National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-04-19
FORTY-SIxTH CONGRESS-.
Caucus Dictation Discussed in the
... Senate.
Proposed Amendment of the Order In Rola
ton to Removals - The Difference
between Then and Now - Poiiti-
cal Debate i'm the House
Real Motives for the
Repeal Shown, &c.
SENfTE.
FRIDAY. April is, 1879

inc Standing order OF the Senate so as 10 permit the
Secretary of the Senate and the sergeantat-Arms to
remove the employees without tho approval of the
presiding officer, as now required
Mr.. ANTHONY said they all understood that the
object to be accomplished was predetermined else
where, for there was higher power than the SEN
ate that governed the proceedings here.
Mr.. SALISBURY said the Senator from Rhode
Island had very fertile imagination. lie saw what
was not TO be seen and heard words which nobody
else heard. If the Senator meant to say that eau
Gus determined measures to be considered here he
SNlr salisbury as Democratic Senator, knew the
Mr.. ANTHONY replied that he derived his infor.
nation from an uiternnce on the Democratic side
OF the Chamber, for when the Senator from Massa-
chusetts (Mr. IIoar) had made an admirable and
nnanswernble speech on the revolutionary ten
The Senator from Kentucky lMr Bcck) said he was
indsposed to Introduce debate on q subject the
Senator from Ohio (AIr Thurman) had In charge.
and who was absent. When asked how a Senator
could have charge of q measure not introduced and
referred, the Senator from Kentucky replied the
senator rom ohio was chairman ofa committee of
n Democratic caucus and was pondering and con
slderlng what measures should be acted on, and
And why would they pass? Because they would
be agreed on in caucus.
The Senator from Kentucky also said It would be
improper TO debate in the absence of the chairman
OF the caucus committee, and thereupOn, In order
to avoid discussion the Senate adjourned. lie
Mr.. Anthony thought II to be his duty to opposc
the pending resolution although he knew that Il
could not influence the majority. who were about
TO crush ont breoedents md wholesome usages
WIN regard To- the officers of the Senate. lie called
attention TO what was Democratic doctrine twenty.
hve years ogo, and In that connection quoted from
The report of Senator Mason who with all the
other members OF the committee at that time came
to The conclusion that in order to preserve order in
We transaction Of business and to secure efficient
diligent, Acknowledgment officers they should not he
subject to removal. The object was TO make the
organization Of the Senate permanent, and to re.
move every inducement 10 linscttle Il.
Mr.. ANTiIoSY took occasion to speak in terms of
praise oil the satisfactory manner in which all the
and in conclusion said whether the necessary
duties shall be performed by those who were To
take their places remained 70 be seen.
Mr.. HILL defended the action of the caucus and
clled the removals made by the Republicans in 1861
asa precedent for the present action
read from bs snnc Pr OF ms previous Remarks
saim ON former occasion, and then replied to Mr..
jil,l, sagying That in 1861, when the serEcanut:
Arms OF the Senate was removed the Senate and
the country were in peculiar situation. Treason
was beginning to show itself in this city aud IN the
SCUM had burst into open rebellion and open war;
hlaiiy seats mere were vacant by men going into
bcllion against the Government they had sworn TO
support. was necessary that the elective officers
OF the senate should be in sympathy with the loyal
party OF the Constitution ana the Onion because
we elective officers had access to the secret sessions
ie senate ana were necessarily the depositaries
II was not deemed prudent those who were not
III inVOr OF the Union cause should be admitted to
shch sessions. The venerable Secretary of the
Senate Mr.. Dckens) was retained until he became
ineapable of duty from sickness and old age. Mr..
me employment of the Senate, were not only re-
tanned, but promoted. There were very few re-
movais, because some of the occupants Of place
went with their friends TO the South and the va.
canccS were filed with Union men,
Mr. iliLLtGa). fthe Republicans should again
MIR, ANTHONY. wifi answer that question when
Inc Time comes, cannot tell whether any rcb j.
lion VIII break out, though there are signs oft.
Mr., EDMuNDs offered substitute for the pending
proposition, expressing the opinion of the Senate
That good, intelligent, and dgent officers should
a nj To
nicnt transaction of business. This he said was in
substance the expression of the Democratic com.
Mr.. SALISBURY said he should not vote for the
substitute, because II implied that the majority
were not competent to appoint their own officers
ana 10 manage their own business. He had moth.
ing say against the employees of the Senate for
,hey mad acted toward him in a courteous and
kindly manner but he took 1t on himself to say
that the Democrats should select officers from their
own ranks lie knew of no good rule or reason
why they should not divide patronage with their
friends. As Democrat he would be untrue to his
party If he preferred his enemies TO his friends
Some places should be given to his Democratic
The morning hour expired before n vote was
taken on the pending question.
=, The Senate then resumed the consideration o.
Mr.. RANDOLPH said that the question, presented
in simple form, was this: As a condition o
granting supplies to the army has Congress a RICH
10 demand redress of what majority of III,
members deem grievances" concerning It's use
lie had grave doubts, not as to The powers of Con
grcss, but as to the eXpedency of The use of thu
power and in glancing at the history of New Jer
sey, said the unceasing assertion OF the right u
JeIseymen did more to quicken into active life III;
germ of State Independence than ali other contro
rsrsles anle'daing the present revolutionary strug
Mr.. GRooME proceeded to make statement o
the use Of the military in Maryland. His recltal
OF alleged outragcs were, however, confined to tn
period of the rebellion, when his State was in
condition OF semi hostility to the Government.
ON motion of Mr. GARLAND at 3 p. m, the Senat
were fe-opened, at $40. adjourned until Monday
HOUSE or REPRES ENTITIES.
On motion of Mr.. CLYMER, the morning hour wa
dispensed with, and the House, at 1915, went int
Committee Of the Whole (Alr. Blackburn in III,
chair on tie legislative appropriation bill
Mr.. MCKINLEY addressed the committee. III
characterized the purpose of the Democrats IN re
pcaling the election laws as a bold and wanton at
tempt to wipe from the laws all the security throw
around the ballOtbox, and deliver its security int
the hands of hired repcatcrs in the North and q
the tissuc'baot cheats at the South. II had bee
the original purpose of the Democratic party to nc
peal all the election laws, but the modification
which had finally been agreed upon was no cor
cession In the interest of the security Of the ballot
IL was, however, virtual concession of the powe
Of Congress 10 pass the complete body OF those laws
The people loved honest elections, and sooner o
later would have them. The public sense abhore
fraud force intimidation, or restraint at the ballot
box In whatever form il came, aud the party whicl
practicedsuch methods of carving elections wou
honest and enlightened public sentiment lar
pause on the Republican sidel
II free elections could not be had in the Unite
States lheh nee government was farce. The Ike
10 this assault upon the election laws might b
discovered In the desire of the Democratic part
10 secure the Presidential election in 1850. Frau
and force the great weapons OF the Democrat
party, must go on unrcstr0ncd, and the pathwa
Oi that great party 10 absolute control must not b
obstruced. His colleague from Ohio (AIr. Garfield
had been criticised for uucring the threat that th
PRESIDENT would veto the appropriation bills II hi
ieBlhinion was attached, The threat had come bI
lore TINS Congress had been born. In the Forty
MN Congress Mr. Mcmahon, of OHIO had state
That me legislation would be placed upon the al
preparation bills, because, ii passed separately III
President wouldsveto II. ~
There was the threatened revolution and IL ha
come ron the other side of the Chamber nj
Democratic party was restored but not rcconstrnC
ell. ~ was rs intent IN controlling this Cover
ment III us own way and In defanco of the COpst
tuition to-day as II had been in the old DAYS of s
very. But Il had the Executive then; thank 90,
II did not have the Executive to-day. IL had hoe
announced by the gentleman from Kentucky mi
Blackbufn) That the Democratic party did not il
tend TO stop until 1t had stricken nom the statu
book the last vestige Of the war measures.
Mr. MCKINLEY quoted from bill reported In
year from the Committee on Invalid Pensions r
pcalng the laws prohibiting the payment OF pc
Sions to persons who were disloyal during the +
bellion, US an example of the laws which the Der
ccrats wanted TO repeal, Therefore he had not bee
surprised 10 find III Southern paper an artic
lnquifing If the Yankees did not feel queer
think That they mad been beaten after all and tn
The South had CuDturpl the lnpitnl. Hut Ind n