Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-05-14

Mr.. Reagan, desiring to justify his vote il
support of the resolution, stated that, Will
he agreed with bis colleague Mr.. Millsl tina
a retrial of the Presidential question coul'
not be had by the house, the resolution, il
alleging that great frauds had been perpe
trated, had raised question of the highes
privilege.
Mr.. Conger raised the point of order that
as the resolution gave the committee unusua
powers, as to sit during recess, to report a
any time, and for the chairmen Of the sub
committees to administer oaths, it could no
that, as the resolution provided for an ex
penditure of money, it must be first con
sidered in committee Of the whole.
Mr.. Sayler argued that the committe coult
by a simple majority vote be authorized to ST
during recess, and he quoted in support o
| that view precedence In the case of tn
| famous Gardner investigation. He admitted
| however, that in that case the question haC
| not been raised.
| Mr.. Garfield claimed that his colleague haC
shown no precedent that had any force. He
had never heard it claimed that the PROPOSE
| ton to sit during recess could be adopted by
| mere majority vote.
The speaker ruled that "a to the right oil
| the chairman of the subcommittee to ad
| minister oaths, that WAS a matter to be de
cided by the committee itself; if it was con-
/, trary to law, then it did not matter whether
power was given by two-thirds vote or by
a majority vote.
After argument as to the rule applying to
this case, In which Messrs. Thompson, But
Ter, Sayler and Cox participated, the speaker
overruled the point of order as to the power
of the committee to sit during recess.
The next point discussed was on the right
of the chairman of sub committees to admin
lister oaths.
Mr.. Conger said the statute prescribed who
s-Lk A. III. L. IL.
man of committee, and the rules declared
who should be the chairman-the first named
member of committee, and in his absence
the next in order, and so on. The house
could not, by simple resolution, say differ
emily from the rules, that the chairman of a
subcommittee was the chairman of COM
mittee.
The speaker overruled the point of order
on the ground that if the house should an
thorize the appointment of subcommittee
in the manner provided, the chairman of such
SUBJ committees would have the power, under
the very words of the statute, to administer
oaths. He also overruled the point as to the
expenditure of money.
Mr.. Garfield then made a point of order.
1t requires two thirds vote to give the COM
mittee power to report at any time.
The speaker sustained the point whereupon
MIR. Potter struck out that part of the reso-
luton.
Mr.. Hall asked Mr.. Potter to yield to him
to offer an amendment.
Mr.. Potter SAID he introduced the resolution
at the request of his political associates,
made this morning, gentlemen whose wish
he did not feel at liberty to refuse. The res
olution contemplates nothing but an inquiry
into the facts of the electoral votes in Florida
and Louisiana, and into the participation of
officers of the government in connection with
the alleged frauds there. What can be done
after the inquiry is completed-what ought
to be done. should be determined only after
inquiry is had. Mr.. Potter then moved the
previous question, saying the house could de-
termine by its vote on that motion whether
the matter shall be further debated.
Mr.. Hale said he had an amendment to
offer, which was clearly germane to the reso
luton, and he submitted that, in all fairness
he should be permitted to offer it. He hoped
the gentleman Potterl would not seek here
and now to stife further debate, or to pre-
vent the Republican side of the house from
offering amendments that would make the
investigation more exhaustive and searching.
He therefore asked the gentleman to yield to
him to offer his amendment.
Mr.. Potter will yield to the gentleman
to state the nature of his amendment. 1t
may be that in the form of an amendment he
merely wants to get in a speech.
Mr.. Hale-The better way Is for the gen.
tleman to allow the amendment to be read.
Mr.. Poteer-The gentleman from Maine is
exceedingly familiar with parliamentary law,
and is able to state the nature of his amend
ment, and when he states it then will allow
it to be offered.
Mr.. Hale-Then 1 will read the amend
ment.
Mr.. Potter-I did not ask the gen teman
to do that. l asked him to state what the
nature of his amendment was.
Mr.. Hale-I think 1 may be allowed to say
that this matter has not come up suddenly.
1t was considered for long time by the gen.
tleman and his associates, but it was never
known when it would be sprung upon the
house. Feeling that it was coming, of course,
rs a party measure, l consulted with the
speaker and received from him the assurance
and am glad to say that In these matters
the speaker is always ready to give the mi
the house should be represented In this mat
ter, and should have the opportunity of pre-
senting its propositions. All that will come
from the gentleman 8 yielding to my courte-
GUS request that my amendment may
come up in his is an opportunity to
vote upon it. He and his associates
may vote it"down if they will, and we will
then vote upon the resolution. He will see,
however, that my amendment is germane to
the resolution, is in the direction of an inves-
tigation, and that so far from narrowing the
investigation or sitting it in the least degree,
1T sends to this committee, appointed for the
purpose, subject matters only connected with
the subject matter of the original resolution,
and that it departs not one iota from the
great subject matter of Investigation-the al
legged frauds attendant upon the Presidential
election in 1876. ask him now, as he seeks
a full investigation, that he do not here, by
the power which he has of managing this res
olution, throttle the right Of this side of the
house to offer an amendment.
The Speaker-The chair desires to state In
corroboration of the gentlemen from Maine
lHalel, that the chair did state this: That if
the gentleman from Maine desired to submit
an amendment, he would be recognized by
the chair for that purpose, provided the gen
tleman who was In charge of the proposed
resolution gave hun the opportunity to offer
it. Then the gentleman from Maine asked
whether the amendment, being germane to
the subject matter, was not as much ques
ton OF privilege as the original resolution it.
self, and the chair told him that if the amend
ment was competent as question of privi-
lege, the chair would give him the privilege
of offering the proposition In his own right.
Mr.. Hale-I admit clearly that the respon-
sibility is not with the chair, but with the
gentleman [Potterl representing the majority
on the other side. Ny amendment is here
holding it in his hand and l desire to
offer it.
Mr.. Potter-I accept all the responsibility
that belongs to me as to the question of de-
termining whether the amendment shall
come in. | don't yield to allow the amend
ment to come in. The final responsibility,
however, does not rest upon me, but upon the
house of representatives, which may refuse
to second the previous question; but the gen
tleman has made no answer to my request as
to what his amendment relates to, any more
than that he says it relates to the general SUBJ
Ject of the alleged Presidential frauds.
Mr.. Hale-Will the gentleman let the
amendment be read, then he will understand
what it is. l will send 1t to the clerks desk
[Shouts of mo, no. from the Democratic
side.
Mr.. Potter-The gentleman from Maine
can answer, if he chooses, and if he refuses
to answer and insists on giving me an answer
on quire of foolscap, then l say it is not
such an appeal to my courtesy as | ought to
yield to, and for aught l know, it may refer
to other States than the States of Florida and
Louisiana.
Mr., Hale-rhen the gentleman seems to
limit his investigation to selected States, and
will not allow it to go outside. Is that the