Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1880-05-15
TELEGRAPHIC.
itXLyE CONGRESS-, b


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WASHINGTON, MAY Ia.


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= vud N SENATE. sJesr tng
: - :. WASHINGTON, May H.
= Senator Herman presented . peti~
tion of the maritime exchange BY 26
shipoWners and Is seameng of the
port Of New, York for, the passage
Of the bill transferring Pedloes', Is
land from the war to the treas
ury department, ,sfor marine hospital
purposes Aslarge. number of peti>
tions of manufacturers for the pas
sage ofthe Eaton tariff commission bill
were presented, among them one by
Senator Burnside (R. I.), represent
ing capital amounting to $200,O00,-
600 in the manufacture of cotton.
Senator Beck (Ky.), from the COM
mittee on finance, reported fayorably
on the house bill amending laws
relating to- internal revenue.
Placed on the calendar. Senator
Morgan (Ala.), from the select com>
mittee on counting the electoral
vote, reported adversely on the SEN
ate bill to fix a day for the meeting
of electors for president and vice
president, to provide for counting
electoral vote, and for decision of
questions arising therefrom. Placed
on the calendar. sR T@E a'a
!. He also, reported from the same
committee concurrent ' resolution
adopting a joint rule for counting
the votes of electors for president
and vice president. Placed on the
calendar. ii
Senator Eaton Conn presented
a memorial of Davis Hatch, of Nor>.
walk, Conn, praying for redress
for injuries sustained through the
action of the government Of San
Domingo, aided by the connivance
of American officials. Some debate
thereupon ensued, pending the con-
clusion of which the morning hour
expired and the matter went over.
After voting down the mo-
cion' to adjourn until Monday,
the senate resumed the consid,
GRAFTON of the Kellogg-Spofford
resolutions. 4 y
Senator Pendleton (Ohio), who
had the floor, said the constitution
made the senate the judge of Its
members. 1t was judicial body,
so far as it was necessary to deter
mine all matters relating to the
qualifications of those who claimed
seats therein. 1t had this jurisdic>
ton always, and could grant re-
hearings upon sufficient ground.
Therefore, in.hisjudgment, the prin-
ciple of res adudicata was not
strictly, applicable. If a man
should be admitted to seat upon
forged papers, the admission GERS
tainly could not be considered final.
The plenary powers Of rehearing
and reversal, however, should be
exercised cautiously and conserva,
lively. The courts granted
new trials only upon the dis
covery of fraud and error, or
new evidence. This senate would
respect the solemn decision of the
former one, unless it should plainly
appear that essential facts had been
ignored or fraud practiced, In the
present case all allegations as to
the illegality of the Packard legis>
lature, and the corruption of the
returning board and of Kellogg,
were made before the decision
of 1879, by virtue Of which
Senator Kellogg was seated. No
new evidence had been adduced.
He said he did not agree with the
Senator from Georgia that the de~
cision of state as to its legislature
must in all cases bind the senate.
The senate could not reverse its der
cisions to conform them to those of
state. Its solemn judgment must
be made upon the best evidence
procurable at the time as to Which
is the true legislature. The testi-
mony taken before the committee
in this case proved nothing
but the utter villainy of
witnesses. 1t did not prove Spof-
ford's charges. Whether they were
susceptible of proof or not, he did
not know, but he would not vote to
set aside the former action of the
senate upon such evidence, even if
it were new evidence. .'9F' .' .,
At the conclusion of Senator
Pendleton's argument, Senator Cam
eron wis spoke in opposition to
the resolutions. They were then
informally laid aside, and number
Of private bills were considered and
passed.
The bill to arrange for the better
accommodation Of the congressional
library was then taken up, and,
after some amendment, was passed.
adjourned till Monday.
HOUSE.
vau sH WASHINGTON, May A.
The house met at III o'clock, in