Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-05-12
FORTY-sIxTH CONGRESS.
WASHINGTON, May 10.
Senate.
Extra Session.

egraph communication between the t. s. and
foreign countries, which was referred to for
cign relations.
The Senate then took up the legislative
bill
Mr.. Beck said the bill was substantially
the same as agreed on by the committee of
conference at the former session, with u few
exceptions
Mr. Edmunds inquired whether what is
called political legislation is the same as that
proposed last year, or did it differ by enlarge
/ ment or dlmnution.
Mr. Beck replied that he was not prepared
I tu answer him. AZ he had not compared the
/ two.
\ message was received from the House.
announcing that the Speaker had signed the
enrolled bill to prohibit military interference
at elections, and returning the bill for the sig
nature of the President pro tenn lie having
signed the same, it will be taken.to President
/ llayes.
The Senate proceeded to act on the amend
ments 10 the pending bill, and agreed to those
restoring the compensation of Senators. Off
GERS. clerks and other employees. which the
/ House had reduced.
Mr.. Beck moved that the reading of the
/ bill be dispensed with, i'll order TO afford Mr..
/ Hill OF Georgia. opportunity to address the
! Senate, is he intends leaving the city and
D
session.
Mr.. Hill proceeded to speak with reference
to that part of the bill proposing new legi>la-
/ ton with regard to jurors. supervisors of
/ elections. etc
1 Mr.. Hill said the South had been maligned
in hundred different shapes and forms for
/ the purpose of antagonZng the North. and to
secure republicans in possession of power.
! There was persistent, earnest, arbitrary and
dictatoriS purpose to induce the Pres dpnt to
veto the bill prohibiting military interference
at the polls He never believed the Presi-
dent would veto the bill. He continued at
great length.
Mr.. Read of Maine. applied himself to dis
,ipating the prcjuIices of the gentlemen who
4 believed the characterization act To be tiend-
/ i>h outrage, and who talked about the act
taking away the legal tender qualifications Of
the trade dollar, trick.
Mr.. Bowman opposed the bill He charac-
terizcd it as one of the most vicious bills ever
/ reported in tOngress-a bill not aimed at
capitalists alone, but at laboring classes. 1t
was "A scheme OF boundless imitation.
! Mr.. Hill said if it was true. as stated bv
Conklng and others. that cOntcderatcs were
| III Congress who were enemies of the Union, /
/ they had no right in Congress, and would. if
/ honorable men, leave. But. he continued. /
/ the representatives of the South are not the
enemies of the Union. He claimed that the
South were driven into secession by the ex-
tremists of the North. OF the nine represent
tatives and two Senators from Georgia, eight
4 opposed secession; and of the % Southern
Representatives and Senators, about - were
opposed to secession.
/ lie then went into long explanation of his
own course. showing that he opposed seces-
sion personally, and made the last speech in
/ Georgia against the resolution by which that
State seeded.
Mr.. Hill alleged that when efforts were
made to hold convention in Virginia to
avert the war, Northern republicans used
their efforts against that object, and he read
/ letter from Zach. toandlcr to Coy. Blair in
support OF this assertion. He said if there
had not been any republican party, there
would have been no secession nor war. The
Southern men sought to avert war, while the
North tried to bring il on
Mr.. Chandler said this was the .iOth time /
/ this letter had been read. 1t was written
when there was treason in the White House.
| in the Cabinet, in the Senate, in the House of
| Representatives, and when secession was an
accomplished fact. 1t was no time to com
promise with traitors, and he stood by the let
ter now As he had always heretofore, and said
| Chandler lets the most BE- made of it. He
said the South was solid only that it might
rule or ruin the nation. The men had chang
ed since 1851. but not the measures. The
other side then fought to overthrow the gov
eminent. Now they vote and talk for the
selt>amc purpose. You are to-day as You
were then, concluded Chandler. determined
either to rule or to ruin this government, and
! YOU cannot do il.
Mr.. Hill denied he ever had stated that he
/ Hill was a union sccession>t as charged
by Chandler.
Mr.. Window, in referring to Hills charge
that the war was brought on by the Northern
extremists, cited the fact that President Lin
coins first inaugural distinctly assured the
South that apprehensions expressed by them
that accession of the republicans to power
would menace their property, were ground
less, and that Interference with slave-holding
was not contemplated Ample proof of the
correctness of his assurance was open to in
/ spcction. That was the manner, said Win
dom. in which the extremists of the North
compelled the people of the South to sccedc,
/ because they feared they would lose their
property.
Mr. Window gave way for motion to adj
iourn, by Beck, who suggested that Window
continue his remarks at l.3O =. NJ, Monday.
by which time he thought the political pro-
visions of the bill would be reached
Adjourned.