National Republican., 1880-04-01
CURRENT CAPITAL TOPICS.
Lively Interchange of Words In the
Senate.
Sharp Pasongo between Senators Blaine and
Cnrpentor-Dlgnity OF tho senato-The
spofford-Kellogg Testimony "A
Stenographor the scapegoat-
Attack on General Brady
In the House, Etc.
Some Points ofpnr,lamentary Law Discussed.

Some Points sofPnrIiame entaIy Law Discussed
In the consideration of tho Special Def.
cheney bill IN tho Senate yesterday Mr.. Blaine
offered nm amendment 10 pay tho employees Of
the Government Printing Office for tho four
legal holidays. Tho Chair CMr. Rollins tom.
porarily presding) ruled tho amendment out
of order.
Mr. Blaine said II was entirely gratuituous
and unprecedented for the Chair to rule an
amendment out of order in tho absence of oh.
jections from any quarter.
Mr. Ferry said 1t had been very common
thing for tho Chair to do so.
Mr. Blaine replied that such proposition
had never been known to him during his long
parliamentary experience. Mr.. Blaine pressed
Mr.. Rollins for the reasons for his ruling.
Mr.. Carpenter eaid no one had right to
compel tho Chair to give a reason for his
ruling; to say under what rule his decision
was made. II was enough to say that it was
out of order under the rules.
I'VE have heard" said Mr.. Blaine, from two
distinguished parliamentarians who have pro-
sided over this body. Do you mean to say
that chair can make decision here, and WHOM
a Senator civilly asks him for his reasons, that
he can insolenty say, none of your business I
Ii such was tho ruling of previous presiding
officers of the Senate, ho was glad he had not
gotten iuto tho Senate earlier"
Mr.. Carpenter arose, and with deliberatior
that indicated he was going to make sharp
reply, said nobody was more glad than he
that the Maine Senator had not entered tho
Senate earlier. Laughtcr.l Upon that poin
there could be no issue Joined. Mr.. Blaine
| had charged him with advocating policy o.
insocnce in presiding officer. No man wa
more successful in argument than that Sonato
when he was knocking down hobbies set NJ
by himself. Ho had said nothing to warran
any such deductions. graduate of II schoo
| yI,nrn i,cp InI al Ia,
| rules had no pretext for ascribing to him any
| such theory. He did not doubt chair woult
indulge Senator in pleasant conversation
upon the subject of decision but he certanl,
could not be compelled to give reasons. A de
cison and tho opinion that followed wer
different things from tho Senator's demand
Lord Mansfield in giving advice to youni
judge going out to ludia said; Never give
| reason for o. decision. Your decision vii
generally be right, and your reasons for i
| wrong" Laughter.1
Mr.. Blaine said tho Senator from Wisconsin
had never served In tho House. which he ha
charged was ruled by in science. If he wa
not restrained by tho rules of the Senate h
would say that tho remarks of Mr.. Carpcnte
savorcd of impertincnce. Under tho rules 0
"insoleucc" of the House no such gag had eve
been attempted, n transaction wholly out q
keeping with tho boasted dignity OF the Sen
ate.
Mr.. Carpenter said he had never known til
Senator restrained by any rule of proprety o
anything else from saying exactly what h
pleased and when he pleased. Ii there wa
any restriction now felt by him he bcgge
him to remove it. He (Carpenter) was YER
glad that he had mover served in tho House
lie had never craved that honor.
Debate was continued in this strain som
time longer, whom Mr.. Carpenter declared
had two or thrco timos answered tho objection
made to what he had snd, and it was hardl
worth while to go further and answer crit
cisms upon what he had not said. EO san
into his chair with an assumed look of wear
ness and exhaustion, very annoying to his Of
ponent.
This meeting Of Mr.. Blaine upon his ow
ground and In his own aggressive style WI
highly enjoyed by tho Democratic Senator
and not wholly dlstasteful to some of his Re
publican colleagues.