The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1879-06-26

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q. Louis Globe Democrat.
Whatever may be the final outcome OF
tho passage At arms between Senator
Conkling and Senator LANAI, in tho Sen
ate yesterday morning, the blame for the
outbreak must rest upon tho fire eater
from Mississippi, if the report furnished
by the associated press reporter is relia-
bio. Tho subject under discussion was
the army appropriation bill. The Dem
ocra&s determined to force 0 vote during
Wednesdays session; and at the same
time prevent the Republicans from dis
cussing the bill. The gag OF the pre-
vious question is unknown in the SEN
ste. and therefore tho Democrats resort
cd 70 other tactics 70 ill up the time
until they were ready to demand . vote
on the army bill. First the bill for the
appointment Of . Mississippi River Com
mission was taken up and, after some
delay passed.
The army bill was then taken up, and
Nr. Beck occupied large portion Of tho
day in reading affidavits regarding the
use of troops at the polls in Kentucky
in 1865. Mr.. Voorhees, and Mr.. Blain
followed with . discussion regarding
the conduct of IN Indiana regiment in
the Mexican waE, and the unkind COM
msnt made on tho Hoosiers BY . South
ern school history. At 6 p. M, Mr..
Withers, who had charge Of the bill,
manifested desire to close the debate
and proceed TO . vote. Mr.. C0nkling,
who had prepared speech against the
bill, demurred to this proceeding, and
urged that the vote BE- deferred until
Thursday, IN order 70 give the Republl-
cans an opportunity 70 discuss the pro-
visions of the bill relating to the use of
troops ~ police TO preserve the peace
on election days. With this object lin
view he made motion TO adjourn, in
timating that if it were voted down the
Republicans could easily defeat the
Democratic intention to force . vote by
resorting to fiiibustering tactics.
The motion to adjourn was defeated,
and then the Republicans refused to an
swer to their names on subsequent roll
calls, thus leaving the Senate without .
quorum. The efforts of the Sergeant-at-
Arms failed to bring enough Democrats
to make quorum and the night passed
in disagreement and strises. The Re.
publicans continued to urge the other
side to consent to adjournment, but
without success. Shortly after mid
night Mr.. Conkling, in brief speech in
defense of the tactics of the Republicans,
declared his willingness to accept full
measure of responsibility for the course
himself and associates were pursuing,
and asserted that tho Democrats
had been guilty of bad faith in not
making allowance for the time given
up to the discussion of the Mississippi
River Commission bill. This seems to
have had tho same effect on Mr.. Lamar
as red rag is said to have on An angry
bull, though why he should take it par.
ticu!arly 10 heart is dark mystery,
since tho remark applied not to any in
dividual, but to the whole Democratic
majority. With q fine disregard alike
of decencY and tho rules Of the Senate,
he arose and declared that if the Senator
from New York imputed bad faith to
him, or meant to intimate that any thing
he had done was not in good faith, then
the Senator from New York was guilty
of . falsehood, which Mr.. Lamar said q
repsl with all the unmitigated contempt
that feel for the author of it,
More supplementary language or a
worse breach of decorum had not oc-
CURED in the Senate since the ante
bellum fire. eaters ruled that body. Mr..
Conkling's reply was worry offensive.
but it was both parliamentary and we'll
deserved. After remarklng that he had
not fully caught Mr.. Lamar's opening
words, he continued:
l have only to say that if the Senator,
the member from Miss,ssippi, did i'm.
pute, or intended to impute, to me q
falsehood, nothing except tho fact OF
this Senate would prevent my denOun-
eng him - blaokguard and . coward.
{ Applause and hisses.] Let me be more
specific, Mr.. President, sh0uld the men,
ber from Mississippi, except in the pres
ence of the Senate, charge mo by init
nation or otherwise with falsehood,
would denounce him a. 0 BLACKBOARD as
. coward, and . liar. The rules and
OF the Senate are the only
tupon me. l do not think
need say anything else, Mr.. President.
Applause and Kisses.
In answer TO this, Mr.. Lamar said:
have only to say that the Senator
from Nov York understood me correct.
y. l did mean to say just precisely the
words, and all impaired. l beg par
don of the Senate for supplementary
language. II was very harsh; 1t WAS
very strong; il was such o. no man
would reserve, and no bravo man would
bear.
There the debate ended. In former
lime such insults could only be wiped
put in blood, and il il possible, though
that duel may take place be-
tween the angry Senators. But wheth-
81 folly or good sense rules their future
conduct. there can be no doubt that the
led by Mr.. Conkling, were
10 tho right, and the Democrats, as rep.
BY Mr.. Lamar, were in the
wrong on the question at issue. The
minority had perfect right
% insist upon beng granted an oppor-
unity 10 discuss the bill, and when that
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