St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-06-12
A SENATE MYSTERY.
An Unexplained Secret Ses-
sion Appropriation Of
$25O,0O0.
Perhaps Intended to Pay Spies
and Informers Upon Rev
OlutiOnists.
Or For Benefit of Gen. Grants Gen.
tral American Railway
Scheme.
Unsuccessful Attempt to put the Hennepin
Canal Out of the River and Har-
bor Bill.
Proposed Sweeping Enactments Against
Political Contributions by Govern
ment Employees.
The Senate.

The Senate.
WASHINGTON, June 11.-Senator Voor-
hees offered resolution calling on the sec
retary of the interior for information con-
corning supplies of beef to Indians.
Senator Sherman said an inquiry of this
character carried an implication of fraud on
the part of government affairs. If the sena-
tor from Indiana (Voorhees), would say he
believed wronghad been done, he (Sherman),
would favor the resolution; otherwise he
would move its reference to the committee
on Indian affairs
Senator VOORHEES, replied that he had not
the slightest suspicion of official
1npropriety in the matter, and
the Senator (Sherman) had constituted
himself defender of the department before
an accusation had been made. His object
was to have an inquiry whether the supplies
had been procured from tresspassing grazing,
and he opposed reference to the committee
on Indian affairs, because the resolution re-
lating to grazing in Indian territories long
since referred to that committee had not
been heard from.
The matter then went over for week.
The senate insisted on its amendments to
the District of Columbia bill, and confer
ence was ordered.
The senate then went into secret legisla-
tive session on the item in the consular and
diplomatic appropriation bill, appropriating
25O,OOO to cover necessary expenses attend
ant upon the execution of the neutrality act.
When the doors reopened Senator Butler
offered resolution which under objection went
over ON dow providino for tho iDtr
of a special committee to examine into
the condition of the national banks of New
York City, and ascertain specially whether
the funds and bonds had been illegally used
by the officials, and if the national banking
law had been violated in any respect.
The chair then laid before the senate the
consular and diplomatic bill, and a vote was
taken on the amendments, agreed to in
the committee of the whole, reserving, how
ever, for separate vote the S25O,OOO item
already referred ;all other ramendmentswere
agreed to substantially as reported by the
senate committee on appropriations.
Senators Vest and Jones desired separate
vote on the $3.50, 600 item.
When the chair was about to put the ques-
ton on this item Vest said: It is due the
country and senate that the committee on
appropriations should state why this enor-
nous sum is asked, and what its purpose
really and honestly is. call upon the chair
man of the committee to state the real pur-
pose of this appropriation.
To this Senator Allison, chairman of
the appropriation committee, made no re-
sponse.
Senator Van Wyck offered the following
amendment to the clause referred to: 'sBut
no portion of the said $3.50, 900 shall be paid
directly or through the Nicaraguan govern
ment to owners of the concession granted
the Maritime Canal company of Nicaragua" !"
Senator Allison moved to lay the amend
ment on the table.
Senator Van Wyck asked Allison to with
draw his motion, which Allison declined to
do.
The motion of Allison was agreed to, and
the amendment was laid on the table.
Senator Van Wyck then announced he
had voted in the affirmative, and now moved
to reconsider the vote. At this point, Alli-
son, rising to a question of privilege, moved
that the motion to reconsider be heard un-
der rule thirty-ive in secret session. The
motion was agreed to, and the doors again
closed. When they reopened Van Wyck
asked the chair to state the question, which
the chair did, saying the amendment of SEN
ator Van Wyck to the amendment proposed
by the senate committee on appropriations,
had been laid on the table, and that the
senator had moved to reconsider the vote by
which his amendment had been SO laid on
the table.
Senator Van Wyck-Then when we went
into secret session the amendment of the
committee appropriating $3.50, 900 was under
consideration.
The presiding officer, Senator Harris-The
amendment of the committee had not been
disposed of in the senate, but the pending
question was to reconsider the vote by which
the amendment Of the senator from Nebras-
ka was laid on the table.
Mr.. Van Wyck-Then the proper matter
for consideration of the open senate now is
the further consideration or a vote upon the
amendment.
The Presiding Officer-The pending ques-
ton is, the bill having been read three times,
shall it pass!
Mr. Van Wyck protested that the record
would not hereafter show any action on the
amendment in question to fill up the hiatus
which would be thus created. He thought he
hau Cne iiSnO as seHaGor to uemand that
vote be taken in open session on that amend
ment.
Several senators: "Question, question: -
The question, "Shall the bill pass,'' was
put, and on this the yeas and nays were
called by Mr.. Vance. The result was, "a
yeas, nay.
Mr. Vance-No quorum voting. Vest,
Jonas and Van Wyck were paired with alb
sent senators, but announced if they had
not been paired they would have voted
against the bill, the two last named senators
because of the way in which it was attempted
to pass the bill. The roll was again called,
but did not secure quorum. Adjourned.