The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-02-21

,,n,oy sbalj he allowed five minutes TO state
Tho reasons for his motion, and one mem.
her onnosed to the motion shall be allowed
!, lilo time 10 object. The President de-
cided that the point was not well taken
,yberc,,non senator Smith appealed from hi
decision. which saidappcal the President re.
Sused to entertain, and directed Senator
HidtHeberger to proceeh.
r ith After senator Riddleberger had
becn speaking an hour or more he sent to
tbe Clerk,s desk. to be read as part OF his
specch. copy Of Bill No. 124, known as
the Riddebergcr debt bill, passed early in
tbe session and now law. The Clerk had
read portion of the bin when Senator
Hurt raised the point OF order that the bill
or matter being read was not germane ia
the subject. The President decided that
the point OF order was not well taken.
senator Hurt appealed from the decision OF
the President, but the President refused
TO entertain the appeal. A few minutes
later Senator Hurt again arose, and
addressing the Chair Insisted that the
Clerk should stop reading, and claimed
that he was entitled to the floor for the
purpose OF making a motion, because OF
the fact that Senator Riddlcherger had left
the Senate chamber, and was not therefore
entitled TO the floor.
The President refused to recognize Sem
ator Hurt. and stated as q reason for not
doing so that Senator Riddleberger was en-
titled TO the floor as soon as the Clerk fin
iShed reading.
senator Hurt appealed from the decision
of the President. but the President re-
fused to entertain the appeal, and allowed
the Clerk TO proceed with the reading OF
the bill. Senator Riddeberger soon en-
tered the Senate chamber, when the Clerk
stopped reading, and, III response to an i'll
quiry as TO why he had stopped, the Pre-
sident stated that he had directed him TO do
so because the matter being read (Bill No.
l2D was not germane. and then added.
"The Senator from Shenandoah (Nlr. Rid
dleberger) will proceed"
9Th. Senator Riddleberger, proceeding to
discuss tie motion to lay on the table, made
a statement in regard TO Senator Hurt,
when that Senator arose and, addressing
the Chair. claimed the right TO correct the
statement made by Senator Riddlebergcr,
but the President refused 10 allow him TO
do so. notwithstanding Rule No. 80 pro-
yides expressly for the interruption of any
senator when speaking "to correct erro-
neous statements" and permitted Senator
Riddlcberger TO proceed with his speech,
i'm the course OF which he was allowed by
the President to proceed himself with the
reading Of the very paper-Bill No. 12i-
which the President had just short time
/ before ruled out OF order.
/ 9Th. Senator Riddlcbergcr was soon after
requested by one of his friends to give
/ way TO motion to adjourn Several mo-
/ tions to adjourn having already been made
with his consent while he was on the floor
and defeated by recorded vote, which he
/ did. and the motion being put, it was very
evident that Il majority voted in the mega
tive, vet the President precipitately and
abruptly left the Chair, declaring the Senate
adjourned, Notwithstanding demand was
made for the ayes and noes before the
Senate was declared adjourned.
| TO all OF which said rulings OF the pre-
siding officer Of this body we protest as
contrary to all parliamentary law and usage
and the rules Of this body, and utterly sub
versiye OF the rights OF senators upon this
floor. especially i'm so far as the right OF ap-
peal is arbitrarily denied. and ask that this
our protest be entered upon the Journal.
JOIN l.. Hurt. JOIN X. THURMAN,
II. ID. TwYMAN. +. l.. SMITH,
Henry HEATON. J. SINGLETON DIGGs,
y BSAIOM hOlNtN. JbhN L. LoNEIis'
WM. LovENSTEIN, PAUL c. EDMUNDS.
j. II. WINGFIELD, FRANK FLETCHER,
III. \. ATKINSON, ,r.
Mr. Riddleberger opposed the admission
OF the protest to the Journal, and ques-
toned its accuracy. but conceded that by
the rules one third OF the senators had the
right 10 enter any protest on the journal.
Mr.. Thurman said that as one OF the
signerS of the protest it was due to himself
l'and the other >igners that their position
should be fully stated and understood; that
he would say for himself that nothing that
had happened during this session had
given him so much pain rs the position he
had been compelled to assume relative to
the rulings OF the presiding officer; that he
was his friend, and his rulings heretofore
| had been eminently fair and impartial, ana
he could not and would not impute any
/ improper motives TO him, or charge that he
| had wilfully ruled wrong. But he had
/ only to deal with facts, and with facts ne
proposed to deal. The Senator from She
nandoah had said that il was fair
/ specimen OF Funder chiyalry to enter a
protest after the presiding officer had pub
/ Iicly admitted his error. Ii might with rs
much fairness be said that il was fair
/ specimen of Readiuster chiyalry TO rule
wrong and accomplish an end and then ac-
| knowledge the error. But this he would
/ not say. But he would say that Senator,
/ by his effort 10 make a party question OF
/ the matter and crack the party whip over
| the Re;idjuSters. in the hope that he could
| thereby force them to vote against their
convictions, was alike reflection upon
( them and Il confession OF weakness. The
real question was whether senators had
any rights upon this floor.
The protest charged that the Chair had
entertained motion to reconsider from a
senator whom the record showed had mol
voted with the prevailing party, and had
refused an appeal from his decision. TINS
the record showed, aud il could not be de-
MED. and it had never been denied, ac-
knowIcdged, or apoogiZcd for.
II also charged that motion not dehaia-
Bile had been allowed to he debated for
hours. and that all motions TO close debate
had been oyerruled and an appeal denied.
The first proposition is admitted TO be
wrong, but the injury is all done.
IL is further charged that all appeals were
denied, and that the vote to adjourn was
not carried; that the ayes and noes were
refused. and the Senate declared ad-
iourned.
1t is for senators TO Say-not a partiSans,
but rs senators-whether these rulings
shall be woven into precedents and used
against them in the future. and common
courtesy requires that the thirteen sena-
tors who signed the protest shall be al
lowed to enter il on the record.
Mr.. Hurt also spoke explaining the pro-
test (which it seemed from the debate
was drawn up by himl and the position OF
the signers.
Mr.. Wilcox spoke against the protest,
and I'm his sneech introduced-and greatly