Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-03-02
YESTERDAY In CONGRESS-.
THE SENATE CONFEREEs Sc
CURED AT LAST.

Discussion of the Mississippi Levee
System-A Disgraceful Scene During
the House Night Sessfon-The Public
Debt ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
WASHINGTON, March 1.-An informal
meeting of the conferees on the tariff bill
was held this morning, but no action was
taken owing to the absence of the Demo-
cratic members, and an adjournment was
had to wait the action of the Senate
touching the destinations of Messrs. Bay
ard and Beck to serve. At u m. the
vacancies not having been filled, the Re-
publican members of the committee again
met in the room of the Senate Committee
ON Finance, but again adjourned without
action.
Representative Carlisle, one of the
Democratic conferees on the part of the
House, raised point of order that the
committee could not proceed to the con-
slderatlon Of the business with which
they were charged unless each body was
fully represented; that in the absence of
two members on the part of the Senate
the committee would not be q. full con-
ference
After some discussion. Mr.. Morrill,,
Chairman OF the conference committee,
Sustained fhe point OF order, and the com.
mittee at 1880 adjourned subject to the
call OF the Chairman. There were present
Senator's Morrill,, Sherman, Aldrich.
Representatives Kelley, Mckinley, Has
kell, Carlisle and Speer.
SENATE PROCEEDINGS.
In the Senate, Mr.. Bayard, rising to a
personal explanation, said he wished to
make statement as to the reason which
mad lmpelled his colleague Beck and
fhfl.
conference committee ON the tax
bill. After reading the resolution
adopted by the Senate Yesterday
directing its cOnferees to withdraw if
they found a full and free conference
could not be obtained, he said his col
league and he had been unable, under the
information brought before the committee
by the House conferees, to come
to any other conclusion than
that it was not a full and fair conference.
The house cOnterees we're bound by the
action of the body which selected them
and could not confer fully and fairly with
the Senate. 1t was from profound sense
of what was due to the Senate;
1t was from an equal
sense of what was due to
the coordinate branch of this government
that he and his colleague had obeyed
what they believed was the clear intent
Senate. The privilege and constitutional
power of the Senate to possess and eXcr-
else coordinate share of the legislative
powers of the government should never
be and could never be subjected
to the individual judgment of five men,
bers of the House, or of the House itself
When the House had declared that the
Senate had not the power to engraft tariff
legislation in the internal revenue bill, its
cOnferees could not change at their will
the formal, emphatic and clear express
ions of the Mouse. The Senate cOnferees
could not act in such a tentative and ca
PRECIOUS proceeding 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 duty of the minority. His as
sOciate and he had felt 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 confer
ence. 1t was fair and unfettered on the
part of the Senate, and it was for the Sen
ate to determine whether il was
equally fair on the part of the
House. He had been earnest in
his endeavOrs to obtain some reduction of
taxation, but acting under the direction
of the Senate it would have been a breach
of duty on his part had he remained to
consider with the House committee the
question whether the Senate had or had
not the power to engraft tariff legislation
on the internal revenue bill.
Messrs. Bayard and Beck having asked
to be excused from further service on the
conference committee on the tariff, Mr..
Garland offered resolution instructing
all the Senate cOnferees to withdraw from
the conference.
Mr.. Allison objected to the present con-
sideratiOn of the resolution, and it went
over till tomorrow. Messrs. Bayard and
Beck were excused by a vote of 40 to 6.
Mr.. Morrill, asked consent that the
Chair should have authority to fill vacan-
cies on the committee, which was agreed
to.
The President then appointed Messrs.
Voorhees, ana Mcpherson.
Mr.. Mcpherson asked to be excused,
because he was not in accord with most
of his Democratic colleagues on the tariff
question, and also because of the instruc-
tions given by the Senate yesterday to its
cOnferees. He was excused. and the
President appointed MIR. Harris, who de-
Bayard and Beck on the subject, and
asked to be excused. The request was
granted.
Mr.. Voorhees, then rose and declined to
serve, giving no reasons. He was eX-
cused.
The President said he had no means of
ascertaining who would consent to serve
unless by going around and interviewing
every Senator, but he might find some one
during the day. Laughter.
The Senate then proceeded to consider
the sundry civil appropriation bill.
The following Senators were appointed
by President Davis upon the conference
committee, and each in turn declined:
Messrs. Harris, Morgan, German, Davis
of West Virginia, Jonas, Butler, MaXey,
Ingalls,, and Miller of California. Messrs.
serve, and the five conferees on the part
of the Senate were secured. During
the proceedings, and before the President
had recourse to the Republican side, he
said he wished some Senator would adj
wise him whether there was any Demo-
crat who would consent to serve on the
committee. Such information would re-
lieve him from embarrassment.
Mr.. Harris thought the Chair would be
warranted by his experience so far in as
suming that no Democratic Senator would
serve.
Mr.. COckrell presented a joint resOlu-
ton of the General Assembly of Missouri
setting forth the great Importance of the
improvement of the Mississippi and its
navigable tributaries as means of cheap
transportation, and requesting the Sena-
tors and Representatives of that State to
use their best endeavOrs to secure the ap-
preparations for the next fiscal year re-
commended by the Mississippi River Com
mission.
Mr.. Dawes presented the conference
report on the fortiticatiOns appropriation
bill, which was agreed to.
The President appointed as a committee
TO inquire into the Improvement of the
navigation ofthe Mississippi river Messrs.
Logan, Jones of Nevada. Mcmillan. Jonas
and Walker.
The consideration of the sundry civil
appropriation bill was finally completed,
and the bill was reported to the Senate
and passed.
The river and harbOr bill was received
from the House and ordered printed, and
at u 80 a. m. the Senate went into eXecu-
tive session. The executive session lasted
till l: 10 a. M, when the Senate adjourned.
HOUSE PROCEEDINGS.
In the House, Mr.. FOrney, of Alabama,
presented the conference report on the
fOrtifications appropriation bill, and it was
agreed to. The bill apprOpriates $4,000,
being 1926, 900 more than when it passed
the House.
The House went into committee of the
whole and took up the river and harbor
bill. The discussion was interrupted by
a message from the Senate announcing
the appointment of Senators Malone and
McDill as cOnferees on the internal reve-
nue. bill to fill the vacancies Occasioned
nv the declination of Messrs. Bayard and