Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-04-17
washington News.

washington news.
Special Telegraphic Correspondence Courier
Journal
WASHINGTON, April 15.-Senator
Thurman was to-day elected president
pro tempore of the senate in the ab-
sence of the Vice President, thus
placing Democrat third in the line
of succession to the national execu-
tive. Vice President Wheeler was
called to New York by the illness of a
relative, and when the senate met to-
day it proceeded to elect president
prO-tempore Of the. senate. Thurman
was put in nomination by the Demo-
Gratis and Ferry by the Republicans.
Ferry led Thurman to the chair, and
as he did so, Thurman, in loud whis-
per said Turn about is fair play. y
Ferry having been the acting Vice
President after the death of Henry
Wilson, and until Wheeler was de-
clared Vice President. In the event
Of the death of the President and
Vice President, either Senator Thur
man or Speaker Randall would become
President, there being question as
to whether the speaker of the house
or the president Of the senate would
succeed At all events it would be a
Democrat.
THE DEBATE IN THE SENATE.
The feature of the debate in the
senate to-day was the rampant speech
made by logan, who, with much roar
ing, hawking and splitting, managed to
consume an hour and half with the
use Of bad grammar. The CORE
spondents marched out of the gallery
en- masse when Logan began, but re
turned later to be amused, as was all
the senate, by the senator's extraordi-
nary speech. When he read from his
manuscript he was all right, but the
moment he attempted to be original
he made innumerable blunders, as, for
instance, saying "the Democratic party
was allegating that the Republican
party, etc, and arguments has been
given" Beck, of Kentucky, replied,
but did not find it necessary to take
up the points of Logan's speech, as
that effort was not worthy of reply
in detail. Voorhees, is expected to
speak tomorrow.
THE SOUTHERN CLAIMS COMMISSION.
The house spent the day on the pro-
position to abolish the Southern claims
commission, but all motions tending
in that direction were defeated by a
solid Republican vote aided by about
one-half of the Democrats. 1t was
stated that there were now three thou
sand claims before the commission,
and, computing by comparison with
the past, at least 90 per cent. of these
would be proven to be worthless. The
peculiarity Of the debate was the fact
that the Republicans were forced into
defending Southern claims, and
into admitting that for years
that party had been paying mil
lions of dollars out of the treasury
for the claims of loyal men, so
called, and that the whole affair had
been used for party purposes. Mr.
Springer offered as an amendment the
bill known as the Potter bill, which
passed the house in the last congress.
relegating all private claims, growing
out of the war or otherwise, to the
court of claims, and thus ridding con
gress of the mass of business Of a pri-
vate nature which clogs the business
in every congress This amendment
was pending when the house ad-
iourned.
Personal EXPLANATION BY GEN
CHALMERS.
General Chalmers, of Mississippi
arose to a personal explanation in the
house to-day. He had read a commu.
nication to the Cincinnati Gazette, in
which the old story about the massa.
ere at Fort Pillow is referred to. where
Chalmers was in command, and is
charged personally with numbering
women and children. General Chal,
mers had also read the report Of
Congressman Buttorworth's speech
in Cincinnati, ten days ago, in which
Butterworth said he had in congress
listened to the insolent speech Of
the hero of this affair, implying his
belief in the truth of the stories
Chalmers asked for an investigating
committee OF seven Union soldiers
majority of whom should be
from the Republican side Of the house,
saying that if it was true that he was
the murderer depicted, he should not
be allowed to retain his seat. Mr..
Butterworth said that he had in his
speech referred to Mr.. Chalmers in
this connection, without knowing any
thing about the facts, beyond the
common rumor. Mr.. Garfield sug-
gested that the whole subject be laid
aside temporarily, and this was done
Mr.. Garfield significantly remarked
that public men must live down the
assaults made upon their characters
As he said this, every listener knew
that he was referring to his own
record in the Credit Mobiler and
Degolyer jobs.