National Republican., 1877-10-19
F0RTY-FIFTH CONGRESS.
Special Session.
SENATE.

The CHAIR laid before the Senate a communi.
cation from the Secretary Of the Navy transmitting
the receipts and expenditures of the Navy Depart.
ment from 1850 to IS76 Ordered to he printed and
referred to tie Committee on Naval Anairs
Petitions asking for increased pay Of letter car
ricrs were presented by McsSrs. tOSKLiSG. DAVIS
Of West Virginia, CAMERON, kEnNAN, DAVIS Of
Illinois BooTH HoAR EATOS and Others, all Of
which were referred to tho Committee on Post
Offices and Post Roads.
Mr.. RANDOLPH presented petition from the
Chamber Of Commerce Of Newark. n. J asking for
/ n repeal of the bankrupt law. Referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary.
THE DISTRICT JUDICIARY.
Mr.. BAYARD introduced y hill to rcorganize the
judiciary nf the District Of Columbia and for cN
pcditng Justice in the courts of the District
Mr.. BANARD said this bill came from the BAR
Association of the District, and was framed meet
the wants and necessities Of better and more
speedy dspcuSatinn Of Justice. Referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary.
Mr. CHRTSTtANtS introduced n hill to enlarge
the jurisdiction Of the Court Of Claims. and for
other purposes, Referred to the Committee OH the
Mr.. INGAILs introduced hill to authorize the
President to restore George W Smith to his former
rank in the nrmy. Referred to the Committee on
Military Affairs.
Mr.. MERRiMoN introduced bill prescribing the
| form Of the OathS Of office Referred to the Com
mittec on the Judiciary. -.,-
committees of Congress. same reference.
TREASURY ACCOUNTS.
| Mr.. DAVIS Of W. Va. introduced q resolution
setting forth that discrepancies and alterations
continue to exist in tho financial statements made
| by Treasury officials therefore
Rcsorcri. That n committee of Ave Senators he np-
pointed to investigate the whole subject, examine
The books &C., of the Treasury. and report by bill
Mr. DAVIS said he introduced It to-day so that
Senators might have notice Of tho matter, and he
would consent that II lie over for the present. He
believed that the same state of affairs existed at
tho Treasury Department ns he had shown two
years agD. and the same system Of alterations aud
| IISrrpnnupIps Il hpluv urngtipp1 TODAY md he
| thought the matter should be investigated. Reso.
| luton ordered printed and lie on the table
| Mr.. INGALLS, introduced bill to carry into
effect the treaty made with the Ossawattomie ln-
dans OF Kansas. Referred to Committee on Indian
| Affairs.
THE LOUISIANA sENAToRsHIr.
| The CHAIR laid before the Senate the unfinished
business being the resolution to swear In H. NJ
SpOilhrd as senator from Louisiana, the pending
question being the substitute offered by Mr. Nit.
CHTL IN refer the credentials to the Committee on
Privileges aud Elections, on which the ayes and
noes were ordered
MIR. EDMu NDS said he would like to have the
Senator from Ohio tMr. THrRNASl explain Just
what the particular status Of this case was so that
they might vote undcrsandingly.
| Mr.. THURMAN said he Thought the Senator
from Vermont was perfectly well acquainted with
all the facts and circumstances Of this cnse, with.
out any further explanation. but he would give his
understanding Of the position. He then gave a
brief history Of the changes Of affairs In Louisiana
and the election of Mr., Spoford, aud claimed thnt
he was elected by the only true and legal Icgisa.
mrc and his credentials bore the signature Of the
only recognized power in that state,
Mr. EDMI'NDS said that last spring the Crcdcn.
tials Of Mr. Kellogg came before the Senate, and
were referred to thcCnmmittce IN Privileges and
Elections Now they were called upon to set those
credentials aside MS though they hNdncver received
them; as though they had never existed. Last
spring the credentials were all right now they
were called on tn say that they were Nll wrong.
Mr.. MITCHELL gave n recital Of the crrum
stances under which the credentials were received
and referred to the Committee on Privileges and
Elections and read from the record to show that
the G 9m m S odT M ,bn mr' r
credentials Of Mr.. Kellogg were oil right appear
ing to have all the requisites of proper aud legal
, Mr. BKYARD said he he did not care to discuss
this question to any length lio thought II was
evident to everybody that facts and points have be-
come cryStnllized In Louisiana In the past six
months that took away whatever claim Mr.. kel
loEg might have possessed when his crcdcniihl:
count N Of the changes that had occurred in til,
status Of political affairs In Louisiana. and said
they were called upon to act Just asthough Mr.
Kellogg dead and his case removed cntircl,
from the Senate. Whatever right he may havt
possessed at the time the case first came here h'
subsequent events In the state of louisiana
4 Mr.. Spohord had been legally elected, and hi
. credcntals had been properly presented. He dis
claimed any disposition to act in this case with
4 view of increasing the power Of the party will
! which he acted on this floor and said he woult
not give the weight of his finger TO hasten tho IN
that was changing the power IN this chamber, viz
the great wane Of popular opinion, against whicl
! patent to prevent than was the broom of Mrs
5 PGrtingtOn in sweeping back the ocean.
I Mr. HOWE advocated the reference, and CAV
Q his reasons therefor In q brief speech.
I Mr. CHRIsTIANCY said he should vote for It
reference on the same ground that he voted for tn
reference Of the credentials of Mr., kellogg las
f spring and he thought every Senator should do s.
. II they wished to be consistent
/ The question wns then taken on the amendment
and resulted as follows: yeas 20, nays MA strIC
party vote. Mr.. DAvrs Of ILL.,. voting with the Dem
OCrats; Mr. WISDON being paired with Mr.. JOHN
sToS, and Mr.. MORTON and Mr.. SHARON being al
! sent
mCRRYISG Up THE COMMITTEE.
{ Mr. WHITE offered an amendment that tn
! committee shall report on this case by November
: 1877, and on the amendment he asked the yeas an
Mr. MITCHELL thought, as a member Of tina
committee, that the time designated was too shor
to do Justice tn the case and make up report.
It Mr.. WADI ETGiI also thought the time was alto
@ gcthcr too short 10 examine all the testimony an
e Mr.. EBMrSDS hoped the amendment would b
l. withdrawn for he believed Il equivalent to cer
,. sure ofthc committee, and his experience durln
o t,mG wns too short and that such instruction WI
e Mr.. THTRMAN contended that thcr = v rs time 9
e all the facts were before them and they wei
\. bound 10 take judicial knowledge Of the oven
= that had taken place. He said Louisiana had ha
only S9S9 for Ss gSs few ha, they
n not have any senator on this aoor
10 Mr.. THURMAN. Well that was an interruptiO
~ entirely uncnllcd for but the Senator from We
If mont has had M opportunity to remedy that stat
70 Of affairs He then alluded to the election and n
q lection Of pinchback and others and the pa
taken on those questions by the Senator froi
Ia Vermont A gOod.natured cOloquy took place b
(. tween MesSrs EnMUSDI and THURMAN, duriu
N which Mr.. THURMAN said there was ample time
n, investigate all the fhCts connected with the case,
as that was what they wanted TO find out but II thc
x was some other object IN view iftheTe was dRl
9 ger Of collision with some outside party fore
is running upon the same track with them. then the
,e may not be time during this session or during Il
~ next four years.
= Mr. EDNtCNDS asked what was meant by Il
AT alusiOn tn collision.
nj Mr. THURMAN said he would not undertake
al explain To any one who was so capable of unlC
in standing question or a statement us was the Sc
q atOr from Vermont.
ii Mr.. EDMUNDS said that side Of the Senate Char
n, Der were not In amy fear and We're not drcadii
ii any collision. lie again asked Mr.. WHYTE to wit
,r draw the amendment
n. Mr.. WIIYTE dsclRimcd any intention OF. Ce
m sure or disrcspect to the committee, and said Il
,n amendment was simply a resolution Of instruCtil
al to u committee. which was quite usual.
n. Mr.. WADLEIGII insisted that the time was 4
n. short and he was not willing to have the comm
~ tee rest under the implied cunsurc Of this amen
nj mcnt
, n. Mr.. SALISBURY, as member Of the cOmmlttC
,r said he dil not consider the amendment ns N
Il rrusure upon the committee ut all. lie Claim
al that all the facts Were before the committee al
al not much timc was required.