Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1877-10-15
FORTI-FIFTH CONGRESS.
MONDAY, October IS.

tie opehibs OF the sIeclal session OF The 43lh
Congress.
At II m. precisely Vice-President Wheeler
came in, and with a single thud OF the malIst
sllenced the um of the throng, and the chap
lam, Rev. byron Sunderland, offered an
opening prayer. With very few exceptions
all the Senators were in their seats when the
body was called 10 order.
The chaplain alluded feelingly to the ill
nea ni Senator Morton and the death OF Sen
The PROCLAMATION of the President calling
the special session was read
MI Hamlln offered an order which was
adopted, that until further ordered the hour
OF met ting shall be at l. m. daily.
MI Thurman presented the Credentials o.
Hon. Stanley Matthews a. Senator from
ono, TO I'LL the uneNpired term OF Senator
sherman.
Mr.. Wallace presented the credentials OF ].
Dora Camf ron a. Senator from PennSylva-
La LA, 10 MI the unexPired term OF Senator
Simon Cameron.
MIR COckrell presented the credentials Of
David ii. Armstrong, Of Missouri. 10 an the
uneXpired term caused by the death Of SeuA-
tor BOgy.
The Credentials were all received and the
gentlemen came forward 10 the Vice Presi-
dents desk and took the oath of Office.
Mr. Anthony offered a resolution, VIII ich
was adopted, that committee OF two be APP
pointed 10 join similar committee Of the
House TO wait upon the President and fn-
form him that the Senate was in session aud
ready To receive any communication he
might choose TO make.
Bayard.
Mr.. EdmundS offered a resolution tina, the
standing and other committees of the Senate
be revived and continued until further or
uefed by the Senate. He said that there We're
several vacancies on the committees, hut
they could be filled whenever the Senate
chose 10 order II. II they were revive and
continued as they now existed the wSrg OF
the session could go on until changes were
ordered and vacancies filled.
AT the suggestion of Nj. Thurman the res
Nra Ia hpxra
Mr.. Whyte moved that the Senate take a
recess Till two O'Clock, to allow the commit
Tee TO wait upon the President TO perform
that duty and report TO the Senate.
Mr. Conkling suggested that as the COM
mittee could not act till the House had or
gained, and as that might consume much
time, and nothing could be accomplished to-
day, that Mr.. Whyte modify his notion into
one OF adjournment.
No objection being made on motion of Mr.
Cor king the Senate, al l2:22 p m, adj Dlrned
TIL TO morrow al l. m.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AT
precisely II O'Clock Mr.. George NJ. Adams,
Clerk OF the House in the 4ith Con gress
called the House to order, and said ''Ol the
5'h day of May last the President OF fhe
Unite States issued the following procla-
nation"
he then read the Presidents proclamation
converting Congress in extra session and said:
1.-The time thus designated by the proclama-
ton having arrived, the Clerk of the last
House will call the roll as prescribed by law"
The roll was then called by states, COM
meRcing 18th the state of Maine, the men,
bers responding Here" as their names were
called.
WHEN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA WAS
CALLED,
Mr.. Adams said in reference TO the state OF
Louisiana, the Clerk would, If there was no
objection, make a statement. There were
three sets OF credentials from Louisiana, one
signed by John McEnery, aud dated Decem-
Der 20, lsi6, declaring cerSain persons elected
from the lst, 4th and 6th districts, but silent
In respect TO the others. Inasmuch as McEa-
cry was never de facto Governor or eXercis 81
the functions OF the office, il was not deemed
necessary to make a statement as to the reg
ularity or lrreguiarity of these credentials
Another set OF credentials are signed byWm
Pitt kellogg, as governor OF Louisiana, with
the seal of the state attached, all bearing
different dates, and all of them cached the
hands Of the clerk at different times and
through different channels, declaring per
sons elected from each of the districts OF said
state as Representatives, except the End dis
been issued by said Kellogg in favor of any
body. The law OF Louisiana prescribed the
character OF the credentials by which the
election OF It's Representatives in Congress
shall be authenticated. (Read the law
These credentials signed by Gov. Kellogg
are In no sense compliance with the re.
qulfements of the law OF Louisiana. They
do not even purpOrt 10 be copy OF the Ger
tiflcste OF return required TO be kept. They
are not such papers as the law OF Louisiana
The election OF it's Representatives in Con
gress shall be authenticated and known, and
therefore could not be recognized by the
clerk, whose duty IL il. under the law. TO
place on the roll the names OF those, and only
those, whose credentials are in accordance
with the law OF their respective states or OF
the United States. The other set OF crelen-
tials are signed by Francis p. Nichols as
governor OF Louisiana. and by the secretary
OF state, with the seal OF the state attached.
All OF these credentials reached the hands of
clerk nsuurh f1asa
channel prescribed by law. These crelsn-
tials complying with the law OF louisiana
In every respect, the clerk has accordingly
placed the names Of the persons they give
upon the roll.
FLORIDA
Wben Florida was reached Mr.. Adams
made statement TO the effect that he had
received two sets Of credentials, one signed
by Gov. Stearns, ii December, ls-G. and the
otter by Gov. Drew in January AID Fe5ru-
airy. 1871. He had placed the name OF II. h
VI. Davidson on the roll for the Isl district
for the reason that Gov. S;earns had GER
ti1ed that second canvass for the LIST dis.
trict had shown Mr.. Davidson elected and
The clerk held that by the decision OF the su-
preme court OF Florida Mr.. Davidsoa was
the legal Representatives. In the second dis
trict the second canvass had shown J. J.
Finley elected, but this had been done by
counting the votes in a county that had been
rejected on the first canvass. Tais The SUI
preme court OF Florida had decided could
not be legally done, and he had therefore
placed the name OF Horatio Bisbee, jr, the
republican candidate) on the roll.
WHEN THE STATE OF COLORADO WAS
REACHED,
Mr.. Adams said he had received the creien
tails OF j. w. BelfOrd, signed by Gov. Routt,
and protest signed by Mr.. Patterson. The
clerk was OF the opinion that the laws OF the
United States and of Colorado required an
election TO be held in November. As Mr.
Patterson had presented no proper creden-
tials, he preferred 10 bmit the question 10
Inc House alter its organization, ald had
placed neither name on The roll.
Mr.. Hale said he rose TO a question OF very
nigh privilege, the question OF the right OF n
memser to his seat In the House, and asked
10 have read resolution which he offered.
Mr.. Wood made the point of order that no
motion was in order until the House was or
ganiZed.
The clerk said Mr.. Hale must be aware
that no quorum had as yet been developed.
MI. Hale Inquired how many members had
answered 10 their names, and II there was q
quorum OF the House that had responded.
The clerk said there bad two hundred and
eighty seven members responded-moret than |
a quorum.
Mr.. Wood moved that the House now pro-
coed TO the election of a Speaker and on this
he demanded the previous question.
MI, Hale aSK ed that his resolution ha