Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1878-12-17
CONGRESSIONAL AL D0INGS.
BlAiNE'S ELECTION BILL IN THE
SENATE.
Thurman's Amendment Adopted - Mr.
Davis, Ofwest Virginia, Proposes that
the Committee Sit With Open
Doors, which was Re-
jected- Bills in
the House.


Doors, which was Re-
jected- Bills in
the House.
WASHINGTON, December IT,
SENATE.
4 number of bills were introduced
during the morning hour and referred.
Payment of U. 8. Attorneys.
Mr.. Coke submitted resolution in
structing the Committee on Judiciary
to examine into the expediency OF re-
pealing all laws providing for compen-
sation by fees of the U. s. Attorneys,
and substituting fixed salaries. Agreed
| To.
Excursion to Mexico.
Messrs. Davis and Oglesby, OF Illinois,
presented resolutions from the Manu-
facturers' Association OF the Northwest
! favoring the appointment of sub
| committee of the Committee on Com
! merce of both Houses of Congress, to
| accompany an excursion party from
! Chicago to Mexico on the 4th OF Janu-
ary next, to further establish more di-
rect commercial relations between the
two countries. Mr.. Oglesby expressed
the hope that this would be considered
before the holidays.
Texas Pacific Railroad.
Mr.. Matthews moved that the present
| and all prior orders be laid aside, and
that the Senate proceed to the consider
ton of the Texas Pacific railroad. Re-
jected-yeas, 70; nays, -
summoning Sherman to Answer.
Mr. Beck submitted resolution
that the Secretary OF the Treas
ury appear in person on We'd
nesdav next, and inform the Senate
, what reason, ii any, he has for failing to
answer the resolution on the 3rd OF
December 1873, in regard to the amount
of silver coin received for customs
dues, and whether he has applied it or
any part OF it to the payment Of interest
on bonds and notes OF the United States,
and if not SO applied to state the reason
why. Mr.. Beck said the Secretary OF
the Treasury had increased the bonded
debt SlOi, 400, 450 by selling bonds
and boarding gold. After "a brief debate
the resolution was laid over.
Elections Investigation.
At the expiration of the morning
| business, the resolution Of Blaine i'll re-
gard to the elections in the South was
taken up and, after brief colloquy, the
amendment of Thurman was agreed
to. Mr.. Conkling submitted an amend
ment to have the investigation made by
a special committee OF nine Senators,
instead of the Judiciary committee;
agreed to; yeas "a, nays 20. Butler
submitted an amendment to have the
investigation conducted with open
| doors; rejected after the amendment;
yeas 30 nays 80.
Mr. Wallace moved to lay the resolu-
ton Of Mr. Blaine on the table. Re-
| jected-yras, 3; nays, 80.
Messrs. Davis, of West Virginia, Nc
Creary and Wallace, voted in the atfir-
NATIVE, and all others, Republicans and
Democrats, in the negative.
Mr.. Davis, OF W. Va, renewed in an
other shape the amendment Of Butler,
requiring the committee to sit with
open doors and Bayard spoke i'll favor
thereof, sayin. the resolution and all
| the amendments had thus far been
acted on almost with unanimity and he
| hoped il would continue. In regard to
| this amendment there was something
un-American i'll this secret inquisltion.
Ii the charges made were true he hoped
| an exposure would follow, and that
punishment would follow the exposure.
| Ii the charges were untrue he hoped
the punishment would fall upon those
who placed them on loot. lie hoped
the Senate would unanimously agree to
no such thing as secret in4ustion
should he held. He had been on in
vestigation committees in Mississippi
and elsewhere, and men came before the
committee who swore to just what
they pleased. This should not be a
party question, and the votes he had
given had been to prevent it from being
| such. He hoped this investigation
| would be conducted on the principles
that Justice everywhere lays down for the
elucidation OF truth.
Mr.. kernon favored the amendment.
| Mr.. Merrimon said he had an expert
enCe two wears ago on the investigating
| committees in the South, and he could
not conceive of Il better plan to encour-
age perjury than by having closed
doors. He had seen dav after day the
]
who were not there to defend them
selves The secret Investigations were
against the principles of eternal justice,
and wrong to the American people.
Mr.. Howe said he had had experience
on the investigating committees in
Louisiana. He had conversed with the
white and colored witnesses in that
State who had protested they dare not
! testify. One witness who appeared be-
fore the committee (and he was a native
of that State was aiterwads killed, and
il was said on account of the testimony
he gave to the committee.
Mr. Blaine said The Senator from
Ohio IThurmanl argued that property
and intelligence rule the South. Ii it
was so, the people possessing them
would have thousand opportunities to
influence the Judgment OF the committee
where those who were wrongcd had
one. lie was free to say that a tree
election, in the sense of the Constltu-
ton, was never known in the South.
There never was a man i'll Virginia,
Georgia or Florida, who dared to come
up and vote for Abraham Lincoln.
Mr.. Withers-There were votes cast
for him in Virginia.
Mr. Blaine tcontinuingl-And in lSi4
no one in the South would vote for
James Il. Birney.
Mr.. Mcmillan argued that this subject
had been brought to the attention OF
Congress through the message OF the
President 1t had not arisen from IA
partisan standpoint. The citizens in
certain parts of this country had been
deprived of of the right OF suffrage by
violence, intimidation and outrage, and
the offenders should be punished.
Mr.. Ransom hoped that the Senator
from Maine Blaine would pardon him,
but he did not think the Senator used a
peaceful argument when he declared
there never had been fair election in
the South. Ii he Ransoml thought
proper he could take up that glove and
persuade any patriot TO retire from such
position. He would not say it was a
calumny on the history OF the