New-York tribune., 1878-12-18
THE BLAINE RESOLUTION PASSES.


~ ovrpwUE1MrNG MAJORITY IN ITS FAvOR-MR.
BLAINE UNWILLING TO SERVE AS CHAIRMAN
WHO ELSE ARE TALKED OF.
lBr TELEGRAPH THE TRTBUNEl
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1.-THE resolution hl',o-
drcod on the first day of the session Oy
Senator Blaine providing for an inVes1sa-
ton of alleged fraud and violence Al
south Carolina, Louisiana and other States nus To-
dav been brought to final vote. and 1t was passeu
by a majority of 80 in its favor. There were osiy
,ix votes IN opposition to it, all Democrats as toi
,ows: Eaton, Hill, McCreery, Morgan, wallace anu
Whyte. ,.
II became apparent yesterday that this result was
almost cortaip and both on that account and from
the fact that very little that was new renamed 10
be said either in opposition to or n support OF tne
measure there has been an abatement OF Interest
both on the part of Senators and the PuDhc' Inc
attendance at the session to-day has not been much
greater than is usually seen during the progress oi
any ordinary non-political debate
The general drift Of the discussion this afternoon
has been prosy and monOtonous, and the talk mas
heep almost entirely confined to the Democratic
s;de of the Senate. Advantage has been taken
of the occasion by Democratic Senators 10
make set speeches, which will, no DOUBT
be read with pleasure and interest pS
their Southern constituents, but WHICH, III
the main have had little meaning for those VINO
have listened to the debate from the beginning
On the Republican side the question was appar-
emily considered as which had already oeen us
posed of, and Senators generally applied them-
selves to other matters. either at their desks OF III
their committee rooms. Even Senator Blaine the
author of the measure, seemed bored by the sptess
and diftlse character of much that was SAID Oy
Democratic Senators to-day, and except on two or
three occasions when personally attacked he has
allowed the discussion to take its course.
Senator Merrimon's speech, the first IN ORDER
had the immediate effect of clearing the floor of the
Senate. 1t was understood by almost every one
that the well-rOunded and sonorous sentences
which the honorable Senator read rather hastily as
he turned the sheets of his manuscript, were adj
dressed rather to the North Carolina Legislature,
which body will soon be called'upon to elect the
Senator's successor, than to the United States
Senate and when later IN the day Senator Blaine
intimated as much Mr. Merrimon made no reply
Senator Walace's speech bristled with statistics
intended to prove that the allegation OF an over
representation in Congress from the South was
more than overbalanced by the state OF al
fairs at the North, where, IN Pennsyl-
yanla for example. the Democrats although
numerically almost strong as the Repubhcahs'
had only ten out of twenty-seven Representatives
in Congress. By subtle necromancy in figures lie
nroved TO his own apparent satisfaction that Penn
during the recent canvass and election OF
character far more dangerous than anything which
had been alleged against South Carolina OF
Louisiana by the Senator from Maine
Asbarp colloouy ensued between the latter Senator
and Mr.. Wallace in which was shown the absurdlty
of the attempt to meet the charge that Southern
Republicans have been dlsfranchised with state
ment that the minority in Pennsylvania does not
have as large a representation in Congress as the
%
said Mr.. Blaine, "one must be left behind
when two men run for Congress one is of
necessity defeated" The complaint might be made,
he added, with equally good grounds, that while
nearly one-half of the nine million votes cast for
President two years ago contained the name OF
Samuel J. Tilden, Mr.. Hayes took the whole OF the
Presidency while Mr. TIlden got none.
Perhaps the ablest argument from the Democratic
side during the entire discussion that delivered
this afternoon by Senator Morgan, and if the ground
had not already been so thoroughly gone over it
would be read with as much interest in the North
as among his own constituents
Vice-President Wheeler will consult both with
Republican and Democratic Senators before APP
pointing the committee, with the latter especially,
in regaId to their own representation upon it, 1t
has been taken for granted ever since the res
oluton was amended, to make 1T provide
for special committee that Senator Blaine
would be made chairman; but he went to
the Vice-President this afternoon and positively
declined to serve. He has public duties to attend TO
that make it seem almost imperative that he should
be in Washington during the whole of the present
short session. While the appointment of Mr.. Blaine
TO the craftsmanship of this committee would be
most natural, il is. not positively required
by parliamentary law or usage. The resolution
which he introduced did not provide for special
committee and if usage were to govern the Senator
upon whose motion the change was made would be
the chairman This was Mr.. Conkling, but he
declined in advance to serve in this capacity.
The Republicans in suggesting names to the Vice
President will aim TO select at least three men who
will bring to the work experience and zea., and be
fitted to preside at ITS sessions, because after 1T IS
once appointed the committee Will naturally divide
itself into three sections, one OF which Will go 10
South Carolina, one TO Louisiana and one TO the
States in the North. If Mr.. Blame can
not be prevailed upon 10 serve, Senator Dawes
has been suggested as one tho best OF men IN the
Senate for the chairmanship. lie has had Inuch ex-
perience I'm conducting investigations when MEM
Der of the House and has learned rather TO be con-
servative than otherwise during the past
two years, thus making him better fitted
to conduct a fair and impartial inquery
his sentiments Mr. Hoar is another man whose APP
pointment would be received by the whole country
dan5e ywS fpe The sonthe au question In Is
various phases than his colleague, ana the
record he made few years ago. when he
conducted an investigation in Louisiana, is such as
to give even Democrats confidence IN his honesty
and fairness.
For the subordinate places Oh the committee, the
Repubhcans have an abundance OF material IL IL
were not for the dsincnatiOn of Senators serve.
CORRECTING A DEMOCRATIC ERROR.
TIE HOUSE PASSES THE BILL TO APPROPRIATE |
$450,000 FOR POSTAL CAR SERVICE.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO TRIBUNE