Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-12-16
SENATE DOINGS.

Blatns's Clay tom Bulwer Treaty Letters
Submitted
WASHINGTON, Dec. 15.-PetitioHs wers
presented by Sherman and Ferry for the regu
lation of railroad transportation routes, and
by Plumb and Mitchell for the regulation o,
taxes on bank deposits and checks.
Sherman, from the committee on finance
reported favorably with amendments the bill
to provide for the issue of 8 per cent. bonds
Sherman will ask it's consideration immediate
ly after holiday.
Bills introduced and referred: By Coke, to
regulate interstate commerce and PROHIBIT un.
just determinations by common carriers. By
Beck, to repeal taxes on deposits with banks
banking associations and bankers By
Plumb, to authorize the issue of silver GER
tificates and standard silver dollars on deposit
of silver bullion; also, to grant the right OF
way through Fort Bliss military reservation
to the Rio Grande & Ell Paso Railroad com.
pany.
By Ingalls,, resolution instructlng the
committee on pensions to inquire and report
what increase OF pension, if any, should be al
lowed the widow of Abraham Lincoln.
Adopted.
The subjects referred to in the presidents
message were referred to appropriate commit
tees.
The resolution for woman suffrage COM
mittee came up, but the morning hour expired
without action upon it
The discussion on tie presidential success
sion in contingencies provided for was re-
sumed, and Garland addressed the senate. He
said the president pro tenn. of the senate and
speaker of the house had been held to be Off
GERS in the sense in which the word
is used in the clause of the constitu-
ton, inasmuch as they were officers
DOUBT had been thrown upon it to require the
matter to be placed beyond further cavil. His
answer to the objections of the senator from
Kentucky (Beck) that 'cabnet officers, to
whom the true succession is given by his bill,
might be Ineligible as not possessing presi-
Dental qualifications" was, that require
meDt that such officers. shall have theV quail
ficafions could be added to the bill, and also
provision to meet the possible case of the cab
met b ing implicated as particeps criminis
with an lmpeached president.
He disa greed with that sen tor as to the pro-
priety of vesting the provisional succession in
judges of the supreme court, as the president
isl duties were beyond question such as re-
quired an executive rather than judicial or
legislative officer. The succession should
descend in that line which was indicated by
the verdict at the quadrennial election.
AS to when presidential inability arises, or
as to determining that inability, he said con-
gress is unable to determine, and the only
means for the determination Of that question
would be constitutional amendment. The
clause of the constitu ton simply gives t.
the right to say what OFF,
Ger shall acts and neither in
that nor anywhere else is it empowered to
pass upor inability The truth is, it was in
tended to be left to the president and vice.
president as matter to be settled between them
If Vice. President Arthur was in full accord
with President Garfield, did any one doubt he
would he called on to act in the latter's stead
within ten days after the president Was shot?
Because it was then generally known, not
withstanding the dispatches that went out
from Washington to the contrary, that the
president would not survive.
Suppose the idea of the inability OF the
president had become generally entertained by
the country, and that upon being waited on
and informed of the popular belief, he denied
there was any ground for it and held'ontO his
flee, how could the remedy be applied?
There was no remedy, for behind the presi-
dent was the military TO support his claim.
There was no means for determining what
constituted inability, as the constitutional
provision was intended to be self sustaining,
without any intervention by congress with the
coordinate branch of the government.
Various instances of inability might be sug.
gested, one of which was the absence Of the
presidentat at the head of the army, IN which
case the vice president would act. He assert
ed he had proposed vesting the succession in
executive officers in contra distinction With
legislative and judicial officers of the govern
off nh tn nhippfI0na
that had not been suggested, was the best he
conceive Of.
Coke urged the duty of congress to provide
promptly for averting these complications.
Jones lFlorida), advocated an amendment to
Beck's resolution, so as to provide for an IN
quiry whether any additional provisions of
law or changes in the power OF the consttu
ton are necessary to secure stability in Office
of the president pro tenn. of the senate when
the vice president becomes president OF the
United States in the contingencies provided
for.
Jones' argument was not concluded, when
message was received from the president of
the United States, transmitting communica-
ton from the secretary of the interior in refer
ence to applications of the Chicago Texas &
Mexican Central and st. Louis & Santa Fee
railway companies, for the right OF way
acress the lands of the ChoctOw nation,
10 Indian Territory, for building proposed
railroad and telegraph line. The communica.
ton was accompanied with copies of instruc-
tions and report by special agent designa-
ted to present applications to the authorities
OF the ChOctaw nation, with bill passed by
the general council and approved by the prin-
cipal chief, granting such right of way subject
to ratification by congress, and report OF
the Indian commissioner in fiv0r OF the pro-
posed legislation, in all OF which the secretary
cOncurs. Referred to committee on railroads.
Brown, from the committee on territories,
reported favorsbly bill ratifying the action
of the council of the ChOctaw nation, grant
ing the St. Louis & Saut4 Fe tailrOad COM
pany the right of way Tor railroad and tele-
graph line through the territory. On motion,
placed on the calendar.
Plumb introduced bill granting the right
of way through Fort Selden military reserve
ton, New Mexico, to the Rio Grande, Msza-
can & Pacific railway. Referred to committee
on military affairs.
The chaie also submitted an executive mes
sage. transmitting report from the.sec' etary
of state, with accompanying papers touching
the proposed modification of the Clayton
Bulwer treaty of 1850, b tween the United
States and Great Britain. Ordered printed and
referred to the committee on foreign relations.
After short executive session the senate
adjourned till tomorrow.
Convention Of Chiefs II Police.
CHICAGO, Dec. 15.-The convention OF
chiefs of police of the United States met to-