The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1882-02-02
The Senatorial Fight.
WARM DISCUSSION IN THE STATE SENATE.

Stuce our last issue, the Senate chamber a
Richmond has been the scene of some yer,
pointed discussions. The sessions of the bod,
assembled there have monopolized the interes
in legislative proceedings The extracts which
we publish below and which will convey t.
our reader an idea of the feeling exhibited il
the debates, are taken from the reports o
Democratic papers, principally the State
The failure of the Senate to execute thu
joint order on Tuesday of last week, WAS fol
lowed the next day by the introduction by
Mr.. Riddleberger, of the following:
Whereas it has been reported generally thai
certain persons have been making attempts
to influence members OF this General Assemb
ly by corrupt means, and whereas the names
of certain officers of this body have been men
toned in this connection, therefore,
Res0tged, That a committee of five be APP
pointed to make inquiry into these rumors, to
formulate charges il necessary; and for the
purpose of making the investigation complete
the said committee shall have power to send
for persons and papers.
After considerable debate this resolution
was adopted
REGULAR WAR.
The Senate WAS discussing bill to prevent
transportation companies doing unnecessary
labor on Sunday, and some gentleman bad the
floor, when the hour of o'clock arrived, and
MIR. Elliott, the President pro tenn, raped
with his gavel and announced that the hour OF
l O'Clock having arrived, the Senate would
now proceed with the execution of the joint
order, having for its object the election of
Auditor of Public Accounts, Railroad Com
missioner, and certain judges. This was the
joint order the Senate purposely broke on
Tuesday-Mr. Newberry having first endeav-
ored to amend it by striking out the Office of
Auditor of Public Accounts
AS soon as Mr.. Elliott made his statement
Mr.. Hurt asked him us not this the joint
order that was broken yesterday 2"
The Chair said the order was still in force.
Mr.. Thurman offered a resolution express
ing the sense of the Senate that there is no
such order before the Senate.
The Chair: The resolution is not in order
Mr. Thurman: then appeal from the de-
cision of the Chair.
MR. RIDDLEBERGER's REMARKS
Mr. Riddleberger said this is question
whether gentlemen on the other side can use
this opportunity to assault the Readiuster
party. He had seen Barbour go, he had seen
Allen CO. and if others were disposed to leave
why, the Funders could take them But if
you are for Massey nominate him, or if you
are for somebody else, nominate him. 1t is
your duty to elect an Auditor, and he chal-
lenged them to do it, Then Mr.. Riddleberger
went on to declare that the other side was
failing to discharge the duty imposed upon
them when they drew their four dollars for
Tuesdays work and failed to elect an Auditor
Warming up, he declared Eve do not ex-
pect to elect an Auditor to-day, but we will
have an Auditor [by gubernatorlal appoint
ment presumably before the members of the
Legislature have been thirty days at their
homes" AS to the appeal, he said, we ex-
pect il to be sustained"
is MIR. ELLIOTT RIGHT?
Mr.. Thurman understood Mr. Riddleberger
to concede to him all that he claimed as par
liamentary question. AS to the difference in
their party, Mr.. Thurman was not here to heal
that. Nor, said he, am Il here to make these
laws bend or yield when the Senator from
Shenandoah chooses to make an assault upon
q portion of his party and to accuse us of
loanlng ourselves to q faction of that party.
All that the Senate has now to do is to determ-
inc the question whether the ruling of the
President is right" After referring to the DO
litical phase of the CONTROVERSY, Mr. Thur
man concluded by quoting Cushing's Practice
and by reference to the uniform custom of the
two houses that, pending the execution of I.
joint order. the adjournment of either house
broke said order. He referred too, to the fact,
fresh in the minds of all, that Mr.. Elliott had
decided that so much as receiving bill from
the other house, pending joint order, broke
the order
SPEECH OF MR.. LYBRooK
Mr.. Lybrook next took the hoor right in
front of the clerks desk, and made speech
explaining his position, and mildly gesticu
lating with his gold spectacles In one hand,
answered every question asked him with per-
feet good humor, and generally to the discom
future OF the inquirer. He said that he repre-
scented 10000 people on this floor; his district
was perhaps the largest mountain district
His people had instructed him as to the course
he was to pursue, and he meant to discharge
his duty. He was not acquainted with the
rules how legislation is obtained and how oh
structed. "If am charged with being an OBJ
with the Funders to prevent the
election of Auditor, l plead guilty but never
spoke to any Funder about it." Mr.. Lybrook
said that he thought it bad taste to press the
joint order after the introduction of the reso-
luton of inquiry-a resolution without names,
involving The reputation of all.
Mr.. Riddleberger: Where did you get that
Mr.. LybrOok From the resolution
The resolution was again read for the in
OF the Senator.
Mr. Lybrook said he voted for the resolu-
ton, but he had no idea that the election of
Auditor would be forced before the investiga-
ton was made
BLUNTNEss
Mr.. Stevens: Why do you object to an elect
ion first on account of that resolution?
Mr.. Lybrook (bluntly) Because | think it
strikes at the Auditor.
Mr. Bailey: What Auditor?
Mr.. Lybrook (still more bluntly): Auditor
Massey
Mr.. Bailey Tor some SENATOR: Auditor Mas
sey is not before this house.
Mr.. Thurman: He seems to be behind it
pretty strongly Laughter
Mr.. Riddleberger emphatically denied that
the resolution implicated the First Auditorur
any member of this house; but Mr. Lybrook
insisted upon his right to judge of its effect
for himself, and in the course of his remarks
claimed to be an older Readjuster than
four-fitths of the men here. Further, Mr., Ly-
brook announced No power can brlbe me-
| am a man who cannot he tempered with by
any power or any amount of money. | was
sent here to settle the public debt by 10000
people, who don't care anything for these
offices"
MR. LYBRO0K ON THE DEBT.
Mr. Rlddieberger asked HIM If he was pre-
pared to vote. for the debt bill last week, and
Mr.. Lybrook frankly admitted that he was
not because he objected to the war interest
being paid and because it was not provided
that the bill should be submitted to the people
DON'T KICK OUT MASSEY.
Mr.. Lybrook said he was "stroug, healthy,
and honest" but his throat was not IN good
order, and he would come to close What
eyer | and the lone three do we claim your re-
spect as gentlemen. We have one duty to
perform; stand together, and we intend to
stand together. In our consultations-and we
haye had many-we have generally agreed
that if you kick Massey out of Office you kick
The party out of existence We are honest in
our conviction, and we haye the firmness to
adhere to it."
The Chair warned Senators that they should
keep closer to the question.
NOT THAT LOVE CESAR LESS.
Mr.. Powell followed Mr. Lybrook and ans
wered many of that gentleman's arguments
He thought if Mr.. Massey was the embodl-
ment OF his party the sooner he was kicked
out the better. And yet Mr.. Massey was
native OF his county (Spotsylvania) and he
was his friend, but he claimed to be better
friend to readjustment than to Mr. Massey
Mr.. Stevens discussed the parliamentary
question, maintaining that the Chair was right. |
THE BEST AUDITOR THE STATE EVER HAD"
Mr.. Riddleberger also discussed this point. !
claiming that resolution which was agreed
10, rs this had been, had the force and effect of
aw. A tax bill can be passed by Joint rese- |