Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-06-20
TSpccial to the Boston Advertiser.


WASHINGTON June ls.--The Senate spent
most of the dav on the army bill. The re-
publicans early in the session, allowed the
bin for the survey of the Mississippi river TO
| come up to accommodate Messrs. Lamar
and Gordon, with the general under
standing that If at the usual hour OF ad-
journing the republican senators should de-
sire to speak the bill should go over till to-
morrow fora vote. Mcssrs. Beck and Noor-
hecs occupied most of the day, and at the end
the democrats refused to give the republicans
time. This was prompted in part by the fact
that Mr. Blaine had cxaspcratcd them by one
of his peculiar and pointed speeches, not eX-
actlv on the bill. but on the kind of teaching
the southern youth were receiving from their
home text books Among other things Mr..
Blaine read from a text book description of the
home of jeff Davis and his exploits in Mcxi-
co. in which was the story Of an Indiana reg
imrnt running at Bucna Vista, dressed up in
high colors This fired up Mr.. VOORHEES,.
who instead of attacking the school books
| launched into a fierce assault on Mr.. Blaine
and upon about IA dozen republicans IN sue
ccssion. He finally roared himself out.
| When the time came when the republicans
desired to end the session under the agree
ment. and go on with their speeches to-mor
row. there was refusal TO recognize any
agreement Upon this the republicans began
to filibu>tcr in an unusual way tor the Senate
by calling the roll on II great variety OF mo-
tions, forcing a call of the house, breaking
the quorum. etc. The whole affair
matter of bad faith on the part of the demo-
Gratis, and at | 80 =. NJ. bids fair to cost
them nights close watching to prevent the
republicans from adjuurning, and carrying
their point
~ \. NJ. The exciting scene in the
- ba, H.,
an exhibition of flibustering in the Senate
since the old Kansas-Nebraska struggle
when it was several times kept up all night
The democrats are now, as th3y were then, in
n ma iority. but the republican minority were
the best parliamcntarians, and they thus Sc
cured their right to be heard, as they have
succeeded in doing tonight. At this hour
Mr.. Conklng is making one of his cxtraor-
binary speeches. He commenced by sketch
ing the tyrannical course of the democrats in
the Senate to-day. He showed how the en-
tire day, save twenty-five minutes consumed
I by Mr.. Blaine, had been occupied by the
democrats, while the republicans in defiance
of courtesy, in violation Of plighted faith. had
been refused right to speak; and ne con-
cluded with the declaration that while he re-
manned in the Senate no minority should be
gagged, throttled or insulted This was pre-
| liminary to the most extraordinary scene
! that has ever occurred in the Senate cham
Der, certainly since the old slavery days. Re
tcrring incidentally to the course of the dem
ocrats on the appropriation bills, Mr.. Conk
! ling said that the time has come when the
majority dare not adjourn and leave the gov
eminent to starve and the army to languish.
| The devil is subtle. but he weavcs coarse
web. The web is this so-callcd army bill.
| MIR. Conkling said, it is very coarse. 1t is a
A.
to the democrats.
Mr. Lamar inferring that the mputation
of bad faith was made, among others, to him.
! said -
Il pronounce the statement a falseh0od
and repel it with the contempt feel for the
. author of it,"
Senator Conkling had been in the rear of
the chamber and had not heard the whole of
Mr. ..amars remarks but he returned in
time to hear the sentence quoted Raising
himself to his greatest height, with superb
pride, contempt and scorn, waving aside an
attempted interruption by Mr.. Lamar, Mr..
| Conkling said:
Il will proceed in my own time, and for
the time do not intend to hold any commu-
nication with him. Lamar | understood
the senator to say in plain unparliamentary
language that Il statement Of mine is a false
hood, if caught his words Alright | have
nothing to say (this not being the place to
measure with any man capacity to defy de-
cency, to violate the rules of the senate or to
commit any of the improprieics of life)
have nothing to say, but if the senator, if the
member from Mississippi, intended to impute
to me falsehood, nothing except the fact
that this is the senate would prevent me from
denouncing him as blackguard and cow
ard. Let me be more explicit Mr.. Presi-
| a ,h,,,
in the presence of the senate charged me by
| imputation or otherwise with falschood,
would denounce him MS a blackguard, cow
ard aud a liar; and understanding what he
said as do, the. rules and proprieties of the
senate are the only restraint upon me.
The extraordinary character of these state
ments startled the senate. There was breath
! less silence in the senate when Mr.. Lamar
arose and said.
81 have only to say that the senator from
New York understood me correctly. | beg
pardon of the senate for the upparliamentary
language. 1t was very harsh and severe. 1t
is such as no good man would deserve and no
brave man would wear.
On the floor senator are talking of nothing
else The Southern senators unanimously
sustain Mr.. Lamar, and have overwhelmed
him with congratulations One senator who
is Lamar's most intimate friend, and who in
event of challenge expects to act as his sec.
ond, says IL don't think Mr.. Conkling will
fight. do not regard him as man of cour-
age. Lamar will only be delighted to have
Mr.. Conklng challenge him. OF course,
everything rests with Mr. Conking, as he is
the insulted party. OF one thing YOU may be
assured, no effort will be made to fix up this
matter AS was the case when Mr.. Conkling
had his difficulty with Mr. Gordon. There is
no power on earth that will induce Mr.. Lamar
to withdraw his words, and Mr. Salisbury
thinks it is a very bad business, but that Mr.
tonkling has been very aggressive toward
the South, and that he was expecting some
thing of the kind" Ben Hill declares that
he never saw or heard anything like it. and
he does not see how Mr.. Conkling can avoid
taking notice of it. Mr.. Herman regrets the
occurrence, but is, AS usual, reticent in his
opinion. MIR. Eaton, who is Mr.. Conklings
best friend among the democrats, says that
he tonklng failed for once to measure
well his words, and in imputing bad faith to
Mr.. Lamar laid himself open to Lamar's at
tack. lie regrets the occurrence, but cannot
Toll In w.. II