Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-02-03
FORTP.SIITH CONGRESS-.
THURSDAY, February 3.

SENATE-Mr. Herman, from the committee
on finance, reported adversely Senate bill to
provide for the refundiDg OF certain taxes In
conformity with decision of the Supreme
Court. Indefinitely os,poned.,
Mr. Jones tFla-) from The committee on pub
Tic buildings, reported favorably. with amend
ments. The House bill for puolic building at
Rochester, n. Y. Placed on Calendar.
Mr. kirkwood from the committee on post
Offices and post roads. reported back the Senate
joint resolution In regard TO the extension OF
The ranking privilege. He said the committee
was equally divided on the merits OF Lac prooo-
siliOn. and had concluded to report it back
without recommendation, and asked that iG be
placed on the calendar. SO ordered.
Bills were int oduced as follows and appro-
pr1ately referred-By Mr.. Saunders-rO eS 40
llsh an assay office at Omaha, Neb By Mr..
Plumb-TO grant the right OF way through the
Fort Bliss reservation 10 the Rio Grande and
Ell PaSo Railway Company. Committee on mil
itaTy sffairs.
On motion of Mr.. Morgan, the concurrent
resolution introduced by MIN on June ID, lsSo.
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 cleo
tors for President and Vice President OF the
United States, so as TO determine what votes
shall be received and counted Or what votes
shall be rejected, was taken up. Mr.. Morgan
briefly explained the resolution, adding that he
was PR pared TO vote upon 1t.
MT. EOmuDds, In opposition to the reSoll-
tioD. hoped IL would rOJ be pressed at thtS time
as II did not touch the real question in dispute,
nor, so far as he Was concerned. did tG cover
One-half or one third OF the whole question in
volved, which, II any statement was made
about II all, 1t ought TO be embraced one way or
the other.
Mr. Thurman favored action on the resolu-
tion without debate, In view OF the discussions
heretofore had On the subject.
Mr.. C0nkling inquired OF MIR. Thurman what
was the object Of having an expression on the
point now?
Mir. Thurman replied that he was not actu-
ate0, as were SOme OF the members or another
BODY, by fears that the democrats were going
to perpetrate some great wrong next week. He
1ell quite certain there was no such intention
either on their part or On the republican side.
lie could hot see, however, any good reason
Why the RESOLUTION should not now pass. II IL
expressed the conviction OF majority OF the
Senate. This was all that he desired to say
now,
Mr.. Edmunds said that, In order to test the
sense OF the Senate as 10 whether, at this time,
with so much business pending on the cal
endar, it would go into the discussion of tue
question presented, he would move to lay the
les olutton on the table, and upon that motion
he asked for for the yeas nays.
vote being here taken, the motion was re
1ected by party vOle-ayes, 22: noes, 32.
Before the debate could proceed further, the
morning hour expired. and the calendar came
up as the order OF business.
Mr. Morgan asked consent to allow the dis
cuss1on TO be resumed, and Mr. Edmunds Ob-
lectiDg, MIR. Morgan then moved to postpone
the regular order. and that the consideration
OF the resolution be resumed.
The motion was agreed to-ayes 33, noes "a
as also the further motion by Mr.. Morgan 10 re-
sumo consideration OF the resOlution-ayeS 50.
noes lS-a party vote in each instance
MI Blair then moved to refer the resolution
OF MI. Morgan to the committee on the judi
cary, and urged, in support of his motion the
Importance OF the subject and the courtesy due
by older Senators who claimed to have made up
their minds on the question, to younger mem
bers, like himself, who had not had the like
opportunities.
Mr.. Edmunds occupied the time allotted for
the calendar tuntil half past one o'clock) In
advocacy OF the motion, when the Chair an
bounced the unfinished buSineSS-the IaUd in
severalty bill-as the regular order.
MI Morgan moved 10 postpone the order
until to morrow.
The yeas and nays being demanded, the mo-
tion was agreed to-ayeo 81, noes 70.
A notion by Mr.. Blair, 10 refer Mr.. MOrgan'S
resolution to the Judiciary committee, occupied
The time until l:50 O'clock when further mo
t1onS OF like character developed the Irpose
OF the republican side 10 resort TO obstructive
tactics To prevent the passage OF the reSolu
tOn.
HOi SE.-Mr. Anderson offered a reSolI; tioa
providing that every day after the mornIng
hour one hour shah be set aside during which
mtmbels may ask for unanimous consent for
the CONSIDERATION ana passage OF bills. Re
ferred.
MIR. Bingham offered resolution requiring
The committee on elect ions 10 report upon con
TESTED election cases within thirty days OF tne
Hing OF papers 10 such cases Referred.
On motion OF Mr.. Johnston, bill was passed
anproprfat1ng 5000 10 aid in defrayiug the
expenses to be incurred In the centennial Gel
ebration OF the battle OF Groton Heights Conn
and also $1,000 for the repair OF The GroJon
monument.
on motion Of Mr.. Hayes. Senate resolution
was adopted for the publication of 10, 500 copies
OF the Smithsonian Institute report for 1SSc.
Mr. Davidson, arising TO question of per-
SQnal privilege, read from a speech purporting
70 have been delivered by Mr. Blsoee anu
nfNh tSh nod ha Itnh tt,nr
nan had personally assaulted him, and asserted
that he (Mr. Davtdson) had obtained his seat
through fraud. The allegation, he said, was
grave and serious one. wanJOn ana unprovoked
utterly base, and absolutely untrue. He was
here as member OF Congress In accordance
with the constitution and laws OF Florida and
the L. S. 1t came with an Ill grace from his
colleague (Mr. Bisbee) to speak OF fraud. lie
then proceeded TO criticiSe the acts OF Mr.
Blsbee while he was district-attOrney, and was
several times called 10 order by Mr.. COnger and
Mr. Houk, but he persisted in making an attack
upon the republican party In Florida until the
Speaker stated that the gentlemen must not
speak to the injuries Of the republican party,
but to bis own injuries. Q.aughter}
Mr. BlSbee dlsclained any intention OF vio-
lat1ng the rules OF the House, or OF rejecting
on bis colleague personally. No proper con-
struct1On OF his speech would warrant tnat con-
clusioD. He then briefly attacked the demo.
cratic party In Florida, after which the subject
was dropped
ON motion OF Mr.. Atkins, several of the Sen
ate amendments TO the naval appro prtation oil
were agreed TO, while others were nOn-concur
red in.
On motion Of Mr.. Singleton, Miss, Senate
resolution was passed for printing SEMI
monthly an index to the Congressional Record
Mr. Wells, from the committee On appropra-
uons reported back with Senate amendments
the Inoian appropriation bill. recommending
concurrence In some and non. concurrence Ia
others OF such amendments. Among the
amendments non-concurred in is that striking
out the clause abOlishing The Indian commits
sion.
The report was agreed to.
On motion OF MIR. Blackburn, MONDAY. I4th of
February. was set apart for the consideration
OF District business
THE APPORTIONMRNT ELL.
The House then resumed the consideration of
the appOrt1Onment bill.
Mr.. COX offered an amendment fixing the
number OF Representatives at 307 and iG was
ordered printed and considered pending.
Mr.. SherW1n, q member of the census com.
mittee, took the floor upon the bill. There was
no reason that an appOrtiOnment should not
be made at this session. since all the data was
In, on which to make the calculation. Compar-
ing the various bills which had been proposed,
he showed that at 301 {rhe number first suy
gested by Mr.. Cox the democratic states would
gain Representatives and lose "a net gain or
Six. The republica states would gain 10 and
lose s.a net gain OF two. AT the number
selected by the majority OF the commit
hQmocrotfc ctotoo ,r,orYs