The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-12-17
CONGRESSIONAL.
LIVELY DEBATE IN THE SENATE.
Blaine Again Vents WIs spite on ths
-DispIAed Attitude Oi the
southern senators.

south -DisbiAed Attitude oi the
southern senators.
WASHINGTON, Dec. lG After prnyer by tho
chaplain aud tho reading of the journal Mr..
Davis. OF Illinois. pro 9ntei preamble md
tion Of the Northwest relative to n more
speedy communication with Mexico. Referred
to he Committee on Commerce.
Mr.. Whyte presented memorial from rner
chants in Baltimore. asking an appropriation
for the restoration Of the mnrine light In Chee-
apeake bay. Referred to the Committee on
Commerce
Petitions etc. were presented by Senators
Butler, Herman. Morgan, Oglesby. Terry, Wad-
lelgh Mitchell, Oonover Matthew's, Plumb and
Mr Ogesby. in presenting resoln'lons rela-
tive to trade and communication with Mextco,
asked that some attention might be given totho
subject before the adjournment for tho ho1-
days, ms the committee proposing to visit
Mexico, with which Congreas was desired to co.
operate. will leave Chicago about the hrst oil
Mr.. ConkIing introduced n memorial and
resolution from the Elrnra Academy OF Medi-
cine asking Legislation to provide for printing
an extensive catalogue Of books and journals In
tho office Of the Surgeon General.
Bills were introduced by Senators Oonover,
Grover Bailey, Coke. Dawes. Mofrill and
Senator Beck introduced the following reso
luton.
Resoired That the SECRETARY OF tho Treasury
be directed and required to appear before the
Senate on Wednesday next, to state what reason,
II any ha has for failing to answer tho Senate
resolution of December g. rela' i've to the use of
yer for the pay Of duties. etc. and recited the
resolution which has heretofore been printed.
Mr. Morrill, thought the Secretary had not
had sufficient time to answer the call ~ the
senate He had no objection TO hear the views
Of the Secretary on this subject In person II he
so desired to communicates them. lle thought,
however TINT this wHs rather an unusual
method of obtaining Information from the OK
ecuivs departments.
NJ u, rpH tnuu m thc
| Reeretary but his object was to obtain informa,
tion at nm earl date, and he thought u wenlf
save labor and time to the Seerc'ary by coming
to give the information in person. iIe thought
| II important that the Senate should know VIVA
| tho Secretary Is doing looking 10 resumption
| aud what his efforts have been toward reducing
the public debit. Tho Glcts show that he has In
creased the bonded debt of the Uned States
that bears interest in three years. t104 tg9t5e.
He has nrrensed tho principal OF tho Interest
| bearing debt during the last year SIG 10000
| and instond Of the national debt bel ug dmin
| ished as claimed. the debt bearing burden has
| beep increased ttD4Ono.pnn and 81 o00O00 Is
| Incurred In order to bring about the 80 called
| resumptiOu This he has done by g. Hing bonds
| aud hoarhing gold, There were many Other
| things that needed explanation, and OF which
| tho Senate should be informed before he under
takes RESUMPTION on tho ntst of January.
Mr.. Morrill, objected 70 the oonsidera,ion ol
| the resolution to day. He had no doubt tho oh
| Ject of The Senator from Kentucky was TO en-
| barrass resumption.
r.
| to take up and consider his abridgemsnt of tht
| franchises resolution. II II Is to bass ut MI or
| any action was TO be had upon 1t that ac,ion
| should be had at once.
| Mr.. Wadegn was willing 1t should ba taken
] up. subject to his calendar special order
| Mr.. Matthews felt constrained to antngonzt
the motion Of the i. nator from Mano. and Of
fered to amend 10y substituting senate bin No
ot2 the Texas Pacific Ri ilroad bill. Iost-2
| to a.
| the question then recurred on the motion o
| the Senator from Maine, which was agreed to.
| After the resolution and amendment were re-
| ported Mr.. Wallace moved as a test aues' ion y
| Law both resolution and amendment on th'
| table and on that question demanded tho yeai
and nays, which Were ordered, -,
| Reiec,ed- ysas 3. nays CO. The yeas wer'
Maasra, Davis OF West Virginia, hcCreery ant
| Wallace.
Inc question was then upon tho adoption oi
| the amendment Of the Senator from Onto ant
| II wns accepted by the Senator from Maine.
| Before tho question was put on agreeing e
the resolutions Mr.. Cohkltng interp 'sed VIII
| an amendment substituting II special commit
| te, If nine Senators In place OF the CommItte'
on tho judiciary. He aaid the latter committe
was already obs'rueted with business.
Mr.. Blaine suggested that tho number b'
| made ten. Lost
Tho yeas and nays were then ordered on tht
! propositionsof Senator Conklln.. aud resulted
| yeas 35 nays 2s Tho resolutions were ther
Mr.. Window. from the Committee on Appro
prlatons r"portrh fh% hi InnFaf gb 1nl9na' MAJ,
read and laid upon the table, and ordered
| printed
| Mr.. Butler. Of South Carolina moved to in.
| s'ruet tho COMMITTEES and sub ommittees on
| the franchise abrdgment resolution 10 sit with
| open doors
After debate the amendment was rflecteI-
Mr, Davis. of West Virginia. moved to ndd
| that said COMMITTEES or sub committees shal
| sit with open doors whenever any member do
mr.. Bayard argued NJ Rome lengtb In favor o
open sittinRs as necessary ~ Just and fair in
vestigAtion. II was the Oh saying that anything
could be proved by experts, Affidavit evidsncf
was not reliable unless Cross examination was
allowed He didn't consider this party dnes
ton He was sorry to hear 1t called party
question He hoped the amendment would pre-
vail He wished II frnuds had been committed
that they be exposed and punished. and he
would help to do it,
Mr. Hoaf made the point that the proposition
was contrary to precedent This mater Of open
doors was always left to the discretion Of com
Mr.. Herman thought tho former proposition
should have been adopted compelling oprI
doors but he did not see how they could REFUSE
to sit openly. when one OF tho members of the
cOmmi tee should request II.
Mr.. Merrlmon gave bis experience in sitting
| vostgatiou and he favored the amendment o
Mr., Howe thought the question shosld be lef
to tho dscrstlon ot the committees.
Mr.. Salisbury hoped tho amendment of the
senator from West Virginia would prevail.
| Mr.. Herman plead that every man, charged
| ical character should have an opportunity t
defend himself before any COMMITTEES by being
| present 10 suggest q ss-eXarninatiOn.
Mr.. Blaine claimed that within the meaning
! Of n free election, "a interpreted in the North
no FREQ election had been held in the South
since or before the war.
Mr.. Ransom Indignantly denied the state.
mept made by the Senator from Maine. that
| during the last thirty years there had been M
| free elections In one half of this country An
| Investigation intended 10 affect the rights 81
the suffrage of citizena Of the United States
should bs conducted with Mt least all the safe
guards thrown around the criminal Law quot
| Ing at length the practice Of criminal
and civil courts. No protection could
| be afforded witnesses by keeping the
| commirtes's proceedings in darkness
He called for Hight and the fullest inveet tlg tion
| but II seemed now ttat the senator from Matne
did not want such investigation. Il WIS In our
| power two years ago 10 have given this admin
| istration intense trouble. ] think tho country
| thought we acted properly In the matter of tbs
| title Of the President Of the United States. We
| could had We been as we have en- represent
| ed have brought on r. revolution then. We
| could have thrown every erHb trrassing impedi-
ment In the way Of a healthy administration
| but we had no dream Of doiGg IL. We desired
| it's peace; we loved it5 constitution