New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-03-16
BLAINE IN THE SENATE.
An Exciting Incident.

An hACltAuh AuClubuls
The comments elected in the leading
papers of the country by the first effort of
Senator Blaine on the floor of the Senate
are varied and interesting, showing the
different standpoints from which his re-
marks are viewed.
The correspondent of the Democratic
Cincinnati Enquirer says:
Blaine threw down the gauntlet in the
Senate Chamber, and served notice on
Hayes that he would not be allowed to
carry out the Southern policy indicated in
his inaugural, 80 as to ignore the claims of
the men who made him President. The Op-
pOrtunity was the question of swearing in
Kellogg from Louisiana. Blaine, without
waiting for Conkling to get over his sulks-
throwing aside the m0ck-mOdesty he as.
sumed last session, and striking out as of
yOre, impetuous and impudent-seized the
opportunity, and at one stroke warned
Hayes of the split that would follow any in
dieation of an intention to JOhnsonize, and
notified the Senate that he proposed to lead
there, as in the House. 81 do not intend to
speak for the administration, ;" he said; 'tbut
l do say most positively that if the admins
tration recognizes the Nichols government
in Louisiana it will proclaim to the world
that President Hayes, and you, sir pointing
to Vice President Wheelerl, hold your high
offices by bold usurpation." The unexpect-
edness and vigor OF the attack fairly took
away the breath of old Senators accustomed
to prolixity and prosiness, and brought
every man to instant and earnest attention.
Wheeler, hastily calling Hoar to preside,
fled his seat. COnkling was startled from
his customary imperturbabilitY for the mo-
ment, but soon turned his back on Blaine,
and sat an attentive listener as Blaine vent
-. ,noL Nha
lature which elected Kellogg was counted
by the same Returning Board which
counted Louisiana for Hayes and Wheeler,
and inasmueh as the oOnstitutiOnality of
the acts of that Returning Board had been
confirmed by the Electoral Commission,
Hayes could not repudiate its count OF the
State vote without repudiating his own
title to office and that of Wheeler. Blaine
got off his second affirmation "of bold
usurpation, sir" with even more JUNCTION
than at first and again waved his hand at
the Vice Presidents desk, whereaG HOar,
its occupant, blushed like a maiden, and
the galleries roared. Ihe stimulus OF
gallery applause melted Blaine to attempt
his customary House tactics, and he pro-
ceeded to ''bulldoze" the Democratic side
by declaring that they, having fathered the
| electoral bill, could not repudiate its action
by voting against Kellogg.
The writer in the Chicago Times, an
other Democratic paper, gives the follow
ing vivid account of the speech of Blaine:
Pitt Kellogg's case demanded instant at
/ tention. He had come before the Senate
yesterday and was condemned to wait
while on the very point of taking the oath.
/ His case by every law of right and justice
should come now and before that of any
/ other claimant. He was by this time
/ thoroughly warmed up to his work. His
| ewes flashed forth their 0ld-time IRE. His
/ fexile mouth twitched in cOnvulsive NAL
| formation. His body was all in motion.
/ Head erect, arms akimbo, he was the same
| dauntless, fiery champion that brought the
blood to the very hnger-tips Of the House
/ last winter, and filed the country with the
i echoes of his prOwess. Such fire, such fury,
/ such bravado, such irrational yaporings
/ are UNUSUAL in the Senate, and the deco
| rOus old chaps who have sat here for years
and rarely raised their voices above an or
/ binary conversational tone listened in I'M
concealed amazement to the outbreak. But
Blaine meant that his audience should
i hear something to wonder at as
| well as see. 'If Pitt Kellogg" said
he, running at full trot toward
Conkling, all the interpreting seats having
been vacated by Hamlin, Howe and Ferry,
off Pitt Kellogg has no title on this floor,
then Rutherford b. Hayes has no title to
the seat he holds, for the same agencies that
made Hayes President made Kellogg Sna-
tori "Does the gentleman mean said
Thurman, dryly, shat the electoral vote
and the vote for the Legislature was Of the
same piece ~ Blaine, confused for mo
ment, came back with hnimpaired impu
denee. "NO, do not, bat II the Returning
Board was good enough to count the cleo
toral vote should like 70 know If It wa
not good enough to count in Packard anc
nivs Kellogg bis title" "lf the gentleman
FROM Maine wants my opinion said Thur
mar, rising Ia his seat end hourishing BIZ
historic bsndanas II viii tell aim that