The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-11-01
DEFERRED TELEGRAMS.
Questioning the Authority.

Questioning the Authority.
WAsHINdToN, October 20.-lmmediately
after the senate went into executive session
this morning, the sergeant-at-arms made
his return of the order by which last hight
he was directed to bring in the senators
named therein as being absent without
leave. An animated debate ensued forth
with In regard to the power of the minor
ity OF the senate under the constitution and
sent senator's, the purpose of those gentle
men, the validity of the order being.
understood to be to prevent action on the
Lynchhurg postotlce nomination. After
speeches of considerable length by Messrs
Brown, Hill and Bayard and brief remarks
by many other senators, the following
protest was presented and entered on the
Journal together with the sergeant-at-arln
return The undersigned members oil the
senate of the United States hereby formally
and earnestly protest a against t hs
fercd and adopted yesterday under
rule prohibiting debate in the absence Of
n quorum of the senate by II vote of 10 to II,
and directing the sergeant-atarms to com
pel the attendance otthe senators named in
said resolutions
First, because said resolution is in viola
ton Ofthe fifth section OF the first article of
the constitution, which authorizes smaller
number than quorum OF each house to
compel the attendance OF absent members
only when the manner of such com
pusion and penalty for refusal to
attend have been provided, no provision
having ever been made by this senate Of the
manner of compelling the attendance of its
absent members nor any penalty offered
for their refusal to attend.
Second because said resolution and order
violates the freedom from arrest guaranteed
TO each member of the senate under article
|, section 6, of the constitution.
Third because said resolution and order
violates an unbroken, unquestoned ant
honorable usage and custom of the senate
under which members now absent have
paired and absented themselves, only unacl
such understanding.
Fourth, because said resolution was sud
denly and without any previous notice in
troduced and adopted at midnight with ne
opportunity for debate, and is an unwar
ranted and dangerous departure from The
line of precedents for the constitutional
government of the body. Signed: Senators
Bayard, West, Hampton Jonas
Farley Voorhees,, Davis, of Wes
Virginia; Hill, of Georgia Brown
NHliamS, hrOome, johnston, IuRn
Pendleton, Coke, Call, Marian, Ransom
George, Maxev, Walters, Jones, of Florida. "a
concur in the protest, with the understand
ing that it does not deny the power of tn,
senate, under the constitutional quorum, t.
prescribe arrest as q manner of compelling
the attendance of an absentee.
[Signedl ]. G.. GEORGE"
Tho protest was next discussed at great
length, and in reply it was vigorously
contended by Edmunds and others of the
republican senators, that the warrant die
not direct the arrest Of anybody, it having
been executed, they said, by reading it in Tho
senate chamber in the hearing of senator,
who had opposed to-day without compul
sion, Mr.. Edmunds also referred to the
journal of the senate to show that many o
the senator's who signed the protest in Ques
ton, had, on the oath of February, 1879
voted for an issuance of much more string
ent order which directs the sergcant-at
arms to compel the attendance of absen
members without warrant and without des
ignating the names of senator's to b,
brought in leaving the entire matter to thu
fscrgCl0t-at arms