The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1880-05-13

WASHINGTON, May H. SENATE -
At the expiration Of the morning boar
the Senate concurred in the House
amendment to the joint resolution au-
thorizlng the President to call an in
ternational sanitary conference. The
amendment includes among the coun-
tries from which delegates are to be in
vited those subject to cholera.
The Senate then resumed considers
ton Of the Kellogg SpoffJrd resolu-
tons.
Hill OF Georgia, speaking in support
of them, said he proposed to discuss
chiefly the legal aspect Of the case, go
ing into.the facts as far &c necessary to
illustrate principles. It was conceded,
he ssid, on all hands that leeisla-
ture was chosen In Louisiana In 1915.
The question TO be determined, then,
is, which body claiming to be- the leg
islature was such legislature in faet.
II the true legislature choss Spoffcrd,
Kellogg was not entitled to his at.
Which, then, was the true legislature
Of the stateR Mr.. Hill commended thatit
was body of persons vested with au.
thority to make laws for a state. 1t
derives its power 10 make such laws
solely from the people under the con-
stitution. This being 90, it necessarily
follows that the people who confer such
power on the legislature must alone
have the right to say upon what body
Of men they confer tin other words,
the state must decide for itself what
body constitutes its legislature, and no
other person or power has any right to
decide for the state this important
question. The opinion has prevailed
in some quarters that when there were
two bodies in state, each of which
claimed to be the legislature, some
power outside Of the state, the Senate
for instant, could interfere and decide
which was the legally organized
body, In no possible contingency,
Mr.. Hill said, could such doctrine
hold good. II domestic violence
prevented the state from determining
for itself which was its true legislature
the President might be called upon to
put down violence and remove obstruc-
ton so as to give the state the freedom
to choose for herself her legislature,
but no power outside the state had the
authority to make that choice for her.
In the present case the State of Louis
lana recognized the Nichols leglsls.
ture before Kellogg was seated by the
senate, and decided that q Packard
Legislature was body whose enact
ments were not binding upon any per-
son whatever, and whose sppointees
had no valid titles; not only this, but
definitely recognized the Nichols leg.
stature, for its whole term wss absurd
to suppose that one body could be q
Legislature for one or two months,
and then the other body become the
legal assembly. The Nichols legis-
lsture was chosen in 1879 for two years,
and was the only legal body for the
entire two years. The Packard legis-
ature had at no time whatever legal
standing, the Senate having 80 de.
cided. Where does the Senate get the
power to reverse it il such power ex.
listed. Il would destroy the right of
self government in the state. Mr..
Hill would feel that he had discharged
duty il to-day he Paid nothing more
than this one thing, that there could
be nothing more dangerous than to say
that the Senate nor any power but the
state could determine what was the
Legislature If the Senate could go into
a states decree that any mob was It's
legislature, what would become of the
ststeG He warned bis friends from
the weaker part of the country to be.
ware. When the doctrine that the
Senate could reverse the action of
state prevailed, states would be at the
mercy of an outside power and lose
their rights forever. Pending the con-
clusion of Mr.. Hills argument the Sem
ate at 4 30 P. NJ. adjourned.
WASHINGTON, May H. HOUSE -
Tucker of Virginia, from the Commit
tee on Ways and Means, reported the
following bills, which were referred to
committee of the whole to regulate
duties on hoop, band and screw iron I;
to regulate custom duties on sugar I;
to regulate custom duties on certain ar.
ticles named therein.
Garfield of Ohio submitted report
of the minority upon the bill to regu-
late duties on hoop, band and scroll
iron. Ordered printed.
SENATE The president pro tenn laid
before the Senate a communication
from the Secretary of War recommend.
ing an appropriation of $76, 900 to
continue on the service of seventy
clerks engaged in preparing reports to
| expedite the settlement of the pension
applications, and which otherwise will
have to be discharged on the thirtieth
proximo.
The House then took up the Curtin
Yocum election case, from Pennsylva-
MIA, and after short debate was
adopted by 9 vote of 113 to 70, the
minority resolutions declaring the sit-
ting member, Yocum, who is Green
hacker, entitled to his seat.
The legislative, executive and judi
cial appropriation bill was reported
back from the Appropriation Commit
tee, and the House went into commit
tee of whole for its consideration.
| Atkins made short explanation of
the bull.
The bill was then read by sections
for amendments, and q number Of
amendments were proposed, reducing
the salaries Of the members. of Con-
Rress, but were rejected, and, without
having made any change in the bill.
the committee rose and the House
| took recess.
The evening session will be devoted
to the consideration Of the steamboat
bill.
CHICAGO, May 11.-A heavy rain
storm, accompanied BY wind, visited
a large section Of this state Sunday.
Tribune specials say The thriving vii
lage of Oisey, near Winchester, Scott
county, was nearly destroyed by the
fearful wind Sunday evening. There
was q cloud burst and terrific rain,
thunder and lightning just before the
catastrophe. The wind took q narrow
path, demolishing everything In the
way, lasting nearly three minutes.
Twenty buildings were either totally or
partially destroyed; no lives lost. The
fearful cyclone swept across the east
ern part of McLane county Sunday
night, damaging property to at least
the amount of 500, 900 in Arrowsmith
township. Twelve dwellings were ut
terly demolished, and q 100 acre orch
ard totally destroyed. In Empire
township damage was nearly as wide
spread, and many persons injured.