The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-02-02
CONGRESSIONAL.
PROCEEDINGS IN THE TWO HOUSES
YESTERDAY.
Routine Work In the senate Varied with
Some Talk by Way Of Variety
AbOut the Indians Count.
Ing the Electoral
Vote, &c., dc.
SENATE.

SENATE.
WASHINGTON, February 1.-Mr. Morgan
from the Committee on the State Of the
Law in regard to the electoral count, re-
ported Mr., Ingalls, resolution on thatsub'
ieCt with o substitute amendment. The
substitute Ia q concurrent resolution.
Be il resolved by the Sedate ths House Of
Representatives cOuctlrring; That the two
Houses Of Oongress shall assemble in the
Hall OF the House Of Representatives, on
Wednesday,, the 9th day OF February, 1881,
at l2 NJ, and the President OF the Sen.
ate shall be the presiding olliCeri that one
person be appointed teller on the part ot
the Senate and two on tho part OF tho
House OF Representatives to mskea list OF
the votes as they shall be declared; that
the result shall be delivered 10 the Presi.
dent OF the Senate, who shall announce
the state Of the vote and persons elected to
the two Houses assembled, as aforesaid ,
which shall be deemed declaration Of
the persons elected President and Vice
President oi the United States, and to-
gether with tho list of votes be entered on
the journal Of the two houses,
SIC. 2. Provides that II 1t shall appear
that any votes Of electors for President
and Vice President OF the United States
have been given on day other than that
fixed for the casting OF such votes by an
act Of Congress in pursuance OF the Con.
Etituticn Of the United States and II
counting or emitting TO count such votes It
shall not essentially change the resnlt oi
the election. They shall be reported by
the President Of the Senate In the follow.
ing manner: Were votes Of electors cast
on the - day OF -, 1880, to be count
ed the result would be, Tor A b for Presi-
dent Of the United - votes, and for O
d for President - votes. II not
counted the result would be for A d for
President oil the United States -
votes, and for O D for President OF the
United States - votes, but In either
event - Is elected President oil the
United States, and In the same manner for
Vice President.
Mr.. Morgan asked the present consider.
alton OF the resolution.
Mr.. Edmuuds said that inasmuch as the
Senator from Colorado [Teller] and him.
sell, two members OF the Committee from
which the report had come, either were
not invited or failed to get their invita-.
tions TO the meeting last night, at which
ho understood this amendment was agreed
upon. He thought they would like to see
It in print before committing themselves
for or against 1t. He thought therefore,
that 1t 60 over for one day under the
rule.
Mr.. Thurman required OF Mr.. Edmunds
what he meant by speaking OF the meet.
ing last evening. There had been no meet.
ing Of the Committee last night.
Mr.. Edmunds replied that his statement
had reierance to the meeting Of the same
body which he understood had been held
last night, and that at that meeting this
amendment had been agreed to.
Mr.. Thurman added that no meeting oil
the Committee nor OF the members OF II
had been held last night. p
The resolution was tabled TO be printed.
The remainder OF tho morning, hour,
until l o'clock, was occupied without &C.
tiOn in a discussion OF the resolution called
up by Mr.. Harris, Of Tennessee, TO give tho
House bills iavorably reported precedence
over other business every morning after
routine business, until half past o'clock.
The next half hour, which under the
new Anthony rule Ia appropriated 10 the
calendar, and until 2:10 was occupied by
Messrs. Kirkwood and Dawes In q further
discussion Of the Ponca Indian affairs, In
troduCed by the latter on the previous day
In his remarks on the klllingol Big Snake.
Mr.. KirkwoOd confined himself 10 q re-
ply TO Mr.. Dawes In which he said that
while ConCurring heartily in that Senator's
assertion that the good name Of the Gov.
ernment required the acknowledgment Of
wrong, when wrong had been committed
by It, and reparation, he didnot commend
an effort which seemed 10 show great
anxiety to find blots upon Its good
name, and great ingenuity to prove
1t had been doing wrong. AS to the com.
plant oil delay In tho response OF the Sec.
retary OF the Interior 10 tho Senate reso.
luton for information, he quoted from
the testimony before the report Of the
Ponca Commission 10 show that the Chief
Clerk Of the Department was repeatedly
before It as witness, with all tho mate.
rials and papers called for In his posses.
sion, and that many ot these had been left
with the committee and were contained In
their report. As 10 the charge ol killing
the Indian, that IL was wiltul, Cowardly
murder as asserted, and the inference that
Il was premeditated; he said that Big
Snake had been insubordinate In repeat.
edly leaving bis reservation In defiance OF
the agents refusal 10 give him permission.
The agent may or may not be insinCere In
HE representation that he was In fear OF
bodily harm from the Indian. But II was
not 4 fact that the latter had been be.
guiled into the agents office. The TACT was
he was expected at the agency and the agent
merely required the officer detailed to ar.
rest the Indian TO await bis arrival When
he did arrive. Big Snake resisted, declaring
he would rather die than be arrested, and
In thestrtggle that ensued, soldier sup.
posing the Indian to be armed, shot him
In Belt.detense, though 1t afterwards ap.
peared that he was not armed.
Senator Dawes had evidently allowed
his feelings on the Ponca question 10
beCloud his judgment in this case. he.
ietring to the recently published criticism
By Mf, Dawes upon the participation Of
the Secretary Of the Interior In the exam.
ination OF the members OF the PonCa Com.
mission before the Senate Committee.
Nearly that whole proceeding was some
thing outside Of his previous experience
In the conduct OF Congressional ihvestiga.
tions, or Of the tolerated treatment Of the
witnesses,
MI. Kirkwood did not think the
Senator intended to reflect on him
[Kirkwood as Chairman Of the
Committee, though the language
was susceptible Of that construction. Two
nhnosita theofies had been obtained In re.