Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-04-19

~SA@S
business, being the resolution for the cleo
ton of Senate officers.
Mr. Harris referred to an article recently
quoted by Mr.. Malone from the Inter
national Review to the effect that the State
OF Tennessee had repudiated eleven millions
of her debt, and asserted that there was no
truth In the statement. Tennessee had at
no time repudiated a single penny OF her
debt. It had been stated that Mr.. Porter, of
the Census Bureau, had been the author Of
the article, thus giving it a semi-official
character. Porter had indeed been the au-
thor, but he had In communication to
him (Mr. Harris) denied that 1t was an off
cial statement OF the debt OF Tennessee.
be corrected various misstatements in the
article. motion to go into executive seq
sion, made by Mr. Harris, was lost-yeas 30,
nays 81.
By unanimous consent Mr.. Johnston was
permitted to offer resolution, which was
adopted, calling on the Attorney General for
certain papers in relation to the report of G.
G. Lancaster, special agent of the Treasury
Department, touching the Western Judicial
district of Virginia.
Some time was then consumed In roll
calls on various diatory motions
Mr.. Dawes said that he was conscious that
public business had been much obstructed
by the pendency of the resolution which he
had offered, but he attributed that obstruc-
tion to the action of the minority
in resorting to every motion known
to parliamentary law to defeat the
resolutions. This was a struggle whether
it was to be the Senate or a minority of the
Senate which was to control public busi-
ness. He did not care a copper whether
one officer or another was in office, but he
%, hoxya 10 Ia Hof. ~
whether this was government of the ma
jority or not.
He wished to make last appeal to the
Judgment and the patriotism Of the other
side not to overthrow the fundamental prin-
ciples of the government in fighting over a
matter OF no more importance than the selec-
tion OF couple Of officers.
Mr.. Salisbury expressed his regret that
this should be a last appeal. He always en-
joYed them. 1t would be amusing, he said,
to listen to the solemnity with which the
Senator from Massachusetts presented his
views, if everybody did not know that at
the beginning Of the present session the Re-
pubIcans had resorted to dilatory motions
in order to prevent clear majority from
organizing the Senate. Was it not singular
that the Senator in view Of that fact should
attempt to lecture the Democrats He
quoted from newspaper report of q Re-
publican caucus at the last session. where
methods were considered as to how the
will of the majority could be
defeated, and where the timiditv of
Democrats was alluded to. If there had
ever been any timidity, that timidity was
now gone. The Democrats had learned that
it was their duty to the country, as well as
to their patty, to resist with a determined
purpose methods so wrong and iniouitous
as they believed this one to be.
Mr.. Beck argued against the right Of the
majority to elect the officers at an extra
session, and, in answer to question by Mr.,
Morrill, declared that in December
next they would be willing to con
slider the resolution, but, in his
judgment, Mr.. Riddleberger would
not in December be made Sergeant-at-
Arms. The Virginia election would then
be over, and If the Republicans did not,
somebody else would tender for Sergeant
alarms. Some one who was conserVa-
tive Republican, who had fought through
the war In the Federal army, who would
be here with his wounds upon him, and
then the Republicans could choose between
the Confederate repudator, Riddleberger,
and that man who would be rendered to
them, he thought, by a Republican Sena.
tor. 1t might as well be understood that
In December next the Republicans would
not put Rtddleberger in. ANY promises
which he might make in Virginia would
prove fallacious.
Mr.. Brown denied that the Democrats by
their action had violated any rule of the
Constitution or Of the government, and he
repelIed the charge that they were obstruct
ing legislation by the unconstitutional use
of power. They were acting In strict con
formity with the Constitution and laws, and
they proposed to continue to act thus as
long as they thought the public interest re-
quired it.
Mr.. Blair contended that she minority
should yield its position, though he was not
opposed to a prolongation of this debate.
He did not want this deadlock to close
until next December unless this debate was
closed by that time. So far as he was con-
cerned every nomination might rest where
1t was until the will of the majority Of this
body had been enacted.
Mr. Brown, in replying to Mr.. Blair, stated
that the people believed that there had been
fraudulent bargain, which statement was
denied by Mr. Burnside
Mr. Brown-Do you believe that any Re-
publican paper has condemned your casef
Mr.. Burnside-A good many, but they are
changing very fast. received pile Of let
ters this morning telling me to "stick."
Mr.. Brown got letters saying, "Stand
all the time. Never yield" Laughter.
l get them from North, East, West and
South.
Mr.. Logan inquired whether, if 1t were
wrong now to elect Mr. Riddleberger. It
would not be equally wrong in December?
What would change the state of sffairs by
next December If the same men were be-
fore the SenateI
Mr.. Brown replied that the wrong was
now Of such character that it could very
properly be tested in December There
might be something of such importance be-
fore the Senate that the Democrats would
feel compelled to allow the Republi-
cans to pass the resolution and take
the responsibility. There might be
usages at the regular session which would
make it proper for them to withdraw their
opposition. Those reasons did not exist
now; besides they had no idea that they
would be troubled with Mr.. Riddleberger In
December,
Mr.. Hampton stated that he had been in
formed that while the Republican caucus
had been in session the Senator from Vir-
ginia Mr.. Mahone) had been In the room of |
the Committee on Land Claims, and that
messages had passed between them. He
inquired whether or not that was factg
Messrs. Logan and Dawes disclaimed any
knowledge OF such fact, and after some |
further discussion the Senate, on motion Of |
Mr.. Dawes, adjourned.
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