The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1881-11-03
UNITED STATES SENATE.
SESSION EXTRAORDINARY. {

a-r
on THE oath the President pro tenn. laid be-
fore the Senate communication from the
Secretary of the Treasury, transmitting copy
of the report of James F. Meline to the
Treasury Department. Laid upon the
table and ordered printed. Mr.. Edmunds,
on behalf of the Judiciary Committee,
stated that in the opinion of that COM
mittee there was great doubt whether the law
warranted the method which has been followed
for the disbursement of moneys for the ex-
penses of the Senate since the death
of Secretary Burch. He then of
for the appointment of Chief Clerk Shober as
Acting Secretary of the Senate until the va
cancy caused by the death of Secretary Burch
should be filled, and empowering him to per-
form all the official duties pertaining to the
office of Secretary. Mr.. Pendleton stated he
The resolution was adopted without division.
The President pro tenn. laid before the Senate
message from the President transmitting q
communication from the Secretary of State in
response to the Senate resolution, calling for
information as to whether any action has been
taken by the government since the last Con-
gress toward protecting the rights and interests
OF the United States in the Panama Canal.
Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relation,
and an executive session followed.
On the oath the oath of Office was admins
| tered to Acting Secretary F. E. Shober. Mr..
Sherman called up his resolution authorizing
the Librarian Of Congress to receive and pre-
serve the papers of Count de Rochambeau, to
| await the action of Congress on the propo-
sition to sell the same to the United States
Government Mr.. Sherman stated that the
papers were now in the city, and consisted of
| about fourteen hundred original letters and
| military papers from the hand If Wash
ington, Rochambeau and others, of which
| t more than fifty have ever been pub
| lished. They contained, also, fifty-nine
| original maps of forts, camps, ETC. The
cost of the papers is $4,000. After a
| lengthy debate, in which Senators Cockrell,
Voorhees,, and Sherman favored the purchase,
and Senators Edmunds and ingalls, opposed it,
| as " "iatulent sentimentalism," Mr.. Sherman
| offered a resolution, which was laid over under
the rules, directing the Finance Committee to
| investigate the accounts for expenditure Of the
several appropriations for contingent expenses
of the Treasury Department since July 1, 1871.
In THE Senate on the 26th, Mr. Butler
offered resolution directing the Committee
on Printing to inquire why the Agricultural re-
ports for 1880 have not been distributed TO
| Congress. Adopted. Mr.. Sherman called up
the resolution offered by him 25th, for
an investigation into the disbursements
of the Contingent Fund Of the Treas
ury Department, after having modified it so as
| to read as follows "ResolUed, That the Com
mittee on Appropriations be directed to investi-
| gate the accounts for expenditures for the sew
| eral appropriations for contingent or other
expenses of the several Departments, in
Guiding the methods of making such dis
bursements, the character and disposition of
| purchases made and the employment of labor
| paid from such appropriations, and to report
| at as early day as practicable what further
| legislation is necessary to secure the proper
| disbursement of such appropriations, and that
| the Committee have leave to send for persons
and papers, and to sit during the recess of the
| Senate. The resolution was adopted, and on
| Mr.. Sherman's motion the Meline report was
referred to the Committee on Appropriations.
On the 9th on motion of Mr.. Ingalls, reso-
luton was adopted continuing during the re-
cess of the Senate the authority conferred upon
| the Committee onfhe Judiciary to examine into
the subject Of bankruptcy, and directing
the committee to report December next.
on the 2sth contest over the nomination OF
Clifford Stratham postmaster at Lynchburg,
Va, produced deadlock. Mr.. Hill, of Geor.
gia, spoke in opposition to the confirmation fol
| two hours. The debate was then continued by
Messrs. Morgan, Hoar, Merrill, Sherman and
Others at length the political feature of the
case and the importance attached to its probab BILE
bearing upon the result of the impending elec-
ton in Virginia being openly expressed and
distinctly emphasized. The speeches were in.
terspersed with number of rolls-calls and mo.
tions to adjourn, and other dilatory proceed
ings, and were also diversified by a spirited
coIloquy between Messrs. Logan and Voorhees,
as to which of the two had heretofore showr
himself the better friend of the Union soldiers