Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-12-21

The Row In the Executive session.
lIrbune's Washington Correspondent.
The occasion wasa discussion Of the nom
nation Of Mr.. Wade to be collector Of Inter
nal Revenue in Georgia.
Senator Gordon, in an earnest speech,
had opposed the confirmation. Senator
Thurman took the floor to enter his protest
against the course the Senate was pursuing
with regard to nominations to Office.
Senator Gordon was about to speak again,
when there came from the Republican side
of the Senate cries of go on, go on with
the calendar let's have vote" The
words ego on came from several Senators,
among them Messrs Hamlin, Mitchell
and Conkling. This greatly excited the
quick tempered Senator from Georgia, and
he cried ont in an impatient tone, 1.-The
Senator from New York il issuing his or
ders he is ordering the Chair
Mr.. Conkling excitedly asked the Senator
from Georgia to repeat his words.
Mr.. Gordon then said again that the
Senator from New York wa not in the
chair, but was issuing his orders.
Mr.. Conklibg, then in a fever of excite
ment, said in a loud voice ''lf the Senator
from Georgia says that issued orders to
the Chair, he says what is not true " and,
with increased anger, be continued, land
lest the Senator may misunderstood me,
will repeat that if he says issued orders
to the Chair he says what is not true"
General Gordon at once sprang to his
feet and, trembling with anger, said, This
question, sir, can he settled outside this
chamber
At this point Mr.. Conkling was quite as
excited as his opponent; and taking a step
toward Senator Gordon, who was on the op-
posite side of the chamber, he replied in a
fierce voice. 81 am willing to settle it here
and now and once more | will say to the
Senator from Georgia, that if he says gave
orders to the Chair, he says what is not
true" The words came with such force
and emphasis a. to mako them doubly i'm
pressive.
Both Senators thereupon took their seats,
and the business proceeded for some time
without reference to the personal dispute
which had taken place. A short time before
the adjournment, Mr.. Thurman, in a brief
speech. referred to the controversy, and said
it was unfortunate and should be a subject
of regret. He did not think the Senator
from New York intended to be discourteous
either to the Chair or to Senator Gordon.
He thought Mr.. COnkling merely desired to
90 on with business. and had done as other
Senators frequently did-called for vote
Mr. Hamlin also had some words to say in
the interest Of peace between the two Sena-
tors.
Neither Of the Senators who had engaged
in the personal controversy made any remark
and both kept their seats. Every one pres
ent was urged to say nothing about the
disagreeable circumstances.
BLAINE, GORDON AND HILL.
The debate on the nomination in question
was not of very amicablo character, how
ever, in any light Senators Blaine and Hill
renewed their old battles begun in the House
about two years ago, and some angry words
passed between them. Mr.. Wade, the nom
inee. is a native of Georgia, and Republi-
can. Ills appointment was objected to by
Senators Hill and Gordon. They referred
to letter Mr.. Wade had written to some
one in the North, charging that man had
been taken out and hanged by mob They
said that this is not true, and that man
who would breed strife in this way ought
not to hold Office.
Senator Patterson called the attention OF
the Senator from Georgia to an occurrence in
Augusta two or three years ago, when a
white man had pushed a negro out Of street
car, and the negro had drawn q knife and
killed him. The negro, having subsequently
been taken from the officers by a white mob,
was hanged.
The Georgia Senator admitted the fact,
but said that the people of his State ere as
peaceable and law-abiding as those of the
State of Maine.
This brought Senator Blaine to his feet.
He said he thought the Senator was IN error
There had never been homicide in Maine
that was not followed by the punishment Of
the offender lie said there are so, 900 Re
publicans in Georgia who had not voted in
the late election,
That" said Senator Gordon, g." Is be-
cause they did not want to pay the dollar
poll-tax,"
There was good deal of sharp talk dur
ing the debate. Mr.. Blaine defended him
self He said that the only means people oil
the North have Of learning of the occurrence
Of Southern outrages is by letters; and he
asserted that there never was get an outrage
in the South that did not turn out to b
worse than as it was first reported.
Mr.. Hill deprecated this harsh feeling
against the South, and thought it ought to
stop. 1t is Just such men as Mr.. Wade, he
said, who keep the bad feeling alive.
Senator Blame advised Mr.. Hill to steady
his nerves, and told him that this cry Of
Southern outrages will last as long as the
outrsges last that there will always be
feeling between the North and South until
life and property are as secure in the South
as they are in the North and that the Sena-
tor from Georgia will probably hear a good
deal of talk about it on the floor OF the Senate.
Mr.. Gordon said the Senators from the
sovereign State of Georgia ought to have
something to say in the choice of officers to
be appointed in that State.
Senator Blaine reminded him that he did
not hold those views two days ago, when he
was trying to secure the confirmation of two
New York nominees against the opposition
of the New York Senator.
Senator Gordon replied: at is differ
ent case where both Senators unite in a
recommendation.
Mr.. Blaine inquired if that was to be the
policy of the Georgia Senator, if he would
vote against a nomination in State where
both Senators are opposed to an appoint
ment, but in favor of the nominee where
only one Senator is opposed to him? This
raised great laugh on the Republican side,
but the Senator from Georgia made no reply.
Senators Morrill,, Edmuuds, Hoar, and
other Republicans spoke in favor of the con-
frmation of Mr.. Wade. He was finally
confirmed by strictly party vote. No
Democrats voted for him, and no Republi-
cans voted against him.