The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-05-24

terles. faSbeu.
The morning hour having expired, thI
Senate resumed consideration Of the bill
providing . permanent form Of govern
ment for the District Of Columbia.
Pending discussion, the Senate went
into executive session and soon aftei
adjourned.
RoBERrsoss QUESTION OF PRIyILEoE-.THI
ARMY BILL.
Mr.. Robertson, rising to question o.
personal privilege, stated that chargel
had been made against the citizens Of tbs
parishes Of East and West Feliciana
which, II true, would compel him to re
tire from his seat. He sent to the Clerk:
desk and had read that portion Of Secre.
tary Sherman's letter 10 Clarkson n
Potter, in which be refers 10 the election
in those parishes.
MIR. Burchard raised a point Of order
that nothing contained in that paragraph
reflected on the gentleman from Loui.
siana.
Mr.. Hale stated tha. Secretary sher'
man had been charged personally in the
resolution appointing an investigating
committee and had simply denied his
guilt and affirmed his innocence.
The Speaker pro TEN. ruled that unless
the gentleman from Louisiana could state
that the letter reflected on him be could
not claim the floor on question Of per-
sonal privilege. The Chair could not
however decide before having heard the
gentleman whether he was connected In
any way with the statements made in the
letter.
Mr.. Robertson then proceeded to make
general statement as 10 the election in
Esst and West Feliciana, but was inter.
rupted by the Speaker pro TEN. who re.
minded him that all that was remote
from the question OF personal privilege.
Mr.. Burchard-Unless the gentleman
connects himself with the frauds he
speaks OF. Laughter.
Mr.. Robertson-fd0 connect myself
with those frauds by denouncipg them
and by branding the charge in that letter
as 4 vile calumny. There was conspi-
racy In those parishes, and believe that
John Sherman was connected with It.
The House then went into Committee
Of The Whole on the army appropriation
bill, Mr.. Springer In the chair, the pend
ing amendment being to fx the strength
Of the army at 25.0O0 instead Of 10000
men.
Mr.. Ellis, in opposing the amendment,
said that he had been informed on relia-
bic authority that some twenty districts
| in the South were already marked for
the tread OF the soldier in the next cleo
ton.
Mr.. Banks-What twenty districts are
marked out?
Mr.. Ellis-I can tell the gentleman;
three in Mississippi, two in South Caro-
lima, two in Louisiana, and as TO the bal
ance, I will furnish him with that infor-
nation hereafter.
Mr.. Banks-Where does that informa.
ton come from!
Mr.. Ellis-I will not tell the gentle.
man now, but he will hear shortly, and
when he does hear he will think an earth
quake has broken around his cara
Mr.. Coz, OF New York, offered an
amendment reducing the army to $1,000.
Rejected.
Mr.. Dibrell moved to liz the number
at $4,000. Rejected.
The question then recurred on Mr..
Throckmorton's amendment, increasing
the strength Of the army from 10000, as
provided by the bill, 10 25,000-its pres.
ent force. It was agreed to by 1l6 to
107.
The following Democrats voted with
the solid Republican vote on the afirma.
tive: Cutter, Patterson, Williams. Of
Michigan; Robertson, Of Louisians; Wig
ginton and all the Texas members, ex.
cept Reagan, who voted in the negative.
Mr.. Foster moved to strike out all Of
the bill after the paragraph Just disposed
OF and substitute the provision providing
for Board OF three Major Generals TO
examine and report on organization, the
practical working and efficiency Of the
various branches OF the line and staff OF
the army, and make suggestions TO in.
crease the usefulness or reduce the cost
Of the army.
Points Of order were made against the
amendment, and after a long discussion
the amendment was excluded and the
reading Of the bill was proceeded with BY
clauses for amendment.
The item for pay Of the army was, on
motion Of Mr.. Hewitt, Of New York, in.
creased from 81, 800, 600 to $1,000, 900, to
correspond with the increase Of the force
from 20 900 10 25000 men.
The item for subsistence was also In
creased in the same proportion. Alter
disposing Of 12 pages Of the bill the COM
mittee rose and the House took recess.
The bill was further considered at the
evening session. but without completing
It the House adjourned.