The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-04-05
XLVIIth CONGRESS.
Senate-Executive Session.
WASHINGTON. Anril d.

WASHINGTON, April 4.
The senate resumed the resolution for the
election of senate officers.
Motion Of Mr.. Pendleton to 60 into execu-
tive session having been lost, yeas rs, nays 49,
Mr.. Johnston took the floor. He quoted ex-
tracts from the "Virgnian," a newspaper ed
tied by Riddleberger, to prove the Democracy
of that gentleman and of his colleague (Mr.
Mahone) and from the "kiddleberger" bill to
show that Republicans were now found sup
porting man for office who had announced
in the bill that the adoption of the 18th, l4th
and 10Th amendments was equal in its terrible
effect to the war itself
He went with some minutenesS into the
question of the debt of Virginia, contending
that any failure to pay interest or debt was
not attributable to any desire to repudiate, but
to the unfortunate condition of affairs which
had prevailed in that state after the war.
Mr.. Dawes inquired whether the senator
agreed with his colleague in holding that West
Virginia ought to pay part of that debt.
Mr.. Johnston replied that he agreed with
his colleague and with the supreme court of
the United States in holding that West Vir-
ginia. should be responsible for one-third:
Leaving the question of debt he enquired OF
Mr.. Dawes where one when in Virginia any
body had to wade through blood to vote as
has been stated by that senator.
Mr.. Dawes replied the Mississippi plan was
a general term. Specific names attached to
different phases of it in different southern
states. In one state it took the phase of blood,
IN another OF tissue ballots, in another OF forS-
ing returns, in Virginia it was called opposi-
ton to vagabond suffrage. The senator
would have TO explain that phase of the gem
eral plan. Had the senator forgotten that
army called out at Petersburg to put down
violence then? Did the senator pretend to
say nobody had got hurt at Petersburg in the
vain attempt to assert his right as voter?
Mr.. Johnston said that if any tissue ballots
had been used in Virginia that they had been
used IN his colleagues district. Where
did you got those tissue ballots, he enquired OF
Mr.. Dawes, who stated that he had some in
his possession
Mr.. Dawes-The district of Norfolk was one.
Mr.. Johnston-Was not Petersburg one?
Mr.. Dawes-Petersburg resorted to the 9TH
er method, violence.
Mr.. Johnston-That is the place my col
league lives in.
Mr.. Dawes-It is and he has seen the error
of it. #
Mr.. Johnston continued his speech, confin-
ing his remarks to local questions and COM
menting upon and indicating the measures
adopted in Virginia by the the funder Demo-
Gratis ...#
From the speeches of the Readjusters and
from articles in their journals he gathered
this to be the platform of that party: First, a
in the constitution that no contract between
individuals shall be enforced; third, to burn
the law libraries, and fourth to repudiate.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Johnston's speech
Mr.. Salisbury appealed no longer to the sense
| of duty or to the patriotic feeling of the 9th
side, but to its party fealty to ground its
weapons OF rebellion against its own admins
tration. Ii any man needed pity and consid-
GRAFTON it was the President of the United
| States who had been treated with such marked
disrespect by his own friends. He drew pic
| ture of the President sitting solitary in the
White House indulging in a soliloquy. Even
his predecessor, Hayes, whom nobody believed
to have been elected, and whose administra-
| ton had been finally broken down in this
| chamber, had commanded some respect at the
beginning OF his term Perhaps the President
| was saying that there were some in the cham
| Der from whom he had not expected any other
treatment because he had antagonized them
and their third term man in the Chicago con-
ventiOn but then there was the Senator from
| Ohio whom he had nominated for the Presi-
dency. Why did he sit in silence and refuse
| to consider tie nominations. The President
might be saying. "There is the Senator from
Massachusetts, (Hoar); he!sat with me on the
crets | am party to, and did not expect this
from him. Then there is the Vice President
| whose name has been inscribed with mine,
| and whose image is stuck up beside my own in
! almost every junk shop. He ought not to have
turned his heel on me and yet he will not give
| any respect to my messages" He (Saulsbury)
| appealed to the Republicans to march up to
| duty and help to save the President of their
choice.
Mr.. Dawes called attention to the fact that
the last effort which had been made to go into
executive session had been rebuked by an en-
phatic majority of the Senate. 1t had not
been defeated by tie vote but by number
of votes, and it was the Senate which the Sem
ator from Delaware was quarrelling WITH not
the Republican side.
Mr.. Jones, of Florida, denied the statement
name Friday last by Mr.. Logan that political
outrages were perpetrated in Florida
Mr.. Harris moved to lay the pending reso-
luton on the table. Rejected-23 to q.
| Then roll call followed roll call in quick sue
cession upon dilatory motions, Mr.. Dawes in
quiries as to when the Democrats would per-
NIT a vote to be taken on the resolution being
always met with the response "On the first
Monday in December"
Finally Mr.. Dawes remarking it had become
evident that the majority of the Senators were
opposed to postponing the consideration of
this resolution and expressing the hope that
the minority would come tomorrow prepared
to stay until the will of the majority was
bowed to, moved to adjourn. Agreed to. isoi