The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-04-19
XLVIIth CONGRESS.
Senate-Executive Session.


The Vice President laid before the Senate
the resolution for the election OF Senate officers
Mr.. Harris referred to an article recently
quoted by Mr.. Malone from the International
Review, to the effect that Tennessee repudiat-
ed $11 900 900 of her debt and asserted that
there was no truth in the statement. Tennes-
see had at no time repudiated single penny
of her debt.
A motion for an executive session ny Mr.
Harris was loSt-yeaS 20, nays 81.
By unanimous consent Mr.. Johnston was
permitted to offer a resolution, which was
adopted, calling on the Attorney General for
certain papers in relation to the report of q.
G. Lancaster, special agent OF the Treasury
ginia.
Some time was consumed in roll calls on va
rious diatory motions.
Mr. Dawes said he was conscious that all
public business was much Distracted by the
tendency of the resolution which he had Of
fered, but attributed that obstruction to the
action of the minority in resorting to every
motion known to parliamentary law to defeat
that resolution. This was struggle whether
the majority of the Senate or the minority was
to control business. He did not care whether
one officer or another was in office, but he de-
sired to have it settled before the country
whether this was a government of the MAORI
ty or not He wished to make a last appeal to
the Judgment and patriotism of the other side
not to overthrow the fundamental principles of
the Government in fighting over matter OF
no more importance than the selection of
officers.
Mr. Salisbury expressed regret that this
should be his last appeal.
Mr.. Beck declared that in December next
they would be willing to consider the pending
resolution, but in his judgment Mr.. Riddleber-
ger would not then be made Sergeant-at-Arms.
The Virginia election would then be over, and
if Republican did not. somebody else
| would tender for Sergeant-at-Arms some one
who was conservative Republican who had
,rr1,<t, -, EAInn
and then the Republicans could choose be-
| tween the Confederate repudiating Riddleber-
ger and that man who would be rendered to
them, he thought, by a Republican Senator
| 1t might as we'll be understood, that in Decem-
Der next the Republicans would not put Rid
| dleberger in any promise.
| Mr. Dawes-Does the Senator mean to say
he will not in December submit to the will Of
the majority?
Mr.. Beck-I do not. 1 said that I would,
| but would make such an issue in December
| that you will find it difficult to stand up to
| your contract, if you have one.
| Mr.. Dawes-Does the Senator mean that the
| reason Of this opposition from Southern Sena-
tors is that Riddleberger is not a Union soldier?
Mr.. Beck-It grows out of this, that you, in
the opinion OF the country, will not say any
| thing to make you challange me-
Mr.. Dawes Gnterrupting)-What is the Sem
ator fighting for? Is he fighting for December
or in behalf of Senators from Southern States
| to get Union soldier instead of Rebel brig
adler.
| Mr.. Beck-If the fact is true that many PEG.
pie believe to be true that the caucus nominal
ton of this man is the carrying out of a foul
bargain, then the people of the country will
stand by any party that seeks to prevent con-
summation of 1t, and when December GENES,
and you still seek to carry out what the people
consider foul bargain, then we have right
to prevent man, against whom we have said
SO much. and whose political ca1eer we so
much oppose, from being our Sergeant-at-Arms
to give the Republican party a decent man, a
gentleman, soldier, and a wounded soldier at
| that, and to say eve will vote for him if you
will throw up man obnoxious to u.s. who will
make himself disagreeable to us, as we know
l he WILL.
Mr.. Dawes-Don't you think the best way to
determine the question is to submit to a major
ity?
Mr.. Beck-We will submit to majority as
far as 1 am concerned whenever we get to the
regular session, but deny that the Senator, if
he has made bargain, has right to divert us
from the legitimate business of the Senate.
Mr.. Dawes-The Senator has said s'if the
Senator from Massachusetts has made any foul
bargain then so and So" Does the Senator
mean to say he has selected those words with
care SO that he could not be called to account
for them?
Mr. Beck-I have said this and repeat it,
that have never charged any bargain on this
floor on anybody, and do not propose to do it.
I will express my opinions whenever I am in a
canvass and will take the responsibility
there. But on the floor of the Senate I will
not express opinions that will give any Senator
right to make personal wrangle with me.
If he goes out of this chamber and asks my
opinion will give it to him. If he does not
like it he may knock me down, ii he can, OF
may take any satisfaction he likes.
Mr.. Dawes-I had supposed that my rela-
tions with the Senator were such that he
| would not come into the Senate and promising
his speech by saying he would be careful Of
his words, come near making charge against
me. 1 wish to call his attention to it. I am
not here to pick a quarrel or to permit any
Senator in any language he may choose, to say
| probation; and it only makes the matter worse
in my opinion for the Senator to get up and
announce that he has been careful to use
words that while they mean one thing are not
words for which he can be called to account
know that the Senator knows better than
to charge me directly or indirectly by in.
ference or otherwise with anything dishonor-
able in this transaction, and if the Senator
says otherwise he had better say it openly and
candidly and We will understand each other
from this date.
Mr.. Beck-I have endeavored to say that
make no charge in public for know nothing
about it. When I said carefully excluded
the possibility that any body should think
desired to make any charge.
| Mr.. Dawes-That is entirely satisfactory.
The debate was continued by Messrs Brown
of Georgia, Blair, Burnside and Logan, nc
new features of interest occurring.
! Mr.. Hampton stated he had been informed
that while the Republican caucus had been in
session Mr.. Malone had been in the committee
room and that messages had passed between
them. He inquired whether or not that wa.
the fact.
Messrs Logan and Dawes disclaimed any
knowledge of it.
Adjourned.