The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1881-04-21

Wornout role in the chamber. The Sen.
ator will not hold threat over me or
my liberty of debate. ta Z
Mr.. Harris-I only invite the Senator
to tell the truth.
Mr.. Dawes-The Senator from Virginia
and the Senators on the other eide know
whether what said is true or not and l
state further, before this Senate met me-
gotiations were in progress by the other
side of this chamber
Mr.. Butler [interrupting) DO under
stand the S 4nator to state the Senator
from Virginia was open to negotiations
from anybody for his vote
Mr.. Dawes-Who can tell what the
Senator understands?
Mr.. Butler-Will the Senator pardon
me2 ...
Mr.. Dawes-I have no power to par
don the Senator.
Mr.. Butler-Certainly the Senator has
no power to be pert and impolite and l
will yield him the monopoly in that at
least
M. Dawe5-I supposed the Senator
understood what meant. did not say
the Senator fom Virginia entered into
any negotiation. [ said they undertook
30 open negotiations with the Senator l
do not mean to say any Senator on the
other side in person made that attempt.
But undertake to say from information
received from the Senator from Virginia
and from sources in which have the ut
most confidence, that representative men
Al,,k aldo t,n1ankAnb kn ankoR into n q.
gotiations and had their man selected,
and they went with the assurance If his
vote could be commanded that man
could be elected. OF course it is wise
for the other sid to be in such posi-
Gion that tit is able to make the demon.
stratiOn It has made here this morning,
1t would haYe bee the height of stu
Didity and folly to have undertaken this
in any other way. Everything charged
against the Republican side finds in fact
its foundation in conscious ness Of the
other side, and it is the failure of the ef-
forts on its part that have given bitter
aess and virulenCe to the attacks upon
the Senator from Virginia.
Mr.. Pendleton--I understand the Sem
ator to say by representative men nego
Citations were opened with the Senator
from Virginia, by which certain officers
and the reorganiz4t alton of the Commit
tees would be given him, or put under
his control, If he would vote on this side
of the chamber. Am l rightP
Mr.. Dawes-No, say it was attempt
ed on the other side to negotiate with the
Senator from Virginia and to ascertain
from him what his wishes were in con.
nection with that side, and what would
be most agreeable to him, and l think
there are persons within sound of my
voice who will recognize what | say,
when say he was informed the Demo
cratic party had got sick OF Bourbonism
in Virginia, and was desirous of joining
with him in the new departure.
Mr.. Pendleton-I dare say, so far as !
know, so far as l have heard, 30 far ss
believe, the information given the Sena-
tor is absolutely false.
Mr.. Dawes (continuing) said the Sena-
tina from VlrginiI had taken his stand
himself; be had taken it deliberately; he
had asked no questions and made no
term; he had made no negotiations and
received no committees. No man from
the Republican side had gone TO him and
asked him "What Office do you want2''
No; without conference, determining
himself where his great work laid, re-
solved on the accomplishment of it, and
on the availing himself of means within
his reach for its accomplishment with a
clear. sighted comprehension of the con
fiict of political forces in this country,
He had taken the only position open to
him, and the batteries that had been
opened upon him were the batteries Of
di appointment, Chagrin and failure.
But the debate had this day been open
ed on a new plan. The Democratic par
ty was invited to say to the country that
enough it might be in the minority in
this chamber, it would dictate what
things should be done and what things
should not be done. The majority in
this country must command. ALI offers
of the Senator from Ohio sank into an
abyss, bottomless and destructive, when
he said, "But this and that we will not
permit you to do" This was a fight in
which there could be no compromise
without destruction, and he who would
yield hair of the omnipotent will of the
majority as it spoke through the Consti.
tuition and laws of the land, was traitor
TO his country. Applause in the gal
leries
Mr. Harris-Does not tbs Senator
know when he speaks about majorities
that without tho aid Of this side of tho
chamber, the thirty eight Senators on
that side are utterly powerless under the
Constitution to perform any act which
would be binding on any individual in
the land. You have no quorum.
MrD4wes-Does the Senator mean he
will seCede as he did twenty years ago;
does he mean he will not perform his
Constitutional functions here, and that
there stands with him the whole of that
party which the Senator from Ohio tried
to lift up to the sky this morning. They
will abandon their seats; they will refuse
to perform their functions; they will de.
clare this Senate shall not proceed with
its deliberations because they do not like
what the majority proposes to do. Does
ne announce he cannot accomplish any
thing without his aid He announces,
only in a pew form, what heard twenty
years ago. When a man got up here and
announced he held an allegiance higher
than that to the Constitution, which he
had sworn to support, and that he would
turn his back ou his oath and his flag
and go forth to make war upon it, this
was war in another form. This is as IA
tai, if it succeeds, to the existence of the
government of the majority as was the
undertaking of Jefferson Davis when he
announced the same doctrine in another
form from where the Senator now stands.
Has it come to life again ? Has it been
TesurreCted after twenty years, and after
a disastrous war and surrender on the
feldP Hasit come up here in this mild
and insiduous form that tho majority is
helpless, unless the majority prove true
to its oath and it's duty2 Ifso this days
debate is mora important than any days
debate which has been had in this cham
Der since the foundation Of the Govern
ment.
Mr.. Harris, who had been endeavoring