The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-04-06
FoRTY-sIXTH CONGRESS
WASHINGTON, April 5.
SENATE.

Jones, OF Florida, and Teller. Passed.
1t permits the affidavits required b
those statutes To be made before count
clerks, instead Of before q register or re
4 ceiver Of land in the district, thus equalil
I ing the provisions in this respect Of tn
9 homestead and pre-emption laws.
The joint resolution directing. 1000
copies Of the medical and surgical histor,
Of the war OF the rebellion TO be printed
S which was reported adversely from th
q Committee on Printing was indefnitel
postponed.
The bill to authorize retired list o
non.commissioned army officers Of 8
years service, was opposed by Salisbury
and pending debate the morning hour ex
!; pired. The Senate then resumed the con
sideration OF the Ute treaty, and at tn,
close Of the discussion the Senate held al
executive session, and when the doors re
opened adjourned.
HOUSE.
At the conclusion oi the call Of th,
States Mr.. Manning rose to question o
personal privilege, and sent to the clerk'l
desk and had read an article which ap
peared in a Washington paper on satur'
day relative to the action OF Mr.. Springer,
Chairman of the Election Committee in
the Donnelly-Washburn case.
The article in question, after giving an
account OF the charges against Mr.. Spring.
er, stated that Mr.. Manning had substan,
tiated all that was contained therein.
Mr.. Manning said, at is due alike to
Mr.. Springer and myself that should
make a statement in reference to the ar
ticle."
Mr.. McLane-Explain to the House in
what respect it is a question of privilege
for you.
Mr.. Manning-If the gentleman will
hear me through perhaps he will receive
a satisfactory answer, and l beg the gentle
man to remember what the article con-
taips. It states that l substantiated all that
Is contained in it. That is not true and
therefore have right to be heard. I do
not propose to refer to the course OF the
gentleman from Illinois in the election
contest in question, but leave that
| HuUlly uutouCutu bu lhE no pObolDlc.
have not had at any time disposition TO
go further than my duty requires me; to
discharge that duty gives me no pleasure,
but while the gentleman from Illinois has
been advised by me by letter OF my objec-
ton to his course and action taken and to
be taken by me, 1t is my purpose now 10
treat him with utmost fairness, observing
all proprieties OF our respective positions
and all conventionalities used among
gentlemen, prompted by that spirit shall
proceed 10 refer 10 some oil the statements
contained in that article.
Mr.. Manning proceeded to state that the
portion OF the article which stated that the
Democratic members OF the Committee on
Elections had met in Springer's room and
unanimously agreed to support the SUBJ
committee, was totally untrue. The first
paragraph Of the article stated that he pro.
posed TO demand an investigation OF GER
tain charges against Springer; that was
wholly without authority by. anything
that he had said. In the next place It
stated that he had charged that Springer's
conduct was based on corrupt motives. In
80 far as that language was contained to
mean that he had charged Springer as re.
ceiving money by his action in this case as
amember OF the committee, he desired 10
say that he had preferred no such charge
So far as the anonymous letter was con-
cerned, Springer had been informed OF the
course, he deemed 1t his duty to pursue
that course; he did not deem It important
or proper TO make known the statement;
that he had substantiated all the charges
contained in the article was untrue, and
also the statement that he had determined
to ask for q committee TO investigate
Springer's conduct.
Mr.. Springer (speaking with the same
feeling)-I have been inpublic life many
years, and up to this time no charge OF
this kind has ever been made by any one,
so far as know, affecting the integrity OF
my course as representative OF the peo.
Pile, and OF course was much surprised
when I saw this article in the Post last
Saturday. The gentleman from Missis.
sippi has. ALREADY taken occasion TO deny in
his place that portion Of this article which
refers to the meeting OF the Democratic
members at my room, at which meeting,
this article states, we agreed beforehand
to endorse whatever report the sub.com.
mittee might bring in. OF course 1t was
hardly necessary for the gentleman to de-
nounce. the statement, iorit bore evidence
on its face Of being afalsehood. No set Of
gentlemen could meet together and agree
| to any such thing. propose, Mr.. Chair
man, to refer to this article in detail, be-
cause 1t Is question Of privilege affecting
my integrity. It is quite natural that 1
should have applied TO the editor to know
who was responsible forthe article.
Springer read letters from the editor and
reporter OF the Washington Post, claiming
that when the statements contained In the
articlein question were submitted to Man.
ming previous to publication, the latter
said they were substantially true. Springer
said he would leave the question OF yeracity
between the Post and Mr.. Manning, and
II was q question in which he had no con-
Germ. Springer then made a detailed
statement showing almost conclusiyely
that the anonymous letter offering Mrs.
Springer s., 900 for his vote for Donnelly
was written by Donnelly's friend, II. Fl.
Finley. His statement put Donnelly in a
bad light.
Springer said, in reierencet to the intima.
ton Of Finley, that Tilden desired him to
vote Tor, Donnelly, that he did not believe
TiIden SO desired, butt he did, he was moi
his man-that he would decide the case on
It's merits, according to the law and the
facts.
He concluded his statement by asking
II any gentleman In the House, except the
gentleman from Mississippi (Manning)
would charge him with practiCing decep,
ton. No enc arose. Springer said he did
not need an investigation, but that he did
not shrink from one. He would 90 on
the stand and repeat his statement undel
. oath. BE had acted consCientiously and
the friends OF Donnelly had known FOL
months that he had legal objections L
seating him. He was corroborated by his
! colleagues on the committee. He was ap
plaudsd at the clese on both sides Of tht
House.
Mr.. Manning closed the discussion. HI
would not have any controversy with thl
Al a :, -