National Republican., 1878-05-24
house or REpFEsEyrarIrEs.

adjourned.
HOUSE or REpEES ENTITITES.
Mr.. GARFIELD called up the report made
by the Committee on Rules some days ago TO
so amend rule 1l2 as to require that all bills
originating on the Senate appropriatng
money, land or property Of the United States,
and all amendments made to House bill not
gcrmanc TO the same, shall first be considered
In Committee of the Whole.
Tho amendment was opposed by Mcssrs.
MILLS, PHILIPS, CoSGER, and Others on the
ground that It was an attempt to amend the
rules at the close of the session, and for some
particular purpose. They believed 1t was in
tended to effect adversely the River and
Harhor bill, and the Texas Pacific Railroad
bill,whilc 1t was intended to help reports from
the Committee Of Ways and Means.
On the other hand, it was argued that the
new rule was an aid to lcgislation.s
After adiscussion Of over an hour, tho whole
subject was laid Oh the table.
Mr.. SINGLETON, from tho Committee on
Printing, reported back the bill to reduce the
expenses Of the public printing and binding.
Referred to Committee OF the Whole.
Mr.. ROBERTSON rose to question of per-
sonal privilege, and said he found in n Wash
inRton paper of May 90 publication which
charges gross frauds upon the citizens of East
and West Fcliciana, aud IL these charges were
true the right to his scat on the floor was
affected.
Mr.. BAKER Gnd.) made the point that this
was not question of personal privilege.
The SPEAKER pro ten. could not decide un-
ill he had heard the gentleman further.
Mr.. ROBERTSON said lie found the charges
against the people of East and West Fclciana
in a letter signed by John Sherman, and he
asked that the portion Of the letter referred to
be read
The Clerk proceeded to read that portion of
the letter in which gross frauds were charged
In the parishes named, when the reading Of the
whole letter was asked for; but the Speaker
decided that the gentleman from. Louisiana
could have read such portions Of the letter as
he pleased.
Mr.. BURCHARD said that the letter read
did not involve question of personal privi-
lego.
The SPEAKER said the gentleman claimed
that it affected his riGhts as a member, and he
would therefore hear the gentleman.
Mr.. BURCHARD would appeal from that
decision. There were 2I2 members on this
floor and il one member could claim as per-
sonal privilege 10 repel attacks made upon his
district, any other member could do so. There
was no question here affecting the right Of the
individual member.
Mr.. HALE said the whole subject to which
the gentleman referred, and other matters, had
been sent to Committee Of this House for in
vestigation. The Secretary of the Treasury was
charged by name with being cogniZant of
frauds, aud he simply wrote letter to the
! committee denying his guilt and affirming his
innocence. IIo makes no charge against any
one. All he asks is a hearing, and If the gem
tleman from Louisiana could make this the
basis of question of personal privilege any
one else could do So and the result would be
the opening up of an intcrminable debate.
The SPEAKER said the gentleman had sent
MP and had read paper charging that two
parishes Of his district were carried by fraud.
He could not claim q question Of privilege un-
less he connected himself in some way with
frauds.
NJ. ROBERTSON said he was connected with
the frauds, if any existed, because the charge
was made against every one in the parishes,
without excepting any one on account of poll
tics, age, race, sex, or previous condition. lie
was connected because the people of these
parishes helped to elect him. If the state
mcnts in Shcrmau's letter are true he had no
right to be here. But he denied the charge.
lie then went on to argue that all frauds were
oil the Republican side. aud were pcrpetratcd
under the lead of J. +. Anderson.
The SPEAKER thought the gentleman was
going beyond the limits of personal explana-
tiOn.
Mr. BURCHARD said he supposed II was In
order for the gentleman to connect himselfwith
the frauds.
Mr.. ROBERTSON said he was connected be-
cause he was charged and he denied the frauds.
The frauds were perpctratCd by Republicans
who absentcd themselves from the polls for
purpose, just as Republicans week ago re-
Trained from voting, although they were
present.
The SPEAKER ruled that the gentleman
was not in order.
The House then went into Committee of
bc Whole mn tlp Iil Mr. in
the chair.
The pending proposition was upon the mo-
tion OF Mr.. THROCKMARTEN to limit the army
to 25,000 men.
Mcssrs HARRISON and CLARK opposed
the amendment, and Messrs. LAPStAN, HIN
DERsoN, WHITE, pa, and WILLIAMS (Mich,),
advocated it.
Mr.. ELLIS in opposing the amendment said
he did so because the army had been used for
political purposes in the States, and said if
increased it would be found distributed in
Congressional Districts to carry the elections.
Mr.. BANKS wanted to know in what dis
tricts.
Mr.. ELLIS replied in three in Mississippi,
two in South Carolina, and two in Louisiana.
Mr.. BANKS. Where docs the gentleman get
his information?
Mr.. ELLIS would not tell the gentleman
just now but he will hear of il, and in such
tones that when he does lie will think an
'h'lhiuahS hNo biNh'h uIIl lAluSH-
Ter
Mr.. cox IN. " moved an amendment to
make the strength Of the army 1900. Re-
jectCd.
Mr.. DIBRELL moved to make it $4,000.
Rejected.
Mr.. THROCKMORToN's amendment was then
adopted by n vote of lCG to O3 on Il division,
and vote Of ll5 to lO7 by telcrs
Mr.. FOSTER then moved to strike out all
OF the bill after the clause fixing the number
of enlisted men at 25,OuU, and insert what is
practically the twelfth section of the bill pro-
posing commission to report upon the sub.
ject of army reorganization.
The point OF OIdcr WAS made that the amend
mcnt was not gvrlHanc, and the further point
that 1t could not be made now, rs all the sec.
tions following could not be so summurily dis.
posed Of.
Mr. FOSTER explained that If the amend,
ment was adopted he could then move to nc.
commit the bIIl and the committee could per-
feet its detail, on the basis OF 25,OOO ucn
This amendment and that just adopted would
be IN the nature Ol an instruction tO the com.
mttCc,
Mr. WOOD said reCommittal would oh.
struct legislation and would prolomg the ses.
sion.
After discussion the Chair ruled the amend,
f,ut al uIIrI tsiist, ,,us nat