The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-03-02
Mr.. Van Voorhis, of New York, Renders
Himself Liable to Expulsion.
He Says an Appropriation Is So Outrageous
that Nobody but Gambler or Cut
throat Would Tack 1t on to the Bill.
CHE SENATE.

"NhuraW from the conference committee on
the tax bill. After reading the resolution
adopted by the Senate yesterday, directing its
conferees to withdraw if they found that full
and free conference could not be had, he said
his colleague and he had been unable, under the
information brought before the committee by
the House conferees, to come to any other con-
clusion than that it was not a full and free con-
ference. The House conFerees were bound by
the action of the body which had selected them,
and could not confer fully and fairly with the
Senate. 1t was from profound sense of what
was due to the Senate; it was from an equal
sense of what was due to a coordinate branch
OF TINS government that he ana his colleague
had obeyed what they believed was the
instructions of the Senate. The privilege and
constitutional power of the Senate to possess
and exercise coordinate share of the legisla-
| tive powers of 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 declared
the Senate had not power TO engr2ft tariff legis-
could not change at their will the formal, en-
phatic, clear expression OF the House. The
oonferees could not act on such a tentative and
caprlci0uS proceeding as this, and IL was their
duty to have submitted the matter to the Senate.
Mr. sherman interrupted, and protested
against Bayard arraigning the conference COM
Initiee in violation of the rules of the Senate.
| Mr. Bayard replied that he was not talking of
what was the duty of the committee. He was
minority. His associate and he had felt it 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 conference
1t was fair and unfeUtered on the part of the
senate, and 1t for the Senate to determine
whether it was equally fair the part of the
| House. He had been earnest in his eudeavors
to obtain some reduction of taxation; but acting
| under direction of the Senate, it would have
| been a breach of duty on his part had he
manned to consider with the House committee
| the question whether the Senate had or had not
the power to engraft tariff Legislation the in
| ternal revenue bill.
Mr.. Morrill, expressed profound regret that
Messrs. Beck ana Bayard should have felt it to
| be their duIy to raise this technical objection,
| because, whether so intended or not, it tended
| to defeat any reduction of taxation at the pres
| ent session. The Senate was bound to consider
| only what the House had sent TO it, and that was
merely resolution noncurring in the Senate
| amendments to the internal revenue bill and
asking for a conference, the COM
mittee the part of the House
| TO consist of five members. What did
| It matter in this what the opinions of the
House might be on constitutional questions or
theological questions9 1t appeared the House
! great many hypothetical ifs But whatever
| opinion it might have held or expressed at that
| time Its later action was to nonconcur and ask
! for conference on the dsagreeing votes of both
| houses. Under these circumstances the Senate
could have no knowledge of any limitation
| placed by the House its conferees, and SO far
| as the committee of conference was concerned,
no obstruction had been encountered, bur, on
| W i
conference of which he had ever been a member.
| Mr.. Bayard said he had brought the matter up
because he wished to take his full share of re-
| spOnsibiity, and In order that the Senate, If it
| disapproved his action might have opportunity
TO appoint somebody else TO carry on the confer
| ence He could not consent to stultify himself
| by acting as q conferee under such conditions.
| Mr.. Beck declared he would not have left the
committee OF conference on any merely technical
| objection, but he thought the reasons set forth
| by Mr.. Bayard substantial and not tech
meal. The Senator from Vermont was wrong in
| saving the only thing the House had sent to the
Senate was notice of disagreement and a re-
! quest for a conference. The House had sent also
| by adopting the resolution instrueting its con-
! ferees, its protest against the constitutional
right of the Senate to take the action IL had
| taken the bill. The House had presented no
| bills of its own, hut had disagreed to the Senate
] bil presumably on the ground that the Senator's
| action without constitutional authority.
/ The House conferees had no bill, no amendments
nothing that the Senate c0nferees could agree to
| il they were willing. There was nothing left for
the Senate TO do but to abandon the SEN
ate bill and agree to such a tariff bill
| as four or five gentlemen might demand. In
| that case the constitutional objection might be
waived. He did not regard it as a conference
at ALL He could no longer be a party to it.
| Messrs. Bayard and Beck asked to he excused
| from further service on the conference som-
ME- Garland offered a resolution instructine all
the Senate conferees to Withdraw from the con-
| ference,
of the resolution, and it went over until to-mor-
row.
|
| yeas TO 6 nays.
MIR. Morrill, asked consent that the chair should
have authority to fill vacancies on the commit
| tee. Agreed 10. The President then appointed
Messrs. Voorhees, and McPherson
| Mr.. Mcpherson asked TO be excused, because
he was not in accord with most of his Demo-
cratic colleagues on the tariff question, and also
! because of the Instructions given by the Senate
Yesterday to It's conferees.
| He was excused, and the President appointed
| Mr. Harris, but Mr. Harris declared he was in
| fun accord with Messrs. Bayard and Beck OF
this subject. and asked to be excused. His re-
Quest WAS granted.
Mr. voorhees, then rose and declined to serve,
! giving nc reason. He was excused
| The President said he had means of ascer-
! tanning who wOuld consent to unless by
| going around ana interviewing every senator
hut he might find some one during the day.
After number of Democratic senators had
been appointed and declined to serve, Messrs
Malone and McDill consented.
The Senate then proceeded to consider the
| sundry civil appropriation bill.
A number of motions to nonconcur in the ac-
! ton of tue committee on appropriations were
Mr.. Coclrin presented Joint resolution from
the General Assembly of Missouri setting forth
| the great Importance of the improvement OF the
| Mississippi and its navigable tributaries a
means of cheap transportation, and requesting
the senators and representatives of that State TO
use their best endeavors to secure an appropiia
! tion for the next fiscal year as recommended by
! the Mississippi river commission.
| Mr.. Dawes presented the conference report on
| the Notifications appropriation bill. Agreed to.
| The PresdenJ appointed as the committee to
inquire into the Improvement OF the naviga-
tion of the Mississippi, Messrs. Logan, Jones of
Nevada, Mcmillan, Jonas and Walker
The President laid before the Senate a COM
munication from the Secretary of the Interior,
announcing tile completion of the list of pension
ers, with their address, rates OF pension. etc.
MIR. Anthony said 1t would cost over $50, 900 to
print the document.
The Senate resumed consideration of the APP
propriation bin The provision for the payment
of the "od settler" or Western Cherokee Indi-
ans claims, reported from the committee, was
struck out.
Mr.. Vest offered an amendment to the para
| graph appropr1ating $4,000 for the protection
| and improvement of the Yellowstone National
| Park, providing for q superintendent at $4,000,
and ten assistants at 5000 each, TO be appointed
by the Secretary OF the Interior, to reside con-