Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-05-14

the dignity Of a privileged question depends upon
the right of action which somebody can demand
of the House. This is question of privilege,
without doubt, provided the mover Of il alleges
that be purposes to follow it up q matter of i'm
Peachment. If he says this is a pr oceedng To-
tended to pave the way to an impeachment, then
doubtless 1t may be question of privilege. Khe
says this is proposition by the House to raise
and determine the question of the title Of the
present chef Mag istrate 10 the office which be
holds, then answer that the question which has
peen determined by the joint voice Of the two
Houses OF Congress, is beyond the reach Of this
House. II, again, the object of the resolution 10
merely to organize a committee for campaign
purposes TO make campaign literature for the
isll) then the exigencies OF political patty have
never yet ilsen to the dignity of the question of
privilege. Furthermore, there is in this resolu-
tlon (and reserve that point of order until this
one snail ne settled) proposition that the COM
mittee shall have right to sit in the recess. Nei-
Their Of those two propositions can be adopted by
a majnrty vote, and therefore reserve that point
OF order until an opportunity shall arise. | am
glad at least, after the long thread that has been
hanging over the country, that these gentlemen.
IN the language of Shakespeare, have "ieft off
their damnable face and begun" and now let the
play 90 on.
applause on the republican side)
MIR. Mills argued that the resolution did not
present question OF privilege. lie could find
no shelter ioT 1t under the constitution, unless
under that power of tie constitution which gave
to the house the right to originate an mpeach-
ment against the ptesteut for high crimes and
mlsdemeanor, but in order to make it a question
OF privilege under that constitutional PROVISION
the resolution must contain charge against the
president OF sufficient gravity to justify the house
IN putting HIM on tral for impeachment. He said
all the isnds alleged IN the resolution had been
once Investigated. and that a competent body un-
der the constitution bad declared the present in-
cumbent of the presidency duly elected under the
constitution ana the law, and that was the end OF
1t. The power no longer existed 10 the 45th con-
gres-, aud any ATTEMPT on the part OF the 4Jth
congress TO exercise such power over the presi-
DENTAL eltciion WAS usufpation. This congress
had no power at all over that question. What
ever power the constitution vested in either house
oil congress on such subject, bad been exercised
by the 4fh congress. There remained not q
shadow OF right on the part of this congress to
exercise such power The only power which this
house bad over the president the power to
impt 2ch him for sosle crime and misdeme amor
which he himself had committed, but not for
frauds which others bad committed in bringing
him INTO the presidency. Ii this house had the
power to investigate the ques tion as to how Mr..
hayes obtained the p esidency, 1t also had the
right to investigate the means by which james X.
FOLK had obtained the presidency 10 his time. and
1t might also go back TO the days of George Wash
ington and bring the facts of his election before
the people. He repeated that any attempt on the
part OF this house TO investigate and undo what
bad been done by the 4ith congress in declaring
who was president, was nothing short of usurpa-
ton. applause on the republican side of the
housed
The House by lis yeas to 10 nays, laid upon
the table the appeal taken from the decision of
tue speaker that the Florida investigating resolu
ton Is presented as a question of privilege.
Inc vote was party one, with the exception
of Mitchell of Pennsy wanna, Butler of Massa-
chusetts and Fort OF Illinois, VINO voted with the
democrats Mills of Texas and Buchanan of Mis-
SCUM voted with the republicans.
Adjourned.