Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-02-04
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.
The APportiOnment Bill Under DIs.
eussiOn In the HOuse-Mr. Nor
gan's Electoral Count Resolution
Republican FIlIbusterIng-Tar1
DiscussiOn-The River and HarbOr
Bill.


buSH eases. hcltIfeQ.
The House then resumed consideration
of the spportionment bill.
Mr.. Cox. of New York, offered an amend
ment fixing the number of Representatives
at 3O7, and 1t was ordered printed and con-
sidered.
Mr.. Sherwin, Of Illinois, a member of the
Census Committee, took the floor upon the
bill. There was no reason that an apportion
ment should not be made at this session,
since all the data was In on which to make
the calculation. Comparing the various
bills which had been proposed, he showed
that at the number first suggested by Mr. Cox.
of New York GOD, the Democratic States
would sgain Representatives and lose 2,
net gain of 6. The Republican States
would gain 10 and lose s, net gain of 2.
At the number selected by the majority of
the committee DID, the Democratic
States would gain IL and lose none,
and the Republican States would
gain 10 aud lose 4, net gain
Of G. At 3l9, the number recommended
by the minority, the Democratic and Re
publican States would each gain 13 Repre-
sentatives. He argued in support of the
latter bill, coDtending that, mathematically
as well as politically, it meted out exact
justice and fairness to every portion Of the
country.
Mr.. Crowley, of New York, opposed an
increase in the number OF Representatives
in Congress. He thought the House was
already large enough. He also pointed out
that under section of the 14th amend
ment, voters as well as numbers, might be
taken into account in appOrtioDiug represen-
tation. and whenever any State denied to
any male citizen over the age of twenty one
the right to vote, in his judgment that State
/ should be denied representation in Just the
proportion in which it denied such right TO
vote.
Mr.. Thompson, of Kentucky, said he was
IN favor of increasing rather than decre2s-
Ing the numerical strength OF the House.
Alluding TO section 2 of the fourteenth
amendment, he asserted that it was utter
lY impossible to enforce II by legislation or
( IN any practical way. He then proceeded
( to compare the various apportionment bills,
! and argued in favor of the majority bill as
/ being the best and faiTest. It was fair to
/ every State and section. If any section
/ should receive any advantage, that advan-
I tage should be given to the South, because
j that section had been for ten long years
! deprived Of fair representation.
/ Mr.. HOrr, of Michigan, thought an appor-
/ tiOnment bill founded on the last vote Of
/ the people would meet the requirements of
I the Constitution much better than one
/ based on the census. He pointed out that
I on the basis of the last vote the Southern
! States were getting more than their proper
/ tion of Representatives. Mississippi and
/ Alabama for instance, had and s, while
/ on the basis of their vote they would be en-
! titled only to and 5.
1 Mr.. Hammond, of Georgia, suggested that
/ If Mr.. Horr's plan was adopted the best
way for the Republican party to succeed In
/ Georgia was to refuse to vote at all, and
thus reduce the representation from that
/ State.
Mr.. Horr-It comes so nearly to that al
ready that it does not make much differ
ence.
In concluding bis speech, Mr.. Horr said
he believed that the majority bin had been
drawn up for the purpose of giving greater
strength to the South. For one he was
/ fully determined to oppose the measure.
A brief colloquY followed between Messrs.
Horr and McLane Gs to the alleged crush
/ ing out of the colored vote in the South, the
latter maintaining that since the election of
| Hayes, at least, the negroes OF the South
/ had voted as they pleased.
The subject was finally laid aside and Mr..
/ King, Of Louisiana, introduced bill sppro-
priatiug 500, 600 for the purchase and distri-
/ button of seed cane. Referred.
The house then adjourned.
SENATE PROCEEDINGS.
In the Senate, Mr. Kirkwood, from the
/ Committee on Post Offices and Post Roads,
reported back Mr.. L0gsn's joint resolution
providing for the extension of the franking
members Of Congress from the executive
/ departments on business of their constitu-
ents. He said the committee were equally
! divided on the merits Of the proposition and
had concluded to report it back without
recommendation, and asked that 1t be
placed on the calendar. So ordered.
The bill introduced by MIR. Plumb, to
grant the right of way through Fort Bliss
| reservation to the Rio Grande aud El Paso
/ Railroad Company was referred TO the Com
I mittee on Military Affairs.
On motion of Mr.. Morgan, the concurrent
resolution introduced by him on Jdne 10,
I 1880, declaring that the President OF the
/ Senate is not invested by the Constitution of
| the United States with the right to count
/ the votes of electors for President and Vice
| President of the United States, so as to de-
I teTmine what votes shall be received ana
! counted, or what votes shall be rejected,
was taken up. Mr.. Morgan briefly explain
4 ed the resolution, adding that ne was pre-
/ pared to voteupon 1t.
Mr.. Edmunds opposed the resolution as
halfway measure, and said 1t did not cover
/ one-third of the whole question involved.
Mr.. Thurman favored action on the reso-
I luton without debate.
Mr.. Edmunds moved to lay the resolution
/ on the table, but the motion was rejected Dy
! party vote Of 32 to %.
! At the expiration of the morning hour
! consideration of the calendar was postponed
/ and the discussion of Mr.. Morgan's resolu-
\ ton was continued.
| After a speech by Mr.. ConkIing, Mr.. Ed
mu1ds moved to amend the resolution so as
TO make It read: ''In the opinion o: the Sen,
ate neither the Senate, nor Senate and
/ House, nor President Of the Senate, Is
/ invested by the Constitution with the
right to make the count" This amend
ment was voted down-ayes Is, nays 70.
party vote.
/ - -rryr- = ~. : - ~ ant
I Of the Senate was q ministerial one, and
that the Constitution had made no provision
for the exercise of judicial power in case OF
| two returns from the same State. Ihls
omission, he thought, it was the duty OF
Congress to supply. He should vote against
Mr.. ConkIing, in reply to Mr.. Whyte, took
the ground that Congress had always exer-
cised a quasi judicial power In all matters
nertaininr to the count, and that the whole
history of the government was contradic-
tion Of the idea that the President OF the
| might hinge the ascertainment and declara
ton of the Presidential vote.
! After further remarks by Messrs. Blaine
/ Morgan and Thurman, vote was taken
upon agreeing to Mr.. Morgan's resolution,
| It resulted ayes 80, nays l (Whyte OF
Mary land). The Republicans, with me ex-
ception Of Conkling, who voted with the
democrats. RETAINED from voting.
! The roll was then called to ascertain
whether a quorum was present, when forty
Senators responded to their names. There
were indications at this point OF a pro-
tracted session, the Republicans seeming
determined to adhere to their obstructive
tactics. Mr.. Morgan, however, hnally
moved to adjourn, and the motion was
carried.
DISCUSSING THE TARIFF.
When the Ways and Means Committee OF
the House adjourned on Tuesday a motion
was pending to reconsider the vote by which
the committee decided to report adversely
to the House the Hurd tariff resolutions.
This morning Mr.. Frye renewed the motion,
which was csrried-yeas, FELTON,. Kelley,
Conqer. FRYE, Dunnell and Mckinley, o;
naye. Tucker, Mills and Carlisle, 3. Mr..
Phelps. who would have voted yea, was
naIred with Mr.. Wood, who was absent on
account of sickness.
Nr. Frye then moved TO postpone sll fur
ther consideration of the resolutions to four
weeks from to-day, which was also carried
"Sto4. Mr.. Morrison, who did not vote
before. voted on this proposition In the
negative. - oo,,r,,ttao ra-
,,oTted substitute for Mr.. Kelley's Dill 70
PaboIish discriminating duties on goods from
east Of the Cape Of Good Hope The suo-
stitute contains 8 provision as aHectlng
| .-,<1a oouafup through the AcGncT-