Daily Kennebec journal., 1879-02-26
FoRPY-FIFTH CONGRESS.
WAsHIsGros, February "a.
Senate.

four were sick; that Conkling would give no
assurance of attendance, and Bayard, Butler.
| llamlin, Barnum and Chandler would not
open their doors. The Sergeant at Arms
wanted to know if he had power from the SEN
ate to break open the doors.
Mr.. Anthony suggested that this was one of
the few instances in which the use of military
had not been prohibited
Mr. Harris said the Senate bad the right to
compel attendance of members
Mr.. Morgan moved the Sergeant-at-Arms
be instructed to bring Conkling into the SEN
ate.
Mr. Eaton thought il not proper TO single
out Senator in this way. 1t would be bet
ter to make a general order to enforce the at
tendance of all to be here.
Mr. Harris agreed with him and moved to
amend Mr.. Morgan's resolution accordingly.
Mr. Herman expressed the belief that nom
absentees inteded to defy the constitution or
this body
Mr. Thurman said no penalties were pro-
yided for cases like the present, and express
ed grave doubts as to the existence of author
ity for the Sergeant-at-Arms to break through
door, as suggested, and deprecated such
proceedings as horrible and disgracefu.
Mr.. VOORHEES, ironically deprecated further
efforts to compel the attendance of Senators,
and said that he had never known more con-
temptiblc farce at four o'clock in the morn
ing.
Mr.. Harris amendment was adopted, 80 to
10, and the motion of Mr.. Morgan was then
amended, making it of general application.
| Agreed to.
Mr.. Herman moved to dispense with fur
ther proceedings under the order. Rejected,
IL to "a.
| Pending execution of the order, the pres
ence of a quorum being disclosed by the last
two votes, the Senate proceeded to the con-
sideration of the bill to prevent the introduc-
tion of contagious or infectious disease, and
TO establish bureau of public health.
Mr.. kcrnan's amendment offered last eve
ming was rejected, IL to "a, and the bill with
out further discussion was read the second
time and passed.
The Senate took up the deficiency appro-
priation bill. and at 4.35 4. NJ. adjourned to
meet at | I. NJ
Messrs. Bayard, Morrill, and Ferry we're
appointed conferees on the bill to amend in
ternal revenue laws.
At 2.20 p. NJ, by 25 to SO, the Senate re-
fused to take up the resolution declaring Da-
| vid L. Corbin entitled to seat as Senator
from South Carolina, Messrs. Cameron Of
Pa, Conover Matthews and Patterson voting
with the democrats in the negative.
A telegram from the California constitu-
tional convention was read, transmitting res
olutons thanking Congress for the passage of
the bill restricting Chinese immigration.
Mr. Hoar objected to receiving the paper
under the l4th rule, 1t not being properly au-
thentcated, and the vicc-President decided
the point well taken.
Mr.. Paddock called up the House resolu-
ton announcing the death OF Mr.. Welch, late
representative from Nebraska.
Suitable remarks were made, and the reso-
luton in respect to his memory was agreed
to, and the Sonata adjourned.
After an hours debate, the committee of
the whole agreed, l35 to 10, to the amend
ment to the legislative appropriation bill, re-
peaing the laws relating to supervisors of
elections.
The result was was received with applause
on the democratic side and separate vote
in the House was demanded by Mr.. Hale of
Maine.
In the afternoon in committee of the whole
the consideration of Southard's amendment to
the legislative appropriation bill repeating
the law creating the Office of electoral super
visors, etc. was resumed, and a lengthy de-
bate cnsued between Banning, Garfield and
others. Hale and Southard were the last
speakers.
| Nr. Hale said the House might as well un-
derstand exactly how this matter stood. Mr..
Southard, in pressing this amendment, had
thrown down to the republican side of the
! House the gage of battle. Mr.. Hewitt had
taken the position that the democratic party
stood in favor of sweeping from the statute
books all that body of law which interfered
with the operation of State governments and
State laws in matter of elections. There was
plain and distinct law. Strong as the feel
| ing was on that side of the House, equally
strong was it on the republican side. These
laws for the protection of the ballot would
not and should not be repealed in the appro-
priation bill His side of the House would
never consent to the project being pushed
forward and carried through to repeal. The
gentlemen might as well understand that now
as hereafter.
Mr.. Hale went on to state the efforts of the
republicans had made during the last week to
have the legislative appropriation bill pro-
ceeded WITH and showed how those efforts
had been antagonized by the democrats.
! In conclusion he said: We have done ev-
erything in our power to push this BILL and at
some stage of the proceedings between now
and adjournment of Congress, the other side
ofthe House must yield its position, for these
laws can not and shall not be repealed.
Mr.. Southard replied to Mr.. Hale and clos
| ed the debate. lie declared 1t the sentiment
of his side of the house that those laws
which had been enacted for the purpose of
corrupting the ballot box and of securing
election to one party by bribery and force
should be and must be swept from the statute
books.
Let it be distinctly understood that on this
side of the house and with democrats rest
the responsibility, and that when it is ques-
tion of pure ballot and personal liberty the
man who yields the issue deserves condemna-
ton of free and Independent people.
This election is simply for the purpose of
perpetuating dynasty which has been con-
demned by public sentiment of the country
Ii is northern outrage as well as II southern
outrage. This side of the house is determin-
ed on this measure not as a question of dol
lars and cents but as question of absolute
right and for purity of the ballot box. We
do not mean in this free country that any man
shall be arrested and imprisoned without due
complaint and affidavit and without due
process of law. r..
We mean to protect citizens in his person
al rights and to protect the ballot box in its
freedom and purity. If the republican party
can beat the democratic party at the polls in
| a fair election we will submit willingly but