all his admitted great
ability he is not as cool headed as he might be
as leader Of his party 10 the Srua.c.
10 argument he Is powerful, hut 10 CoGt"at
where parliamentary skill is brought Ito ac'lTe
play, aud cool, daring leadership IS required, he
is liable to lose his temper and be provoked: lutO
ndiscrelious which play right Into Tie hands Ui
his oppoucnts. Judge EdmuGd&, who Is
ally matched against him, ha- tic faculty oi
utterrg the most biting sarcasms, Slnglu2 n;
opponcnts with i1nucUdO while at Tie same tlulc
he prssl rves his own cquanmlty under al "a
saults All Of his party associates rccogoze
his ability as a parliamentary Lender, and 10y
their consent he to day assumed charge ri the
Gvht Tor his side Mr.. Corkag very readily
taking position as his lieutenant.
The motion of Mr. Hoar to lay Oh The table
Judge Mcrrimon's motion to discharge the
Committee on Privileges AID Elections from
the further consideration of the Butler Gas" VS.
submitted to the Senate by The Vice President.
As the clerks were calling the roll there Vas
all excitement to watch how Conov:r aad Pat
terson would vote. As their Games were c.lIcd
both responded with very decided Go. The
cote on tho ,otion VIC. thlIty i"r 20 t":T'y I'VE
against, and the Vice President anD Guacai that
it was lost Matters began to lock somewhat
bilious fer the republican side. Messr=. Ell,
consultation, prepared 70 ntia'e series Of d!
atory notices 1t We: c:rtalaIy rather uovcI
spectacle that was COW presented. E3T many
weary years these two Senator's with &C over.
whclni1g msj01ty behind them, haze, with q
naughty aud almost uabosrablc lIs0!cnce, iToi
the minority 10 the very dust 0! humlllat!oO..
Measure upon measure affecting DOT only tn:
rights, the liberties, but lie lives Of millions Vi
the people Of this country have been rushed
through 10 the dark hours Of midnight or ir the
carly dawu 10 violation not oriy OF the rights Of
the minority, but Of all the principles CT r.rila
mcpary law and Ct courtesy. There are dem.
ocratic Senator'S new ca the floor who have been
told almost n so many words by these gclt!e-
men that they were permitted there cry by
suffcranco. Yet here were these TWO leaders,
who but yesterday ianced their hold CT power
10 be perpetual, finding themselves 10 minor.
ity, and will it be believed, actually resortog
to that last refuge of the Observation-Disclosures
ing? Perhaps this was not retrbutlvc justice,
but many will imagine that it was.
Another circumstance almost ~ cXtr"Drdl-
nary was that two desplscd Garnet bacgcr; be-
came all at once the OF Gets OF the greatest ln-
tcrest, and their votes were awaited with hush
ed lips aud bacd breath. Ooe b. G1c Alr. Ed.
1nunds handed in bis motions to delay, Tor 1t
was settled now beyond the doubts Of any ono
that on the square question CT the admission
of Butler, If that could be reached, Con9ver
aod Patterson would vote 10 the affirmative.
Through the efforts Of Mr.. Buffers triends Az
arrangement had been secured whereby MIR.
Patterson was released from attcn dance at c3u:;
30 that all fear On the one hand or hope on the
other at his absence was at rest. lie AID Mr..
Conover ought to have felt aattcred at the &:
tentior which was bestowed upon them. FEss
republican aud then democratic Senator
would approach one or the other ard reason
with him 10 the most atc,i3na and earnest
manner.
MIR. Kellogg, who was cnscorccd in he re-
firing room on the republican side, sent for Sen
ator Conover several times and talked to him
like father. Then Mr.. Butler, who was quite
active 90 the floor, would get hold of Conover
and Patterson 10 turn. and though it was 20
more than psntomiuc to others, 1t was pan.
tomine full of interest, and one that was entire
" co,nprehcndcd At one time Mr. Patterson
was 10 group of which the others were Scna-