Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-05-05
xLvil CONGRESS EXTRA SESSION.
SENATE.
WASHINGTON, Nav 4.

The Senate has gone into executive session.
The motion was made BY Mr.. Dawes, who.
in making it, represented that he and his
associates were not giving up the fight over
the Senate officers, which he considered IN
its scope and character as presenting ques-
ton of great importance to the future welfare
of the government, involving as it did, the
right of the majority to rule.
The Vice President laid the resolution for
the election of Senate officers before the
Senate.
Mr.. Dawes took the floor and requested the
clerk to read the pending resolution. This
having been done. Mr.. Dawes pro-
ceeded to give the history of the action
on both sides of the Senate upon
the resolution. He had offered il to
oath it had come up under the rules for con-
siderafion. Up to that time IL had been >up-
posed that every senator in the body who de-
sired TO invoke the voice Of the Senate, had
secured to him the right under the rules not
only to invoke that voice, but to obtain it.
Under that impression he Dawes had in
troduced this resolution. He had not asked
any senator 10 support it, to whose judg-
ment it did not commend itself. He had
merely asked the senators TO consider il and
pass upon it. Ii had encountered opposition,
and that opposition had held the Senate here
for more than six weeks.
The opposition had not been directed
against the merits of the resolution, but it
had been distinctly stated by senators, that
the Senate should never leave upon it.
He had but to state what had been the op-
position that the Senate had encountered
under its rules, 10 state, in other words, Il
question OF grsver import and Importance and
consequence to the institution of the country
than any other which had come up for con-
sideration in this hall. Ii matters very little
what shall be the fate of this resolution. if it
should be extinguished in half hour, pro-
vded it were extinguished by methods
pointed out by the constitution, which sus-
tanned the whole fabric of this government,
not ripple would be discovered aud govern
ment would move on as if the resolution had
never had any existence.
Mr.. Dawes continued at some length. sub
stantially reiterating the republican position
on the question of organization and finally
moving the executive session which was
agreed to-; yeas, 53; nays, none.
The Senate in executive session Wednes-
day afternoon, confirmed the following NOM
nations
Robert r. Hill of Illinois, to be Assistant
Secretary of State; Hiram Price of Iowa,
Commissioner of Indian Affairs Alfred NJ.
Jones, United States Marshal for Northern
district Of Illinois; Sanford \. Hudson of
Wisconsin, Associate Justice of Supreme
Court of Dakota; Joseph .. Jones, post
master at Terre Haute, Ind
The foreign appointments were all con-
hrmed by unanimous consent. Other nOmi-
nations were referred to appropriate COM
mittees, and the Senate then took up the
Chinese treaty which was under discussion
all the afternoon.
The other nominations on tine table, 200 in
number, were referred to appropriate COM
mttees.
On the Chinese immigration treaty dis
cussion ensued. in which Miller of California.
and Hoar of Massachusetts, were the prnci-
pal participants, the former advocating a rat
itication of the treaty upon the ground of its
placing the subject of Chinese immigration
within our entire control hereafter, and the lat
ter opposing itwith the argument that underly-
ing the purpose of treaty is contrary to the
genius of our institutions, and to the general
doctrine of 1.-THE brotherhood of man
Shortly before the adjournment, the Senate
laid aside the treaty unfinished business
for to morrow.
The Senate confirmed the nomination of
VIM. F. Osborne as Postmaster of Pittsfeld,
Mass.
When the doors were re-opened at f. 90 the
Senate adjourned until tomorrow.