New-York tribune., 1878-05-14

| may eQam
recess OF Congress by the enlistment of volunteers not
| exceeding $1,000 In number
| Mr. POTTER (Dem.. " " rose and rs q question oi
privilege, presented the following preamble and reson
ton:
Whereas The State OF Maryland has by It's Legislature
formally declared that due effect not given to the
ee@bs S Sy reason Sf f%adGent returns in the
electoral votes from the States 0fflorda ana Lousiaua
| whereas An affidavit by Samuel T. McLin, Chairman
OF the Board OF State CanvasserS OF he state OF fi0rd
FOR Electors of Presdentand yeePresident, has been
made public, alleging false aud fraudulent returns or
votes for such election In that State whereby the choice
OF people of that state annuled and reversed
and that the action of the Board of state Canyassers III
promises of the Hon. Edward f. Noyes, now Minister TO
Whereas Il is alleged that conspiracy existed in the
State OF Louisiana, whereby the Republican vote In an
some precincts OF West Feciana at the general election
| in November, 1876. was purpOsey withheld from the
ng foard OF that state Of the those cincs
fo Electors of President and Vce-President and tnat
! James T.. Anderson, the supervisor OF registration
| of East Feciana, and A. Weber supervisor
IN that state IN therance that conspiracy falsely
protested that the election In such precincts had mol
thereupon falsely and fraudulently excluded the
OF the said precincts and by means thereof ana OF
other false and fraudulent action by the SAID Returning
Board the choice OF the peOpeO that state was annued
and reversed; and thar such action OF tne sau weber
OF the Hon John Sherman Secretary OF the
| Treasury Uf the United states; and ,
Whereas the gravity OF these charges the nature OF
the Evidence upon which they reported be based,
named in connection with the said frauds make proper
that the should be inquired into to the end that
of the Nation may DC yndlcated ana the truth
as to such elections be made known; therefore. -,
BE reSOircd. That select committee, c0nsstngO OF
eleven members Of this House. be appointed TO inquire
INTO the aforesaid allegation aS to the persons III once
aforesaid respect OF the said election and into the al
legged false and fraudulent and return OF votes
by State county parish and precinct officers IN tue said
States of Louisiana and Florida and into all the facts
which, In the Judgment 0l said committee are cohhectcu
with pertinent thereto; and tbat sad com
OutIon shall have power send for persons and papers
to administer Oaths and TO take testimony and III their
discrcton detail sub-cOmmttces, VITA Ike full aIl
hOriiy Of said COMMITTEES IN every particular ana WIN
power 10 sit IN Florida and Louisiana, which sub
committees shall be committees OF this House,
and the charmeu thereof shall bo authorized
to administer Oails; that the sad committee ana SUD
committees may employ senOgraphers and he attended
each by deputy and may sit during
the sessions OF Ills HOuse and during the vacation and
that SAID committee proceed III this inquiry ana nave
leave to report at any time.
REMARKS BY REPUBLICAN LEADERS.
Tho preamble and resolution having been read, Mr..
CONGER nIep Mich.l raised tne question that they did
not present question OF privilege and he also made
the further point that the powers proposed the reso
luton could be given by mere majority vote, but
would require q suspension Of the rules.
Mr.. POTTER tDcm., Y. " said one would suppose If
there was any subject which should be entitled
to preference in this House in respect to the
order OF tho business. II subject brought to It's no
ticc by tn memorial OF q sovereign State touching the
oaic conduct OF high officers OF the Government and
relating to n fraud alleged have occurred changing
the result Of the election Of the highest officers OF TINS
Government.
MIR. CONGER-Has the memorial Of the state OF
Maryland been committed To the gentleman from NcN-
York that he has any possession Of II on winch To
Mr. POTTERI am now speaking only of the question
Of order Later on II have opportunity to say any
thing. shall ue able 10 make answerto the Inquiry
which the gentleman from Michigan has Just put to me-
Now a the question OF order It seems 10 me that 10
state the is t0 aige IT, II for reasons tat appear
an be face of ths resolution tins inquiry IL pryi
.yedt tlpuu
the House Of Representatives ought to give preference
To the consideration any subject subject Of the
MAGNITUDE Of this which the resolution relates
ought certainly 20 have such preference.
Manual that tue resolution did not present question OF
privilege. lie said that II the resolution Iroposed or
dcutia election, then there might he some claim that II
did present question ot yrylcse' nut a,
sion oi opinion u did not prr,cut nv such question
Mr. GARFIELD diep, OmnlIIhe Ientiefimhn rom
ton on the fact that memorial witch IL rectcs IS
memorial sovereign state, aud l. Therefore cnu-
tied 10 u very hi-h place III the CONSIDERATION OF
tnls House. | think that tho gentleman rOm
New-Yurk was unfortunate in planting his ease on
tbat idea. The States Of this Union are repre-
scented by individual members, who are sent here TO
speak and 20 vote for their own states and IN 10 oher
way state Ot tins Union be heard upon
this floor except under the rule which i recent mod
incltiun that on the Monday morning all the JOINT
resolutions state and Territorial Legislatures may be
introduced "a i"T prn',ns ana ielrr,nCGi ,or, obio
dcng o STATE the rsbt OF petition Gs gwen IN the Con-
Mr. GARFIELD--A State has, OF course the tight OF
The sPEAKER-A memorial is n petition aud Is pro
yldcd for the Constitution, wherein u Is stated that
Congtess shall make NO laws abrdsing the right Of the
people to petition to the Government or redress oI
Mr GARFIELD-The Speakers reference to the night
Of petit0n - entirely unnecessary ihat question was
discussed this very Maryland resolution, and every
body here erancd ihe perfect aud gnquestioned right
floor IL quite different thing. and the question
of whether II rises 20 the dignity of privileged question
depends upon the hight OF action which somebody can
demand 0f tho House. This is question Of privilege
without doubt, provided the mover OF It alleges that
II a
peachmcnt. II he says that this ia proceeding
Intended 10 pave the way to an impcachment then
doubtless 1t may be question OF privilege II he says
that il s proposition by tho House 10 raise and deter
the qucsiiOn OF title OF the rrJscut Chic Magistrate
office which TIE holds then ] answer that that
question has been determined Dy the ION. voice O inc
Of tins House IT, again. the object OF the resolution is
merely to organize cOmmittc for campaign purposes,
10 make campaign literature for the Autumn,
then the eXgenccs Of u political party have never
Furthermore there is m this resolution nnd reserve
that point Of order until this shall Oe settled a
In the Neither OF these two propositions be
adopted ny mGflly Hoir, and lh9lG4oh reserve tla'
last after the long tnrei that has been hanging over
the country that these gentlemen, IN the language Oi
Shakes peaTr have left OF their damnabc ana
bc-un y aud now let the play 70 on. tAppause on the
Republican sidc.I
MILLS, OF TEXAS, AGREES WITH GARFIELD.
Afr MILLS (Dcm., Tcx.)-The resolution does not
present question OF privilege. can find no shelter
for 1t under the Constitution, unless under that power
Of the Consultation which gives to the House the right
to originate an impeachment against the President Tor
high and misdemranOrs but In order 10 make
II question Of privilege under that constitutional proyl
sion inc resolution must contain charge against the
President OF sufficient gravity 10 justify the House IN
putting him trial for Impeachment All the frauds al
legged the resolution have been once investigated and
competent body under the Constitution has declared the
urt incumbent OF the Presidency bo diy elected
under the Constitution and the law aud that Is the end
or IT, The power no longer exists in the NINth Con
greso and any attempt on the part OF the ALNh Con-
grcss exercise such power over the Presidential
election usurpatiOn. This Congress has at all
over that question. Whatever power the Constitution
vests either House of Congress such subject has
been exercised by the ALlNth Congress, and
there remains not z shadow Of right the