Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-03-02
BECK AND BAYARD
Withdraw From the Joint Conference
on the Tariff Bill AMI Give Their
Reasons Therefor.
An Exciting Debate in the House-Vau
VOorhis, OF New York, Narrowly
Escapes Expulsion.
The Conference in Session Until Mid
night, With No Result on the
Main Questions.
The River and Harbor Bill Passed-The
Star-ROute Trlals-senator TabOr's
Marriage-Forestry.

Marriage-Forestry.
WAsHISeToE, March I.-Sasqts.- Senate
Bayard Elaipg 70 a psrsonaI explanation asic
| he wished 10 make statement a. 10 the rea
sons which had inpelled his colleague Beck
and himself to Withdraw from the CoDferenc,
! Committee on the Internal tax bill. Alter
reading the resolution adopted BY the Senate
yesterday, directing its conferees to Withdraw
if they found that full and free conference
could BOT be obtained, he and his colleR2U;
had obtained information before the Con.
ference Committee OF the House came 10 any
conclusion, that it was not a full and fair con
ference; that the House conferees we're bound
by the action Of the body which had se.
lected them, and could not confer fully
and fairly with the Senate committee. 1t was
| from profound sense OF what was due 10 the
| Senate; IL 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 in.
terest, and the clear and positive instructions
| of the Senate-the privilege and constitu-
tio3al power OF the Senate TO possess and ex-
ercise coordinate share of legislative pow
| ers. The government should never be, and
could never be, subjected to the individual
judgment of five members of the House or of
the House itself. When the House had de-
clared that the Senate had not the power TO
engraft tariff legislation on the internal rev.
enue bill, the conferees could not change at
their will the formal, emphatic and clear
expression OF the House. The Senate con-
ierees could not act on such tentative and
cspricious proceeding as this, and il was their
duty To have subnaitted tHo naattST the
Senate.
Senator Sherman interrupted and pro.
ested against Senator Bayard srraigning the
Conference Committee in violation of the
rules OF the Senate.
Senator Bayard replied he was not talking
OF what was the duty OF the committee, he
was speaking OF what WAS right and the duty
of the majority. His associate aud he
had felt their obvious duty under the resolu-
tion adopted by the Senate yesterday was 10
refer the matter back 10 the Senate. Under the
action of the House there was az unfair and
fettered conference. 1t was fair and unfet-
tered 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 beel earnest in his endeavors TO obtain
some reduction of taxation, but acting under
the direction of the Senate, il would have
been 4 breach OF duty on his part had he re-
tee the question whether the Senate had
or had not the power to engraft tariff legis-
lation on the internal revenue bill.
Senator Morrill, expressed profound regret
that Senators Beck and Bayar should ave
felt it to be their duty to raise this technical
objection, because, whether so intended or
not, il tended TO defeat any reduction of
taxation at the present session. The Senate
was bound to consider only what the House
had sent TO it, and that was merely rssolu-
ton nen-concurring in the Senate amend
ments 10 the internal revenue bill, aud ask
Iug for conference, the committee on the
part at the House to consist of FIVE members.
What did il matter in this case what the
opinions Of the House might be on constitu-
tional questions or theological questions? l.
appeared the House had adopted resolu-
ton encountered with q great many bypo-
thelical 'ifs,n but whatever opinion it mil ht
have held or expire sed at that time, its later
action was to uon-concur, and ask for a con.
ference on the disagresing votes OF both
Houses. nder these circumstances the Senate
could have no knowledge OF any limitation
placed by the House on its conferees, and so
far as the Committee of Conference wa5 con.
cerned, no obstruction had been encountered,
but on the contrary, it was as free as any
committee of conference OF which he had
ever been member.
Senator Bsyard said he had brought the
matter up because he wished to take his full
share of the responsibility, and in order that
the Senate, il it disapproved of his action,
might have an opporiuaiiy 10 sppoint some
body else to carry on conference. He could
not stultify himself by acting as conferee
u1der such conditions.
Senator Beck declared he would not have
laff he Gor,n Of G1nf.ras.oa
merely technical objection, but he thought
The reasons set forth by Senator Baysrd were
substantial and not technical. The senator
from Vermont was wrong ia saying the only
thing the House had sent 10 the Senste WAS
notice of disagreement and request for a
conference. The House had sent also, ~
adopting resolution insiruciing It's conferees,
its protest against the constitutional right
of the Senate to take the action it had taken
on the bill. The House had presented no
bill of it's own, but had disagreed 10 the
Senate bill presumably upon the ground that
the Senate's action was without conslitu-
tional authority. The House conferees had
no bill, no amendments, nothing that the
willing. There was nothing left for the
Senate to do but abandon tho Senate bill aud
agree TO such tariff bill as four of the five
gentlemen might demand. In that case the
constitutional objection might be waived.
He did not regard it as conference at all,
and he could no longer be party to it.
Senators Bayard and Beck asked TO be
excused from further service on the Confer
ence Committee.
Senator Garland offered resolution in
struc ing all Senate conferees 10 Withdraw
from the conference.
Senator Allison objected to the present con-
sideration OF the resolution, and it went over
until tomorrow.
Senators Bayard and Beck were excused
yeas, 40; nays, g.
Chair should have authority to fill vacancies
on the committee. Agreed TO.
The president then appointed Senator
Voorhees, and Mcpherson.
Senator 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 instruction
by the Senate yesterday to its conferees.
He was excused aud the President APP.
pointed Senator Harris, who declared he
was in full accord with Senators Bsyard an |
Beck on this subject, and ssSed TO be ex-
cused.
This request was granted. Senator Voor.
bees then rose and declined 10 serve, giving
no reasons. he was excused
The president ssid be had no means of
ascertaining who would consent 10 serve, IN
less by going around and interviewing every
senator, but he might End some one during
the day. Laughter
The Senate then proceeded 10 consider the
suudry civil appropriation bill.
A number of motions TO non concur in the
action OF the Committee on Appropriations
were lest, and then the president appointed
Senators MorgaR and Gorham TO take the
pisces OF Senators Bays and Beck on the
Conference Committee on the tariff bill.
These gentlemen declined 10 serve, rs did
also number OF others. Finally, however.
Senators McDill and Malone we're sp
pointed, and they accepted.
A plumber OF joint resolutions were pre-
sented ard referred.
Senator C1ckrell presented joint resolu.
ton of the General Assembly OF Missouri,
settiug forth the great importance Of the I'M
provement of the Mississippi and its nayiga-
bic tributaries as a means Of cheap trAnspor-
lation, and requesting me senators and repre-
seniatives oil that State 10 use their best en-
deavors to secure the appropriation for the
next fiscal year recommended BY the Missis-
sippi River Commission.
Senator Davis presented the conference q
report on the Notifications appropriation
bill. Agreed to.
The president appointed as committee
10 inquire into the improvement of naviga-
tion on the Mississippi river, Senators Logan,
Jones New. McMillen, Jones and Walker;