National Republican., 1883-02-28

Mr. Iugalls declared he had no intention to
offer any afront either TO the presiding officer
or the senator from Vermont Mr. MOrill), but
IL was matter Of great Importance to know
into whose hands the bill was to 20 if con-
ference should be agreed to, and as the sclec
tion had been made and the names were soon
TO be announced. to say that this was con-
idential communication between senators
was laughable treaty.
Mr.. Dawes said that any senator who had
not confidence enough in the presiding officer
to intrust him with the appointment of the
conference committee on this bill would of
course vote against authorizing him to ap.
| point.
Mr.. Voorhees, made some remark under the
misapprehensian that the names said 10 be
] " tiiu possession of tho chair were those of
| the house conferees; but when set right said
that there was still less reason for making
any mystery about the conference on the part
of the sentatc.
The president. The paper was handed 10 the
/ chair by senator, and the chair handel II back.
hees criticised the action OF the house in asking
/ for conference without naming its own con-
| ierces.
| Mr.. Hoar thought the house he'd acted with
special courtesy in this matter.
Mr.. Lapham suggested that, even If the
house had named its confcrecs to-day, 1t could
| change them tomorrow if 10 choose.
Mr.. Edmunds said the house conferces,
when appointed would represent only the
house, aud that nobody else need take trouble
about their selection.
Mr.. Morgan insisted upon his point, that
| this question was not privileged so as TO be
entitled to immediate consideration.
| The president said that the practice had
always been to consider messages asking q
conference Immediately upon receiving them =,
and overruled the point of order
Mr.. Morgan said he would not appeal from
1....t. h.a Nl.aN Ia.
| rules of the senate were 10 be interpreted en-
tirely for the accommodation and convenience
! of the majority without reference to the
minority. The action of the senate on this
this tariff bill had been peculiar from the be-
ginning. The senate, after great labor, had
passed bill affecting every interest in the
/ country and had sent 10 TO the house, and the
house had instantly rejected it. Everybody
knew that this rejection was not the result of
consideratio on by the house-everybody knew
that the bill could not have been
read in the house, and now IL was
proposed to put the taxing power of
this government into the hands of
the manufacturers and let them make tariff
law. The conference would doubtless be
agreed to, and whatever change was made in
the bill would of course be adverse TO the
greatest interests in the country, that of the
agriculturists, who paid the taxes and supplied
the treasury. Yet men calling themselves
democrats would be found voting for il what
ever shape il might take. This would be
memorable as the first law that ever got upon
the statute book without having at least been
read in both houses of congress. and the people
would hold those who were responsible for IL
to reckoning which would have its effect on
the senate for half n century to come.
Mr.. Salisbury warned the senate confcrees,
whoever they might be, that If they yielded
the right of the senate to originate tariff leg
islation he would vote against their report.
Mr.. CoclIrcll said as il had been intimatcd
that the conicrees on tho part of the senate
were selected he would like to know what the
programme was-whether it was intended
that the committee of conference should aban-
don the tariff legislation and bring in the in.
tcrnal revenue bill alone.
Mr.. Edmunds ito Mr.. Morrill, Don'tanswer
any question of that kind. The chair appoints
tho committee.
Mr.. Cockrell said that If he could not get
some information on this point he would ob.
ject to the chair appointing the committee.
Mr.. Dawes remarked that the committee
could not hold very " full or free" con.
ference If they were to be hNmpercd in the
way suggested by Mr.. Cockrell's question.
Mr.. Ingalls,. have discovered who they are
and have no objection y them, lL9ughIerJ
Mr.. Vest Upon this side Of the chamber We
have not the inf rmalon of the senator from
Kansas NTr. Ingalls,, aud weshould like to have ii
as he hns publicly announced that he knows who
|
The president. The chair does not know.
Mr.. Vest. The senator from Kansas says he has
the Information aud We wish him To communicate
Mr.. ingalls,. Having received It in strict con
fdence, Mr.. president do not feel at liberty tc
The president. The Chair usually appoints on
conference on a bill of this kind members OF the
committee on finance and the names are usually
Mr.. Vest. There is very great room for choice in
the personnel OF the committee on finance, Illus
TtnGa9 aJg ghnN n..NNRN tnA IL
Mr.. Edmuuds wish to know whether there ]:
objection 10 the chair appointing this committee
II The presid ent viii ask.
The prcsid ent. The chuir will not interrupt the
senator from Missouri (Mr. Nest)
Mr.. Vest Insisted upon knowing the names
Mr., Ingalls,. If the senator VIII drnw near me
shall be very glad to tell him who they are
Mr. Vest, l want no confidence In this matter
ns much as respect the senator rom Kansas
This Is entirely public matter, and one which
has been introduced here by the senator, a mem
Der OF the dominant party
Mr.. Vest continued his remarks, putting 6
Hypothetical case Of supposed action on the
part of the house.
Mr. Logan, to ease the mind of the senator
from Missouri (Mr. Vest), stated that he had
whispered certain names to Mr. ingalls, as q
mere guess, and that he supposed was the
information that the senator from Kansas
had as to the conferees.
Mr.. Inga lis. But 1t has boen entirely corrobo
rated from very authentic source, Llaughter.l
Mr.. Voorhees, said there was an air of jug
glcry about this business which was no.
creditable to those concerned in il. Why
there should be such an assumption of mys-
terry he did not know. He was member OF
the committee on finance, yet he had to sit
and hear gentlemen not connected with that
committee announce their possession OF
knowledge which heshad not in relation u
the committee Of conference. He thought
however, he could guess pretty well who the
members of the committee would be, because
he knew who they ought to be and he named
Messrs. Morrill,, Sherman, and Aldrch on the
republican side and Messrs. Bayard and Beck
as the democratic members
Mr.. Harris agreed with Mr.. Voorhees, that
the gentlemen indicated as the democratic
members of the committee Of conference
ought to be appointed.
The senate having voted to insist on III
action and to agree to conference, the con
ferces TO be appointed by the chair, the pTes
dent named Mcssrs. Morrill,, Sherman, Al
: driCh, Bayard, and Beck. Mr.. Beck at first
declined to serve, on the grounds that he wa
fully occupied asa member of subcommit
tee of the committee on appropriations on thu
sundry civil bill, and if that bill should fai
an extra session would be necessary; but afte
Messrs. Voorhees,, Harris and Morrill, had in
> sisted upon his serving as q member of thu
conference committee he agreed TO do so
The senate, on motion of Mr.. Edmunds, hell
very brief executive session, and at o'clOcl
adjourned.
EXECUTIVE SESSION.
The senate devoted four hours this after
noon to tho consideration of executive busi
ness The DrODosed commercial treaty will