The Portland daily press., 1881-04-14
STILL TALKING.
Another Day of Profitless Discus.
sion in the Senate.
BEN HILL AND MALONE FLY AT ONE
ANOTHER AGAIN.

WASHINGTON, April -.
The Vice President laid before the Senate
the election of officers of the Senate.
Mr.. Beck said that yesterday some differ
ence of opinion existed as to the position OF the
Senator from Illinois (Davis9 The Senator
ment from that gentleman showing that he
was paired on motions to go into executive ses-
sion, on which question if presented he would
vote "yea." He was also paired on the main
resolution, on which if present he would vote
"nay."
Mr.. Dawes-Was it that to which the Sena-
tor alluded yesterday, when he said the
wind had shifted?
Mr.. Beck-No; the wind blowing steadily
against Massachusetts the past few days.
Mr.. Pendleton then took the floor. The Re-
publicans, he said, insisted that the business
of the Senate and the country should be de-
layed and postponed until the Senate should be
disorganized and reorganized. This had been
defended on various grounds by its various
apologists on this floor. The Senator from
Massachusetts (Hoar) had charged that the
action of the Democrats was revolutionary,
but had subsequently, when pressed by the
Senator from Georgia BROWN retracted that
charge.
Mr. Hoar said he had not made that charge,
but the action of the Democratic side war
ranted him now in imputing it, and he did so
impute it,
MIR. Pendleton replied that the gentleman
now made the charge without qualification,
and he would leave it to the gentleman from
Georgia BROWN to again make him retract it.
His colleague (Sherman) had stated that the
struggle here was struggle for political power
in Virginia; that it involved the destruction OF
the Democratic party in that state, and the in
stallation of the Republican party there. The
instruments to be used to bring about this re-
suit was the giving to Riddleberger Ga brigade
of employees of this Senate paid at tthe public
expense to perambulate that state and to
watch and win the local elections. This was
the struggle to which the Democratic Senators
were invited. The gage of battle had been
thrown down and he ventured in the presence
of his Democratic brethren to take it up.
He continued at some length. referring to
the course of Malone, Riddleberger and
the Republicans He would ask the Senator
from Iowa (Allison) whether if Malone had
not voted with the Republicans, the Republi-
can caucus would have nominated Riddle
berger. mo answer) Then he would address
his question to the Senator from Massachu-
setts Dawesl, latter pause) silent one, ST.
Mr. Dawes-It is not fair for the Senator to
impute silence to this side beca Use we do not
break into his speech If he had prepared
that expression at home, it was proper that he
should use it in his speech, but he has no right
to assume that there is no answer to his speech
because he cannot be interrupted just at this
moment and spoil the figure which he had pre-
pared at home and committed to memory.
UIaughter.)
Mr.. Pendleion concl uding, said the Repub-
lican party now ask the Democrats to help
them in using the offices of the Senate to de-
bauch the people of Virginia. We will not do
it. You forget what the Senate is. You for
get what we are-one half of this Senate,
the peer of you all. tell you now and here
you will not have that cooperation for that
purpose at any time.
Mr.. Dawes followed. He charged the Dem
ocrats with having attempted to make Malone
cooperate with them. Did not the Senator
from Ohio (Pendleton) know of the failure Of
the attempts to get the votes of that Senator
in order to elect for sergeant-at-arms man
who still affiliates with him? Had the Sena-
tor from Ohio just heard that that officer had
been rendered to the Senator from Virginia
il he would but take his stand with those who
had tried to annihilate him and his power?
Mr.. Beck-That is not true.
Mr.. Pendleton-Be little more explicit.
The Senator is talking about something l do
not comprehend at all. 1 understood him to
say that offices were rendered to somebody if he
would give vote on our side. do not know
to what the Senator refers.
Mr., Dawes-Perhaps it was wise that
+ tho Senator, the spokesman of that side,
should not 10 fzrnished with details.
Mr.. Pendleton-I would be glad If the Sem
ator would inform me, as I have not been in
formed before.
Mr.. Dawes-The inquiry made was if it
had just come to the Senator that Senators,
even representing themselves to be of a COM
mittee for the arrangement Of the committees
| of the Senate, had approached the Senator
| from Virginia with propositions.
Mr.. Pendleton-1 hear it now for the first
time, and would like the Senator to name
| the committee to which he alluded or the gen.
! tlemen representing themselves as such.
Mr.. Harris-I desire to say to the Senator
| from Massachusetts, that 1 CHANGED to have
| been of the committee for the arrangement of
| the committees, and if any candidate for SER
| geant-at-arms any official position of any
| grade or any character, was ever offered to the
| Senator from Virginia on condition that he
would vote on our side, have never heard it,
| and do not believe there is one word of truth
| in the intimation made by the Senator.
| Mr.. Beck-And nobody else.
| Mr. Dawes-I had no doubt of that response
| when made the statement The Senator
| from Tennessee (Harris) speaks with exceed
| ing precision. have not made any statement
| that any such committee made a proposition.
| did say
Mr.. Harris Gnterrupting) II beg the Senator
| not to deal in inuuendoes. If there be Sena.
tor on this side of the chamber, For a number oil
| Senators on this side who have made any such
| proposition or suggestion as the one he init
| mates, I ask him to do this side and himself
| the justice to name the man, and deal no long.
| er in innuendoes or hide himself behide veil
| of secresy in regard to fact such as that.
Name your man, and if you do not I repeat
| that do not believe there is word of truth
| in the intimation or insinuation thrown out by
| the Senator.
Mr.. Dawes-The Senator plays the old worn
! out role in this chamber. The Senator will
| not hold threat over me or my liberty of de-
| BATE
Mr.. Harris-I only invite the Senator to tell
| the truth.
Mr.. Dawes-The Senator from Virginia and
the Senators on the other side know whether
| what have said is true or not. and state
| further that before this Senate met negotia-
tions were in progress by the other side of this
| chamber
Mr. Butler Gnterrupting)-Do understand
the Senator to state that the Senator from Vir-
| ginia was open to negotiation from anybody
for his vote?
Mr.. Dawes-Who can tell what the Senator
| understands.
Mr.. Butler-Will the Senator pardon me-
| MIR. Dawes-I have no power to pardon the
Senator.
Mr.. Butler Certainly the Senator has tht
power to be pert and impolite, and will yieli
him monopoly in thai at least.
| Mr.. Dawes-I supposed the Senator under
stood what meant. I did not say that thu
negotiation. | stated that they undertook te
open negotiations with the Senator. do no
mean to say that any Senator on the other sid
in person made that attempt, but l undertak,
to say from information received from tn,
| Senator from Virginia and other sources tina
1 have the utmost confidence in) that repre-
sentative men on that side undertook to enter
into negotiation and had their man selected
and that they went with the assurance that i
his vote could be commanded that man coult
be elected. OF course it is wise for the othel
side to be in such position that it is able tx
make the demonstration it has made here thi
morning. 1t would have been the height O
stupidity and folly to have undertaken this il
any more open way. Everything charge,
against the Republican side finds in fact it
foundation in the consciousness of the othe
side, and it is the failure of the efforts on it
part that has given bitterness and virulency tt
the attacks upon the Senator from Virginia.
Mr.. Pendleton-I understand the Senate
to say that by representative men negotiation
were opened with the Senator from Virgini
by which certain officers and the re-organiza
ton of committees would be given to him o
put in his control if he would vote with this
side of the chamber. Am | right?
| Mr.. Dawes-No. I say that it was attempts
ON the other side to negotiate with the Senate
from Virginia and to ascertain from him wha
his wishes were in connection with that sid
and what would be most agreeable to him, an
I think there are persons within the sound o
my voice who will recognize what I now sa
when 1 say that he was informed that tn
Democratic party had got sick of bourbonisn
in Virginia and was DESTROYS of joining wit
him in this new departure.
Mr.. Pendleton-So far as L know believe
the information given to the Senator is al
solutely false.