Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-04-06
The Senate,


from the committee on territories, reported
without amendment, the bill recently recon-
1nitted to that committee for the admission OF
Dakota into the Union.
Senator Miller introduced bill to execute
The treaty stipulations relating to the Chinese,
Identical with Ire vetoed Chinese bill, except
that the term of suspension of immigration
be reduced to ten years. \ resolution was
adopted, calling for the number OF pensioners
On The roll and the amount paid.
Morgsn's resolution, declaring the trade be-
tween The United States and Mexico, should
be placed on a more reciprocal basis, passed.
In discussion on the Chinese bill Senator
Sherman said there was no need of any haste
in considering the Chinese bill, and he thought
the senate should go on with the regular bust
ress He intended to submit motion TO re-
fer the Chinese bill to the foreign relations
committee, and believed that the committee
could report bill that would meet the views
of the people and the president:
Ingalls, said he regarded the consideration
OF the vetoed bill as question OF privilege,
and ii was proper to consider 1t at once. 1t
WAS the duty of the senate to at once dec de II
this bill should pass, Notwithstanding the OBJ
iections of the president. He would oppose
Senator Sherman s motion to commit 1t be-
cause the senate could not evade its plain duty
with regard to the vetoed bill by sending 1t to
4 committee, and he was ready to vote on the
Chinese bill.
The report of the presidential count bill
coming up as unfinished business, Farley
moved to lay it aside and proceed with the
consideration of the vetoed anti-Chlnese bill.
discussion arose upon the question whether
the veto measure had not precedence OF I'M
finished business.
Harris moved to postpone the unfinished
business.
Bayard said he understood there was consid-
rrable excitement in California on the subject,
and asked the senators from that state what
was their wish. He was disposed to be gov
erned somewhat by their views.
Farley replied he had no hesitation IL say
ing the unanimous sentiment of his people
was in favor of immediate action on the veto.
His information was that the excitement in
San Francisco was 20 great that violence was
apprehended.
senator Sherman said there was no DISPOSE
ton on the Republican side to delay action,
but they were not disposed TO take up the
Chinese bill because violence was threatened
somewhere, that was not the way to secure
action, That some measure on the Chinese
question ought to be passed was not sues
Ii II as between the president and The senate
and house, but as the pr esident thought con-
rresB had proposed to violate treaty he
thought it advisable to allow the committee
On f0Ieign relations TO take the bill and re-
port a measure which would meet the objec-
lions III the veto.
Senator Farley replied that until vote was
taken the senate could not tell whether the
vetoed bill would pass over the veto, and there
tore it was premature to talk of referring to
committee. For the SAME reason he regarded
the bill introduced by bis colleague this morn
ing Us premature.
9enator Ingalls, took issue with Sherman as
10 the propriety of referring the bill to
committee, contending that the constitution
required a direct vote on the question, and
did not recognize any attempt to pillow around
the stump and to prepare new proposition
by way of avoiding the objections of the
executive.
A vote being taken, Harris motion pre-
vailed Yes %, nays %. The Chinese bill
was then taken up without opposition. Sher-
man moved to refer the bill and message to
the committee on foreign relations. He sup
ported and elaborated the objections OF the
president, and particularly those of the
Chinese ministry, and urged that as there was
no occasion for haste the measure should be
carefully perfected in the committee with a
view of obviating these objections,
senator Garland expressed the opinion that
IN view of the protracted discussion OF the
measure in the senate and house, it was i'm
probable that any new light could be thrown
upon it; that as intelligent action could be had
1T this time as well as at any other. The
only purpose OF the proposed reference was to
bury the bill.
Senator Morgan argued that the motion, by
involving virtual reconsideration of the
measure, was an envasion of the constitution
al requirement of direct vote. Referring to
the memorandum OF the five objections to the
bill by the Chinese minister which accom-
panied the veto, he said he believed this would
BE- the first instance in American history, in
which the president of the United States had
consulted foreign power, about which con-
gross was legislating as TO whether
the proposed legislation would be agreeable to
that power. SO far as it concerned the presi-
dent, the objections of the Chinese minister
had been worth more than the arguments on
which the bill passed congress. He charged
that Republican administrations had always
arrayed themselves in hostility TO any legisla-
ton on the question. He arraigned the Re-
publicans for having taken like attitude, and
said the Republican leader in the senate was
now attempting to smother the question and
slip around it by referring it to a committee.
Bayard said it was useless for the friends of
the bill to expect by referring the bill to change
It's features in accordance with the presidents
objections and that they were
compelled to see it knocked
in the head by what he called the Chinese
ections upon which the president had seen fit
10 return the bill and show it had no justifca-
ton in fact, no justification in comfy and no
Justification upon any preteu6e to the digni-
fled and respectful consideration of ono branch
of government for another. AS to the presi-
dents announcement that a nation is iusti-
ted ia "repudiating its treaty obligations only
when they are in conflict with great para
mount interests" Bayard said he had always
understood reputation to be disclaimer of
the obligations, and therefore he regarded ii
unsouud in equity to announce that there
could be any repudiating lin trea-
ty obligations. Furthermore nothing
could be found 10 the action of
congress TO Justify this further objection upon
which the veto was based. Characterizing
the statements Of the veto on this first point
as having been given in very strong, and what
seemed to some persons, and to himself, very
coarse language, he said the phraseology did
not seem to be that which ought properly to
characterize communications between the
great departments of this government This
language coming from the executive in regard
to an act of congress, deliberately discussed
and passed by both houses, and unanimously
recommended by committee of the senate,
was an impugnment of the act of congress,
and of the votes of those who passed it. That
comfy which, though unwritten, was as
essential for the good government of
this country as unwritten law had
hoen lost sight Of. In respect to