The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1879-06-12
Jurors Test Oath-Scene in the Senate.

Jurors Test Oath Scene in the Senate,
The Baltimore Anaericass's Washington
correspondent, under date of the 9Th, gives
the following account of remarkable scene
in the Senate, in which Senator Edmunds
opened the eyes of the Democratic judicial
headlights to some bf their plumbers
The proceedings in the Senate to-day were
certainly the most remarkable of anv that
have taken place this session. Mr.. Edmunds
having made only part OF his speech on the
repeal OF the test oath yesterday, he CON
cluded it in two-hour speech to-day. There
were large number of spectators in the
gallery, and many members occupied seats
around Mr.. Edmunds, for his speeches, though
always marked by their logic and force. are
devoid Of all rhetorical flourish or idle fus,
tian. His speech to-day was a very strong
one, and although the only one OF any length
on the Republican side, was enough in itself
to startle the Democracy, and to set their
leaders at work to think out some method OF
relieving the bill of the plumbers and vicious
features so ingeniuously pointed out. 1t was
Edmunds who once before pointed out the
glazing defects of a Democratic scheme,
which, as it was charged, secured its veto,
and the Democrats acknowledging the weight
OF Edmunds' objections to the Test Oath bill
to-day were rot willing to have the bill de.
fective, as it was shown. to be. 20 to the
White House. Rpt it could not be amended
in the Senate, for it had passed through all
the preliminary parliamentary forms, and was
awaiting the final action, which was veto
on its passage. Amendments, therefore, were
out Of order, and thus the Democrats found
themselves in the predicament of being COM
PEELED to move the rec0mmittal of the bill to
the Judiciary Committee, in order that it
might be perfected. Mr.. Davis, of Illinois,
was first to recognize the truth of Edmund's
criticism. and it was at his instance that
Bayard moved to recommit the bill. This
motion was the source Of considerable sur
prise all al ound, aud had the effect of cutting
off Conkling and Blaine in the speeches they
had intended to make this afternoon. These
two senators, however, seemed bound to have
TIER say about something, and went to work
at Thurman. The latter left the chair and
replied to Conkling in Very severe speech.
Blaine, however, nothing daunted, and with
out any regard for Thurman,s angry coun-
tenance, took up Conklng's cause and went
at Thurman in the most aggressive manner
In the midst of this cross-fire, and while sew
eral senators had tainted the Democrats
with backing down, Thurman in the most
excited manner took the floor again, and in
closing his remarks insinuated that Edmunds
was only making sophistry for the President,
who, he said, was unable to think for him
self; and, proceeding further, he said that
ne dld not want s1ch sophstry revarbsratel
back from the White House, and charged
that Republican senators and members, who
were not even friendly to the President, had
by bulldoZing or coercion forced the Presi-
dent to veto some measures recently which
he never otherwise would have vetoed. This
was an undisguised thrust at Edmunds, but
the latter, without taking it to himself, SIM
ply rose and asked that Thurman be called
to order, at the same time demanding that
the offensive language thus used be taken
down. The Stenographer was then called
upon to read the offensive language, and he
did SO. Meanwhile, Thurman looked per-
fectly thunderssruck, while blank astonish-
ment sat upon the face of every Democrat.
1t was one OF the few times in the history of
the Senate where a senator has been called
to order and his offensive language read by
the stenographer. But to-day the humlia-
ton OF Mr.. Thurman and his friends was
intense, from the fact that the disorderly
senator in this instance was also the Presi-
dent pro tempore of the Senate. For mo-
ment or two after this point was made the
two parties simply eyed each other-the Re-
publicans with mschievous looks of triumph
and the Democrats with unfeigned surprise
To make the scene more ludicrous, Houston
OF Alabama, a new senator, distinguished
for his corpulency and lack of modesty, thrust
himself forward and demanded to know by
what right senator could thus be called to
order and have his speech reported and read.
Mr.. Blaine happened to be on his feet at the
time and the Alabama statesman was soon
quoted. Then it was that the great chief
tain, Thurman, rose to defend himself but
he was reminded by Mr.. Conkling, that I'M
der the rules, he could not speak except by
unanimous consent. MIR. Thurman did not
attempt to disguise his feelings any longer,
Mr.. Edmunds insisted that under the rules
he could not speak except by unanimous
consent Mr.. Garland, who was in the chair,
sustained this point. Whereupon Mr.. Ed
munds, with smile, said that the Republi-
cans would be magnanimous and allow the
senator from Ohio, who was on trial, to de-
fend himself. Mr.. Thurman Immediately
went into vigorous defense of his right to
say what he had said, and maintaining his
urther right to speak with out unanimous
consent. He chided Mr.. Garland for his
hasty decision in the chair. The latter,
however, again decided that Thurman could
only speak by unanimous consent, but, OF
course, nobody objected.
On motion to recommit the Democrats
became divided, and Voorhees,, who seemed
unusually excited, bitterly arraigned the Ju-
dietary Committee for reporting defective
bill. COnkling then announced that he
would not vote at all, but would allow the
Democrats to extricate themselves as best
they could. The roll was called and not
Republican senator responded, while eight
Democrats voted against Bayard's motion to
recommit. There were not quorum voting
however, and Conkling very politely inquir-
cd of Thurman, who occupied the chair, how
many senators had voted. The latter an>
swered, in a surly, abrupt manner, that the
senator from New York would find out if he
waited long enough. The Republicans, in
order to make quorum, then voted no."
and number of Democrats changed their
votes to no, and the motion to recommit was