Morning journal and courier., 1880-03-19
AvILLAINOUs SCHEME.

i A VILLAENOUS SCHEMEs i The action of the majority of the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections in de termining to report 6 resolution to unsea Senator Kellogg Is something moro than ar attempt to reopen a case already adjudicate6 by the Senate. It is positive violation ot good faith, as look over the record shows At the first session of the Fo1ty-ffth Congress there was protracted and exciting contest over the admission of Kellogg, from Louis iana, and Butler, from South Carolina. The Republicans were in 8 majority, but as it was known that Messrs. Patterson and Conove1 Rspublicans) would yote with the Democrats to seat Butler, the two contested cases were finally disposed of by an agreement bstween the parties on the night of November 30, 1877, and both Kellogg and Butler were ad- mitted. Kellogg was admitted in pursuance of the following resolution. which the Com mittee on Privileges and Elections had pre- viously reported to the Senate after patient and thorough investigation of the case:
 Resolved, That William Pitt Kellogg is, upon the merits of the case, lawfully entitled to seat in the Senate of the United States from the State of Louisiana for the term of
 
 March, 1877, and that he be admitted thereto upon taking the proper oath.
 Pending the consideration of this resolu- tion, after midnight of November 30, an agree ment was reached by which the Senate was brought to a vote. This agreement was pro posed by Mir. Edmunds, who said in present ing it:
 I take the liberty to suggest once. more the possibility of our coming to an under standing as to taking a vote upon these ques- tiens, and I ask that unanimous consent be given in the usual method-not that the Jour nal shall bind as an order, but that the un- derstanding of Senators does I ask unan- imous consent to come to this understand ding among Senators First, to vote on the Kel- logg-Spofford case at or before 2:30 @. na. to- day. Second, to vote on the Butler Oorbin case at or before the expiration of one hour after the Kellogg-Spoford case is disposed of.
 In reply to this Mir. Thurman said:
 I hope the proposition will be agreed to, and aRk my Democratic friends on this floor to agree to it, and to trust to me that it will result in an arrangement perfectly honorable and fair.to both parties.
 The language above quoted clearly shows that there was an agreement entered into by Messrs. Ednunds and Thurman, in reference to the admission of Kellogg and Butler, and the result shows that this agreement was in dorEed by the parties represented by these two. The vote taken upon the resolution to admit Kellogg stood yeas 50, nays 28. Upon the announcement of the result Mir. Thurman rose and said, 'I move that M. c. Butler, of South Carolina. be sworn in as Senator from that State.' Upon this motion and without any declaration as to the merits of Buffers case he was admitted by vote of % to 28. Messrs. Patterson ard Conover voting with the Democrats
 That the Democrats knew there was such an agreement and entered intoit is further shown by their course in the secord session of the Forty fifth Congress, when MT. Corbin. of South Carolina appeared aud claimed tho seat of Mir. Butler, alleging t,le fact that MT. But ler's case had never been a2judicated on its merits by the Senate, which vas true, as we have seen. When the Eia-t~r came up in the Senate the Democrats were quick to claim that there was O we'll understood agreement under which Kellogg and Dutler were admit ted, and further understanding that their cases were to be regarded as settled. The Republicans recognized this claim, and enough either voted against Corbin or rsfrained from voting to leave Butler undisturbed.
 Nov, in the face of the fact that Kellogg's case was settled on its merits, and in shame less violation of an agreement which has been faithfully kept by the Republicans, 1t is pro- posed to do nothing more or less than to expel him from the Senate by majority vote, sup posed to be available for that purpose. It is 8 eharacterIstically Democratic scheme.