Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-04-02
xLyII C0NGRESS-ExTRA SESSION
WASHINGTON, April |.
SENATE.


SENATE.
The resolution for the election of Senate
| officers was laid before the Senate by the
Vice President.
A motion to go into executive session by
Mr.. Pendleton was voted down-yeas %,
| nays &c.
Mr.. Lamar took the floor of the Senate.
| He said the Senate had been called together
| a month ago as a part of the treaty in max
| ing departments of government, and a
part of the executive department. The an
| nouncement had been made that the business
W hich the Senate had been called to transact
| should not be transacted until the present
officers were deposed and others elected. If
the report is true that IS republican Senators
intended to keep this body in the present
position until their object was accomplished,
the minority intended to protect itself from
the oppression of the majority. If there was
any reason for this departure on the republi-
can side from the usage Of this body, these
IS Senators stood justified: but they must
give their reasons and address themselves to
public opinion. 1t could not be from any
great zeal or Loyalty to the Union, inasmuch
As the Senator " no had brought forward one
of the candidates had avowed he had been
true to the confederate cause, and needed no
apology. What was the reason? He asked
them to tell it.
message was received from the Pres
ident and Mr.. Lamar yielded to a motion for
! an executive session, which was rejected.
Mr. Dawes hoped that Mr.. Lamar would
now impress upon his side the Importance of
considering the pending resolution.
Mr.. Lamar rejoined by inquiring whether
the Senator from Massachusetts thought the
removal of the Senate officers as important
as filling the vacancies in the Supreme
Court, which was not now in session by rea-
| son of that vacancy and said reputation
was no hindrance in the way of republican
Senators stretching out their hands across
the bloody chasm to unrepentant rebels. He
did not believe the Southern people would
stand this thing. They would not tolerate
this alliance.
The debate was further continued and with
consideration animation, which was partic-
ipated in BY Messrs. Lamar, Dawes, Iioar
and George of Mississippi and others.
Mr.. Hale, apologizing for addressing the
Senate, said he felt compelled to do so on ac-
count of some remarks of his upon the carpet
bag governments which had been quoted BY
Mr.. Lamar He still agreed that there had
been evils but that the democrats of the
South had taken the wrong method of reliev-
| ing themselves Of those evils they had en-
deavored TO do so by fraud and assassination
| instead of by patience. Many democrats had.
| in private conversation, stated that they were
| tired of democratic methods but those utter
ances had never gone any farther. The
Senator from Virginia (Mabone) had alone
dared to put his convictions into action, and
he Hale had no apology to make for sup
porting him in his position that the senator
had been the first who had dared manfully to
1 \ l...Ia a.xI hal
put his faith and fortune, and perhaps his
| life in that struggle. 1t was because of the
alarm of the experiment: of that peaceful
method that the democratic side was seek
| ing to thwart the alliance.
Mr.. George recurring to statemnt made
by Mr.. Dawes as to a gentleman returning
| from Mississippi to Massachusetts, on &C.
connt of the persecution that
| he met with in the former State, his factory
| being burned and hands murdered, undertook
| tn saw that though the Senator from Mass,
might have met the individual referred to
and might have received such information,
| the whole thing was a myth. He had never
heard of a factory in Mississippi having been
| burned and as there were but two or three in
the state he would probably have heard of it.
There was not particle Of truth in the re-
| cital.
Mr. Dawes said that he had been mistaken
in stating that factory had been burned.
| 1t had been gin house.
| Mr.. George again inquired of Mr.. Dawes
whether he had received information as to
| the outrages upon the Massachusetts mar
from the man himself or at second hand.
| Mr.. Dawes declined to answer, and upon
Mr.. George repeating his question, said some
what angrilv that it was question which the
Senator had no right to ask. He asserted
the truth of what he had stated and the Sen
/ ator did not know what became L. ). Sen
| ator, when he attempted to catichise him.
Mr.. George do not desire to violate
any of the courtesies of the Senate, but
mean to say this in response to the Senator
las, suggestion, that while am a new mem
Der here. and while shall endeavor to learr
what is due to this body and its members,
certainly shall no, either apply to or submit
to being educated BY him on that subject
suppose may make this statement without
violating any Of the usages of the Senate.
Mr.. George declared he had a right to
know whose falsehood the senator was back
i ing up and if he Dawes would not disclose
the name he became responsible for it.
The debate continuing, Mr.. Logan quotes
4 from the report made by Gen. Sheridan tina
while he had been in command IN the Sout'
over 200 murders had been committed il
Louisiana and Texas
| Mr.. Butler-I do not believe q word of it.
Mr.. Logan declared this report coptaine'
levi dence which could not be refuted by
simple assertion.
!. Mr. Voorhees, do not believe one wor
/, Of the statement
Mr.. Logan continued to allude to the muI