Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-04-14

morn;no II vonld have been the height OF
stupidity and folly to have undertaken TINS ~
anv more omen wav Everything charseo
! against the republican side finds fact In ia
foundation in consciousness of the otner sioe
and it is 4 failure of efforts on it, part tnA'
ha. given the bitterness and vernieney 10 '"e
attacks upon the senator from virginia
Mr.. Pendlefon-I understood the seua'oi
10 say that by representative men negouauous
were opened with the senator rom ensm"
by which certain officers and the reorgani.a-
ton of the committees would be given to MN
or nut in his control if he would vote WIN
this side of the chamber. Am right'
Mr., Dawes-I say that il was attempted Oh
the other side TO negotiate with the senS.o'
from Virginia, and to ascertain rom mn"
what his wishes were in connection WIN 'ha'
side. and hat would be most agreeaoie 10
him: and think there are persons Will"
the sound OF my voice. who VIII recognize
what l now say, when say thar ne was
formed that the democratic parry had Stt
sick of bourbonism in Virginia, AMI was ue-
sirous of Joining with him IN this new ue-
parture.
Mr.. Pendleton-So far as believe the IL
formation given 10 the senator, Is aosoiu'e''
false.
Mr.. Dawes said the senator from Virginia
had raken his stand himself. He had taken
il deliberatlv. He had asked no questions.
and made no terms He had made no nego-
tiations and received no commission No
ran from the republican side had gone 10
/ him and asked him what Offices do you
want" No, without conference, determih
ing himself where his great work lay, re-
solved on the accomplishment OF II, ana
avaiing himself of all means within MS
reach for its accomplishment, with clear
sighted comprehension of the conflict OF po-.
litical forces in this country, he had taken
the only position open to him, and the bitter
ness opened upon him was the bitterness OF
disappointment, chagrin and faliure. bu'
the debate had to-day been opened on
new plan. The democratic party was lnVieo
TO saw to the country that though 1t might be
in a minority in this chamber it would die
tate what things should be done and what
things should not be done. The majority IN
this country must command. and all offers OF
the senator from Ohio, sank into an abyss
bottomless and destructive, when he said,
..But this and that we will not permit you t.
do" This was fight in which there could
be no compromise without obstruction, and
he who would yield hair of the omnipotent
will of the majority as it spoke through the
constitution and the laws of the land, was a
traitor to his country. Applause in the
galleries.
Mr. Harris-Does not the senator know
when he speaks about majorities that without
the aid OF this side of the chamber, the IS
senators on that side are utterly powerless,
under the constitution, to perform any act
which would be binding on any individual in
the land? You have no quorum.
Mr.. Dawes-Does the senator mean that
he will again secede, as he did 20 years ago:
Does he mean that he will not perform his
constitutional functions here, and that there
stands with him the whole Of thatparty which
the senator from Ohio tried to lift up to the
sky this morning, they will abandon their
seat, they will refuse to perform their func-
tops they will declare that this Senate shall
not proceed with its deliberations because
they do not like what the majority proposes
to DO: Does lie announce that we cannot ac-
complish anything without his aid? He ar
nounces only in new form what heard 90
years ago, when Il man got up here and an
nounced that he held an allegiance higher
than that of the Constitution which he had
sworn to support, and that he would turn his
back on his oath and his flag and go forth to
make war upon it. This is war in another
form This is as fatal, if it succeeds, to the
existence of the government of the majority
as was the undertaking of Jefferson Davis
when he announced the same doctrine
in another form, from where the
senator now stands. Has it come to life
again: Has it been resurrected after 90
years-of war, disaster and surrender on the
field? Has it come up here in this wild and
insiduous form, that the majority is helpless
unless the minority prove true to its oath and
its duty? If so, this days debate is more
important than any days debate which has
been had in the chamber since the foundation
IL
American people that there is a method of
overthrowing the will of constitutional
majority besides that which the senator fol-
lowed 2G years ago. 1t is far more danger
Gus than that, for the American people can
meet all their open enemies without.
Mr.. Harris, who had been for some time
cndeav oring to interrupt Mr.. Dawes here man
aged to obtain the floor.
Now, he said, THAT the frenzy of the sena-
tor has slightly abated, | beg to assume to
that senator that SO far as my constitutional
duties are concerned, they will be performed
as earnestly and as constantly, and l trust
with more frankness and manliness than the
senator has performed his on this occasion.
| meant this-that your boosted constitutions
al majority is no majority.
After some further remarks by Messrs
Harris and Dawes, Mr. Hill of Georgia, re-
ferred to the remark made by Mr.. Dawes, rela-
tive to attempts made by democrats to cap
turc Mr.. Mahone'svOte, and entered an EN-.
phatic denial of that charge. The point in
discussion was when, how and why the sena-
tor from Virginia became republican
That senator sat with republicans, acted with
republicans. and Joined with republicans in
slandering his own people. But why did not
the senator say he was a republican? One
word of his would be worth ten thousand
such speeches those of the senator from
Massachusetts.
Mr.. Malone rose to reply. He called the
Senate to witness that he had not in this de-
cision trans crossed the bounds ofpropriety but
that he had been courteous and respectful.
He denied that any senator on either side of
the chamber had ever approached him i'm
properly as to the organization of the Senate.
He did not presume any honorable man
would expect him to violate the ameneties of
life and to state what had taken place be-
tween himself and senators on the subject of
organization. 1t was true that he had been
asked by democratic senators as to what his
action would be in regard to organization.
but whether these senators who came to him
from either side came as representatives of
caucus he had never thought of inquiring.
His response to both had been alike in that
effect that he had no wish to prefer but that
he intended on all occasions to vote as he
pleased. He had come here with no obliga-