New-York tribune., 1879-03-04

i'm order to make n last appeal for their pet meas
ures Cabinet Ministers mngle with Senators. 1he
representatives of foreign powers and the ladies oil
their families look down from their exclusive
galleries; and heads of executive bureaus arc
busy looking after the appropriations for their
Offices
TIE SENATE QUIETLY AT WORK.
In the Senate business is going on as smoothly as
though the session had only just begun. Since the
recess which closed at o'clock this even
ing the conference reports on tie sun
dry Civil and the River and Harbor Appro-
priatiOn bills have been received and adopted
The former was strongly opposed by Mr. Edmunds'
who discovered III the bill paragraph whose
presence there illustrates of the most dangerous
practices known to legislation: the engrait
ing upon appropriation bills in conference
committee Of provisions never considered by either
House. and never submitted to conference. The
item in this case proposition to turn over the
waterworks at the Rock Island Arsenal to private
company. After some resistance by Mr.. Edmunds,
the bill was passed in spite of his objection.
After that one bill after another was taken mp in
the Senate and without debate it was passed or re-
icctcd. Many measures that wonld have been
stoutly resisted az any other time slid through to-
night almcst without objection.
srIHSGER FIDDLGNG srEApILYoN oNE sTRNG.
As soon as the House met in session and the Jour
nal Lad been read to-day, Mr.. Springer called UP his
resolutions mpcachng Minister Seward. and
they were read as were also the conclusions "i
the minority OF the committee rccommendln" tha'
thc whole subject be referred to the Committee on
fine Judiciar,. The whole of the day and evening
viththc exception ofthc short intervals consumedn III
hearing and considering reports OF conference com-
mttees and in receiving messages from the H'h"'''
las been devoted to thus cas-.
Co,nr,I Rutler from the Commit tee tho Ju-
dietary. TO which the contempt was referred
day before yesterday, offered the report oi that
committee, and attempted to have il considered as
2 question of higher privilege than the articles o
impeachmcnt which Mr. Springer mad presented.
The Speaker ruled against him.
General Banks appealed from the decision of tine
Chair. and made an exceedingly able speech IN sup
port of his appeal. II had already been shown tha'
one of the articles of Impeachment IL
cludcd the action of Mr.. Seward for which he WIS
held to be in contempt Of the House, and
that that snbicct at least had been taken away fia
Mr.. Springcr's committee and sent to the Com
mttee on the Judiciary.
Mr.. Springer saw the position IN which lie was
placed. and withdrew the article Of impeachment
relating to Mr. Stewards refusal to answer.
General Banks in his speech still held tha the re-
port which General Butler had made from the Judi
cfary Committee vas question of higher privilege
because if the articles of impeae hmcnt should he
adoptcd Mr. Seward would be in the custody of tho
Senate while the House still held him for contempt
The Sneakers ruling was sustained however, and
the discussion on the ease proceeded
Mr.. Springer had the floor for an hour when
the House met after the evening recess. The
whole evening up To midnight was con-
sumed in vain efforts by Mr. Springer To
Get q final vote but he would hardly get on his
for
eff or a Glibusterng motion would be intcrposed
He nav get a vote some time between now and ~
o'clock noon, but even that is doubtful.
Thi, whole movement of Mr.. Springer against
Mr. Seward is one of the most malicious and unfair
that has ever been made in any Congress; 1t -
nothing short of an attempt to degrade high Gov
crnment officer without giving MN an opportnh!y
TO have the case considered upon ITS merits ana a.
time when n trial will he utterly Impossible. Inc
discussion which has taken place to-day ana thlS
evening has not been OF a character Ia throw any
light upon Mr. Stewards record, and the voting mas
been almost exclusively partisan ~ IT'S cliaractef. ii
the articles of impeachment are adopted they can,
NOT he tried bv the senate. and Mr.. Seward will
therefore be left without any chance of an official
vlndicaton. This Is Just what the Democrats seem
to want
The articles of impeachment, ae drawn by
Mr.. Springer charge the following things
First. that while COnsul-Gcneral at ShaDg-
hal. and as Superintendent-Judge of the
Consular Court, Mr.. Seward was guilty
of Injustice tyranny, cxtortOn and bribery This
one that he corruptIy received 800 for adj
vice IN the settlement OF an estate OF one
SPEEDING while acting as Judge, and al
lowed this amount 10 be charged against
the estate ut the same time allowing thc executor
10 receive per cent for hs services although the
law allowed him l per cent. Next, that MI
Seward used his official influence 10 promote
the construction Of thew ooSung Railroad that he
drew money from the United States Treasury
upon vouchers .purporting to represent thtt
66is' 6is Court that he defrauded the Goycrnmenl
by pretending that his receipts were III deprecated
currcncy and charging the Government for eX-
change; that he received double salary rs Mn
lser and Cousul-Gencral, charging for the latter
in the name of Bradford; that without
authority of law he suspended Consu-C'cneral
Meyers and put Bradford III Meyerss place Tor the
himself and Brad ord and that he unlawfully took
certain books and other public records from Tue
Consulate at Shanghai 10 Pekn with intent to con-
ccal destroy or steal the same.
Mr.. Springer has at q. m. Just got the
House to the point of voting upon ms
articles of Impeachment, ana hr. CoIGer mas
each OF the seventeen articles Unless something IS
done to stop proceeding the House will still be
voting on these articles at IL o CLOCK to-day
TnE SENATE A LITTLE DROwSY.
An air of exhaustion and drowsiness now pcrvades
the Senate. The unreasonable hours i'll which the
body has indulged for week past have checked
the playful cXdbeTance of spirits which is usually
manifested by its members in night ses-
sions;. and even the jOlliest Of good fellows
among them seems rcsOlutely and severely intent
upon business. Not much of il is being accom-
plishcd, to be sure, bat the effort is not lacking.
Not a single word or act which could be con
sldercd a violation of the srictc,t rules Of dccOrum
ha. taken place "a marksd contrast in this respect
between this and the usual closing hours OF
session.
Very little OF general interest has occurred
in the Senate to-day. The Senate adjourned
mn and