National Republican., 1884-06-19
A Decided Vote in tho Senate 10 Suppress
Polygamy.
The Fitz-John Porter Bill Again the
Subject Of Discussion.
Further Extended Debate in The House on tho Thur
man Amendment Bill.
A Refusal to Consider Contested Election
Cases at Present.
THE SENATE.

After the reading OF the journal, which con.
tanned nlusion TO the FitzJohu Porter bill, the
chair stated that no further action on that bill
was necessary than to have tho action Of the
house announced to the senate.
Mr. Conger said there was doubt In the minds
of some as to whether the provision relating to
pay secured the object in view, which waste give
no pay from tho date Of Porters dismissal until
the date Of his renppolntmont by the President
and confirmation by the senate under the present
bill. That provision was carefully and shrewdly
worded It had not been dreamed two years ago
that the bill would pass at oil, and senators might
be excused for not scruuniHng this provision
very closely. Mr.. CongeT asked for the reading of
that said Fitz-John Porter shall receive no pay,
compensation, or allowance whatsoever prior to
his appointment under this act"
Mr.. Congor asserted that n fair construction of
these words merely prevented any payments being
made prior to tho new appointment, leaving an
appointment shall have been made He did not
think this bill would prevent Porter from getting
suoh pay
construction put on these words by the senator
from Michigan.
The LANGUAGE hc said, was clear as 1t could be
made. Gen. Porter, under this act, could not
receive any pay except under the new appoint
ment by tho President and confirmation By the
senate
Mr.. Conger insisted that that was only the opiu-
ion of the senator from Ohio, Mr.. Sherman.
The clause was at any rate obscure
chair he did not suppose the senate would take
any action to modify the Language ofthe bill. As
Mr. Harrison read the bill there was no doubt
whatever that Gen. Porter would not be entitled
TO back way. The matter had been carefully con-
sidered by the military committee
Mr. Sewell said that Mr. Conger's remarks would
apply 10 the bill as 1t originally came from the
house of representatives, but did not apply with
the senate amendment In It. The clause referred
committee 20 tho senate committee on military
affairs and had the unanimous approval Of that
committee, and had stood in the bill Tor two
years without having had put on 1t the construc-
tion now advanced by Mr.. Conger.
as 81 1bn XII mar ch I 10 dhS ian
the message of the house of representatives an
nounclng the concurrence of that body in the re-
port of the conference committee, which recon-
mended that the house recede from Its disagree
ment TO the amendment of the senate and agroe
TO the same, tThis action takes the bill back W
the house of representatives as finally passed 80
far as the action Of congress Is concerned.l
on motion of Mr. Conger, the senate took up
and passed number of private pension bills.
CONSIDERATION OF THE UTAH BILL
was then resumed.
Various amendments were proposed and de-
bated. some OF which were adopted and some
Baya d, Vest, ingalls,. Hoar. Beck, Call, Slater,
Dolph, Brown, Maxey, Lapham, and MCPHERSON.
Among the amendments offered was one by Mr.
Hoar TO strike out the clause abolishing woman
suffrage in the territory of Utah The amendment
was rejected by, vote Of II ayes to 81 noes
Those voting in the Affirmative were Messn Blair
Bowen, Brown. Conger, Cullom. Dawes, Dolph,
George, Hoar, Lapham. Manderson, Mitchell
Palmer, Pike, Sherman, Vance, and Wilson.
Mr.. Brown explained his vote by saying that he
was personally altogether opposed to woman suf-
frage. but, regarding II as entirely alocal matter
and as II had been established in the territory, he
would vote against the United States government
interfering with II.
All amendments being disposed of, the bill wa!
read q third time and passed by O vote of 33 yeas
TO Is nays
The vote in detail was as follows:
YEAs-Messrs. Allison, Beck, Bowen Cameron o
Wis, Colquitt Conger, Cullom, Dawes, Dolph. Ed
munds, Fair, Frye Garland, Harrison, ingalls,. Jack
son, Jones OF Fla, Jones ofNev., Lapham, McNIil-
lan,McPherson, Malone, Manderson, Miller of Cal.
Mitchell Morrill,, Palmer, Pike, Pugh, Riddle
berger, Sawyer, Voorhees,, and Wilson'S.
NAYs-Messrs. Bayard, Brown Coke, George
Hampton, Jonas, Kenna, Lamar, Maxey, Morgan
Pendleton, Vance, Vest and Walker-l6
The senate then lat 6:25 p n.y. adjourned.