The crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1877-1878, 1878-05-23
THE NEWS.
XLVth CONGRESS-.

XLVth CONGRESS.
The session of the Senate on the 18th
was brief and uninteresting. Mr.. Morrill,
presented petition from half dozen me-
chanlcs Of Boston. favoring the repeal OF
just to pay workmen employed by the gov
ernment as much for eight hours work as
other workmen receive for ten hours.
In the House Mr.. Potter. as question
OF privilege, presented the following pream-
BILE and resolutions:
WHEREAS, The State of Maryland has, by its
Legislature, formally declared that due effect was
not given to the electoral votes cast by the States
on the 9th day Of December 1876 by reason of
fraudulent returns in the electoral votes from the
States Of Florida and Louisiana; and
WHEREAS, An affidavit by Samuel d, McLin,
chairman of the board of State canvassers Of
the State of Florida for the election held
In that State in November, 1876 for cleo
tors of President and Vice President, has
lent returns for the votes for such election in that
State, whereby the choice of the people OF that
State was oyerruled, and that the action of the
board OF state canyassers IN making such returns,
was influenced by the conduct and promises OF
of Hon. Edward F. Noyes, now minister to the
government of France; and
WHEREAS, 1t is alleged that a conspiracy exist
ed in the State of Louisiana, whereby the Rcpub.
lican vote In all the precincts of the parish of
Fast Fcliciana, at the general election In No
vember, 1876, was purposely withheld from the
polls to afford pretcxt for exclusion by the re-
turning board Of that State of the vote
cast in these prccnts for the electors of President
and Vicc-President, and that james L. Ander-
son, supervisor Of registration of East Feiciana,
and d. A. Weber, supervisor of registration In the
parish OF West Feliciana, in that State, in fur.
therance OF that conspiracy, and falsely protested
that the election in such precincts had not been
f.G. r.. - L..
thereupon falsely and fraudulently excluded the
votes of the said precincts and by means thereof,
and of other false and fraudulent action by said
returning board, the choice Of the people Of that
State was annuled and reversed, and that such ac.
tion of said Weber and Anderson was induced and
encouraged by the assurances of Hon, Jno: Shcr;;
man, secretary of the the treasury of the United
States; and,
WHEREAS, The gravity of these charges, the na.
ture of the evidence upon which they are reported
of the persons named in connection with the said
frauds, make II proper that the same should be
inquired into to the end that the honor Of the ma
tion may be yindicated, and the truth as to such
elections made known; therefore, be it
ReSOlued, That a select committee, consisting
of II members of this House, be appointed to in.
qure into the aforesaid allegations as TO the con
duct of the persons In office aforesaid in respect
of said election, and into the alleged false and
fraudulent canvass and the return Of the votes by
the State, county, parish and precinct officers IN
said States of Louisiana and Florida, and into all
the facts which in the judgment of said committee
are connected with or pertinent thereto, and that
said committee for the purpose of executing
this resolution, shall have power to send for
persons and papers, to administer the oath, and
to take testimony, and in their discretion to de-
tail subcommittee with like full authority Of
said committee in every particular, and with
power to sit in Florida and Louisiana, which sub
committees shall be the committed OF this House,
and the chairman thereof shall be authorized to
administer the oath; that said committee and
subcommittee may employ stenOgraphers, and
be attended each day by deputy .sergcant.at
arms, and may sit during the sessions OF this
House and during the vacation.
After considerable discussion, tho Speak
er decided that the preamble and resolution
presented question of the highest privi-
lege and must be received. Parliamentary
tactics were brought in play by the Repub-
licans to prevent or delay q vote on the
resolutions, and the House adjourned.
The specie resumption repeal bill was
under discussion In the Senate, on the 14th
but was laid aside for the post office appro-
priatlon bill. After that was laid aside
Senator Plumb, from the committee on mil
itary affairs. reported favorably on the Sem
ate bill, authorizing tho Secretary OF war to
have headstones erected over the graves Of
soldiers who served in the regular or vol
the war for the Union. and who have been
buried in private cemeteries.
In the House the Speaker announced the
regular order to be the previous question
on the resolution for investigating frauds
In the last Presidential election, known as
PoTTER's RESOLUTION.
The Republicans refrained from voting,
thus leaving the House without a quorum as
there were but Ill Democrats present 146
being necessary to make quorum. A
call Of the House was ordered which dis
closed the fact that 245 members were pre-
sent. The question recurred on the Sec
ond demand for the previous question. The
Republicans again resortod to flllibustering
tactics and tEe House was left without
n quorum, the Democrats be-
ing able to muster only 113 votes. Mr..
Wood as a factious missionary, seemed de-
determined to obstruct business, and NOV
ed that tho House adjourn. This motion
was opposed by the Republicans but was
carried. Yeas 1S0, nays 1O4. After which
the clerk gave notice Of the Democratic
caucus to take place Immediately attor.
daughter on the Republican side).
A large number of bills were intro
duced In the Senate on the 18th, but none
OF them OF special interest to our readers.
Mr.. Morgan spoke at length on our mexi-
can relations and the Senate adjourned.
In the House the flllibustering to prevent
a vote on the Potter resolution was con-
tinued. The entire day being taken up by
motions and counter motions. The Demo-
Gratis having less than a quorum present
the Republicans kept them at q disadvant-
age. A call Of the House would be ordered
showing quorum present then vote
would be taken on the resolution, on which
the Republicans would refrain from voting
| thus showing no quorum. After several
hours OF such tactics the House adjourned
and the Republicans held caucus, which
is referred to elsewhere.
The Senate listened to a lengthy ar
gument on the currency question by STAN
| ley Matthews. on the 10th. A bill was re-
ported to provide for the establishment Of
q regular line of amships to Brazil, and
a concurrent resolution was offered to re-
organize the army.
In the House the Pott resolution was
taken up as the regular order, and the DEM
| ocrats refused to give way to allow amend
mento to be offered. or for other business
and the Republicans refused to vote, there
by making. mo quorum" preventive Of
the passage Of the resolution. The Demo-
Gratis lacked six Of q quorum. Alex. Ste-
phens asked permission to speak for three
minutes. but he was denied tho privilege
| The suggestion which Mr.. stephens desired
to make to the House during the proceed.
ings, vas that the demand for the previous
question should be voted down. and that al
amendments proposing to carry out the
proposed investigation In its fullest extent
should be admitted.
The House continued the maneuver,
ing on the Potter resolution on the 18th
amid almost unprecedented confusion
Frequent tilts occurred between members
in one instance resulting in Mr.. Good re.
senting remark from Mr.. Conger anC
threatening to hold him to a personal ac'
count II the remark was repeated. After {
continued display Of parliamentary tactics
the serge ant -at-arms was instructed to use
his authority to bring in absentees. and tht
result was to satisfy tho Democrats, ant
another vote was ordered which resulted
in secondlng the previous question. Tht
passage OF the resolution was then ordered
under the previous question. As the vot,
progressed 1t WAS seen the Republicans
had again resolved to abstain from voting
and therefore the question was decided
without single Republican vote beinl
cast. Two Democrats. Mr.. Mills and Mr.
Morse. voted In the enegative. Mr.. Harrison
~. A.