National Republican., 1879-03-29

resolution for the reference OF the petition, TO-
gchcr with certificate of said election in the
hands Of the Clerk of the House, to the Committee
ON Elections, when appointed.
Mr.. CoNGER objected to the Offering of the reso.
luton. |......
The Speaker stated that the resolution was of.
fcred as n question Of privilege. VA.
Mr. CoSGER argued that the memorial should
have been placed In the petition box MS 1t did not
present IN itself matter Of privilege II presented
snch lnrco as would not have been tolerated un-
I'll the days Of Belford and Patterson from Colorado
MI. PRICE also alluded TO the whole mnttcr as u
farce
Mr. SPRINGER called attention to the fact that the
gentleman from Iowa Mr. Price) who claimed that
the November elections were farce had seen it
TO be candidate at that election. 3d. ID.
Mt PRICE replied that he Ind done so because he
had discovered that Il few Democrats We're going to
vote on the 9th of November, and in order TO pre-
vent their coming to Congress and contesting his
scat he had been candidate. He, however, did
not claim his scat under the November election.
After further discussion the Speaker ruled that
The resolution involved question Of privilege.
rs TO refer merely the memorial and papers relating
10 the October election, and the resolution was SO
modiiied and referred to the Committee on Elec'
Mr.. YOUNG lohiol rising to q, question Of pryi
lego, stated that resolution had been adopted for
the investigation of charges made against himself
and his colleague (Mr. Butterworth) )-charges
which, II true ought to send both Of them to the
penientiary. They had felt the sting of that attack
andhad brought the matter before the grand jury
OF Hamilton County, n majority OF whom were
Democrats That body had reported that 1t had
examined ffly witnesses including those persons
who had signed the memorial presented to Con-
sreSs, and from the testimony given had found
nothing to warrant its taking amy action in the
matter. - H.
lie Ind quoted from that report, not in order to
prejudice the House or the committee which was to
examine the charges, but In order to show his col.
leagues that in Hamilton County he and his col.
league Mr.. Buttcrworlh) were not regarded as bad
men, but as men who had some standing there.
The House then at one o'clock, went into Com
mitcc of the Whole tMr. Springer in the chair OH
the army appropriation bill.
Mr. DIBREIL offered an amendment providing
that nothing In the act shall prevent the promotion
OF any captain who has served twenty years in The
on motion of Mr.. CALKISs an amendment was
adopted providing that any ohcer hereafter retired
OH account OF wounds received in action shall be
retired at the highest rank he ever held exclusive
Of brevet rank In the regular or volunteer service
Mr. CALKlNs also offered an amendment provid;
ing that the actual time of service in the army and
navy shall be allowed all officers In computing
their pay. Adopted.
Mr.; TUCKER offered an amendment repeating sec
tion l2lS Of the Revised Statutes; ..-
This is the section which prohibits the appoint
mcnt to the army OF any person who served in any
the socalled Confederate States.1
Mr.. CoNGER made point of order against the
Mr.. Tucker argued that the amendment was ger
name and in order lie trusted that the amend
ment would meet with universal appreciation on
both sides and that the stigma which rested on
very large class OF the people Of the Southern
States would be, as matter of justice, wiped out
era of peace and good feeling "a derisve laugh on
the Republican side) there should be no longer q
statutory stigma against large portion of the peo'
pie Of this country. IL should no longer be pro-
vided by law that because men took part in the
rebellion, they were unworthy to wear n sword in
defense of the country; that they might carry n
musket in the ranks, but were unworthy to wear n
sword; that they were worthy TO make laws in
Congress, but were unworthy TO hold commission
Mr. CoNGER argued that the amendment was
new legislation; that was not germone TO the
bill and that II was not in the interest of retrench-
ment BY any manner of means. He ridlculed the
idea of II being made in the interest of that over
burdcning idea Of peace and good VIII which over
shadowed Congress, like great cloud Just on the
eve Of q conflict, unlike any conflict that has been
seen in these halls for years.
Mr.. TUCKER. lie calls signal of peace cloud.
Mr.. CoNGER. overshadowing US Ike a cloud OF
peace.
Mr.. TUCKER A piece of cloud. ...-..-..
Mr. CoEGER. a peaceful cloud-that kind OF
cloud which generally follows battle and does
not precede it,
has brought into our peaceful and calm and quiet
deliberations to-day, and before we have come tC
the exciting subject which, by common consent
was to be postponed until we had allowed our
selves to be harmonious for a few moments
daughter The gentleman has thrown in the gage
of battle. lie has had the courage TO do what nc
man in this House has dared to do before. lie has
had the courage TO offer, In the presence of the
brethren oil that side of the House have repeatedly
declared Cwhen i was even snggeSted) TO be pre-
mature. When Charged some time ago, thai
TO the time when, by reduction of the army, they
could make places for the brigndergeneras of the
South, was laughed ut scornfully by every Demo
crat, ana was told that nobody intended ever tC
propose such thing.
M CoNcEn ilnollystated that his party friend,
desired TO meet the issue in u manly way anC
therefore ho Withdrew his point of order.
Mr. Sparks renewed II.
The Chairman sustained the point Of order oil
the ground that the amendment was not In tn,
direction of economy, aud changed existing law
Mr. KLorz offered an amendment to amend tn
grn NO no 81 IA a
the war of 1872. Ruled out of order.
Mr.. MCCooK moved 10 strike ont the section pro
hibting promotions andappontments In the army
Corps. In the discussion which followed SOM
sharp remarks were interchangod between MI
Sparks and Mr. Congor us to the service rendered
by them respectively during the late war; MI
Sparks stating that like the gentleman from Mchi
gan he had been little too cowardly to tght OF
either side
Mir CoSGER replied that he had served MS q mem
Der OF the state military board OF Michigan Laugh
Mr. SPARKS Were you chaplain or q sutter?
Mr.. CoNGEH replied that his peculiar organization
lain, laughter.l He was proud, however, tina
he had helped to send out to the war us gallant
troops had captured the Southern civil icadei
Jel Davis. Probably that accounted for the hu
mNnity which the gentleman from Illinois (Ail
Sparks) showed toward him as . citizen of Michl
gan. Laughlerl
Mr.. ClYMER opposed the amendment, II woul,
be unwlse to strike out the provision. II twas in tn
direction Of reducing the obstacles TO fair and jus
reorganization Of the army,
Mr.. MARSH favored the amendment, Ever sine
the Capitol had been in the hands of the Democrat
they had been endeGYOring TO reduce and organic
the army; yet they had been unable 70 mature
. plan which would meet with favor and II was nov
mean and contemplate on the part of the Amer
can Congress to attempt 10 cut down the strengt
oithe army by preventing mcritor0us officers lroi
receiving the promotion which they deserved.
Mr. SPARKS opposed the amendment The prt
vision limiting promotions would result in O sNy
ing of thousands of dollars TO the Government
without impairing the efficiency of the army
MI WHITE, while he had been, and still was /
favor of n reorganization of the army did not thin
II fair that pending reorganization this proyislo
prohibiting promotions should be adopted
The amendment TO strike out was defeated
The consideration OF the bill having been col
Cluded with the exception of section q, repealill
the statutes allowing the military To preserve N
ueace at the polls, that section was read
Mr. CONGER raised the point of order that the SO,
penditures II could not he held seriously thu
striking out the words to keep the peace at IN
polls" TCtrCnChed expenditures,
Mr.. SPARKS admitted that the section change
existing law, but argued that itretIonched eNpenC
itures He hoped for the credit Gf free institution
that such an un-American principle had not bee
largely acted upon US to allow sovereign citi1c
to be watched at The polls by his own servant wit
II muskot In his hand.
Mr. FRYE argued that the section did not r,
trench expenditures II did not effect the tran
nOrtatiOn Of the army, because the President W.
iOmmNudcr-in Chief, and could transport trool
where he pleased and there was no power in III
House 10 say he should transport the troop hei
and not there.
Mr. RoBISsoS made an argument in the san
line,