Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-03-02
DISGRACEFUL DOINGS ALL ROUND.
Passage OF the Sundry Civil Bill ant
the River and HarbOr Bill.
BARROOM TALK OVER THELATTER
The Senate Enjoys a Circus While tht
President Drums up Confer
once Committee.
Senate.

wished to make a statement as TO the |
reasons which had impelled his colleague |
{Beck) ana himself TO withdraw from the |
conference committee on the tax bill. |
After reading the resolution adopted by |
the senate yesterday, directing its con-
ferrees 10 withdraw if they found that q |
full and free conference could not be OBJ |
tained, he said his colleague and himself |
had been unable. Huder the information
brought before the committee by the
house conferrees, to come toi
any other conclusion than that
it was not full and fair conference. The
house conferrees were bound by the action
of the body which had selected tfem, and
could not confer fully and fairly with the
senate. It was from a profound sense of
what was due to the senate. 1t was from
an equal sense of what was due to co-or
-Uiinate branch of this government, that he
and his colleague had obeyed what they
believed was the clear intent and clear
and positive instructions of the senate
The privilege and constitutional power
of the senate to possess and exercise a
coordinate share of the legislative power
of the government should never be and
could never be subject to the individual
Judgment of five members of the house or
of the house itself. When the house has
declared the senate had not the power to
ingraft tariff legislation on an internal rev.
enue bill, the conferrees could not change
at their will, a formal, emphatic, clear ex-
preston of the house. The senate confer
rees could not act on such a tentative and
capricious preceding as this and it was
their duty to have submitted the matter
to the senate.
Mr.. Sherman interrupted, and protested
against Mr.. Bayard arraigning the con-
ference committee in violation OF the
rules of the senate.
Mr.. BaYard replied that he was not
talking of what was the duty of the COM
mittee. He was speaking of what was the
right and the duty of the minority. His
associate and he had eelt their obvious
duty under the resolution adopted by the
senate yesterday to refer the matter back
to the senate. Under the action of the
house there was an unfair and fettered con-
ference and it was fair and unfettered on
the part of the senate, and it was
for the senate to determine whether
it was equally fair On the part OF the
house. He had been earnest in his
endeayors to obtain some reduction of tax
alton, but acting under the direction OF
the senate it would have been breach of
duty on his part had he remained to con.
slider with the house committee the ques-
ton whether the senate had or not, th'
power to engraft tariff legislation on al
internal revenue bill.
Messrs. Bayard and Beck asked to be ex
cused from further service on the confer
ence committee.
Mr Morrill, expressed profound regre
that Messrs. Beck and Bayard should hav
felt it to be their duty to raise this techni
cal objection, because whether so intende'
or not. it tended to defeat any reduction
of taxation az the present session. Th
senate was bound TO consider only wha
the house had sent TO ii, and that wa
merely resolution non-concuTring in tn
senate amendment TO the internal revenu
bill. and asking for conference, the com
nittee on the part of the house to consis
of five members. What did it matter
this case what the opinion of the hous
might be On constitutional CUES
tions, or technical questions
It appeared that the house ha
adopted resolution encumbere
with a great many Hypothetical ifs; bJ
whatever opinion il might have held or e
pressed at that time its latter action WI
to not concur. and ask for conference c
the disagreeing votes Of the two house
Under IneSC EtECU1lSLclGGos bub SOAd
could have no knowledge of any limitatiC
placed by the house on It's conferrees, al
so far as the committee on conference W
concerned no obstruction had been e
countered: but on the contrary it was
free as any committee on conference
which he had ever been member.
Mr.. Bayard said he had brought the ms
ter up because he wished to take his fl
share of the responsibility a.
in order that the sena
fit disapproved his action, might have
opportunity to appoint somebody else
carry on the conference. He could n
consent to stultify himself by acting as
conferree under such conditions.
Mr.. Beck declared that he would n
have left the committee on conferen
on any merely technical objection, but
thought the reasons set forth by Mr.. Be
ard were substantial, and not technic
The senator from Vermont was wrong
saving the only thing the house had sc
the senate was a notice of disagreeme
and request for aconference. The hor
had sent also, by adopting resolution
structing its conferrees, its protest again
the constitutional right of the 81
ate to take the action 1t b
taken on the bill. The house had p
Sented no Oil OF us own, Dut nao
agreed to the senate bill, presumably uE
the ground that the senate's action '
without constitutional authority
house conferrees hadnO bill, no amel
ments, no nothing that tho senate @
ferrees could agree to, if they were will
There was nothing left for the senate
do but to abandon the senate bill {
agree to such tariff bill as four or
gentlemen might demand. In, that C
~ constitutional objection might
3 waived. He did not regard this as C
ference at all. He could no longer b.
party to it.
Mr.. Garland offered q resolution ins II
ing all the senate conferrees 10 withd
from the conference.
Mr. Allison objected to present consit
alton of the resolution and it went c
until tomorrow.
Messrs. Bayard and Beck were excu
by 40 ayes, 6 noes.
Mr.. Morrill, asked consent that the cl
should have authority to fill the vacan
on the committee. Agreed to.