The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-06-12
PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS-.
THE SENATE.
The Session Devoted to Consideration of the
Consular Appronniatiom Bill.

Inc session Devoted to Consideration of the
Consular Appropriation Bill.
WASHINGTON, June 1L.-Mr. Voorhees, offered
a resolution calling on the Secretary of the In
terror for information concerning supplies of
beef for Indians.
Mr.. Sherman said an inquiry of this char
acter carried the implication of fraud on the
part of government officers. If the senator
from Indiana Mr.. Voorhees, would say he be-
lieved wrong had been done he [Mr. Sherman
would favor the resolution; otherwise he would
move its reference to the committee on Indian
affairs.
Mr.. Voorhees, replied that he had not the
slightest suspicion of official impropriety in the
matter and the senator from Ohio Mr.. Sher-
man had constituted himself a defender of the
department before charges had been made. His
object was to have an inquiry made as
to whether supplies had been procured from
trespassing g~raziers, and he opposed reference
to the committee on Indian affairs, because a
resolution relating to grazing in the Indian Ter
ritory, long since referred to that committee, had
not been heard from. The matter then went
over for a week.
The Senate insisted on its amendment to the
District of Columbia bill, and a conference was
ordered.
The Senate then went into secret legislative
session on the item in the consular and diplo-
matte appropriation bill! appropriating $3.50, OOO
to cover the necessary expenses attendant upon
the execution of the neutrality act. When the
doors We're reopened, Mr.. Butler offered a reso-
luton which, under objection, went over one
day, providing for the appointment of a special
commissioner to examine into the condition of
the national banks of New York city, and ascer-
tain especially whether funds and bonds had
been illegally used by officials, and if the ma
tlonal banking law has been violated in any re-
spect.
The Chair then laid before the Senate the con
sular and diplomatic bill, and a vote was taken
the whole, preserving, however, for separate
vote the $2j0, 900 item already referred to. All
other amendments were agreed to substantially
as reported by the Senate committee on appropri-
atoms.
Messrs. Vest and Jonas desired a separate
vote on the $3.50, 900 item.
When the Chair was about to put the question
on this item, Mr.. Vest said: 1T is due to the
country and Senate that the COMMITTEES on appro-
~priations should state why this enormous sum is
asked, and what its purpose really and honestly
is. call upon the chairman of the committee
to state the real purpose of this appropriation
To this Mr. Allison, chairman of the .appro-
p%rlatlons committee, made no response.
Mr.. Van Wyck offered the following amend
ment to the clanse referred to: Blu no portion
Of said $3.50, 900 shall be paid, directly, or
through the Nicaragua government, to the
owners of the concession granted to the Maritime
Canal Company, of Nicaragua
Mr. Allison moved to lay the amendment on
the table.
Mr.. Van Wyck asked Mr.. Allison to withdraw
the motion, which Mr.. Allison declined to do.
The motion of Mr.. Allison was agreed to and
the amendment laid on the table.
Mr.. Van Wyck then announced that he had
voted III the affirmative, and now moved to re
consider the vote.
of privilege, moved that the motion to reconsider
be heard under rule 50, in secret session.
The motion was agreed to and the doors again
closed. When they were reopened Mr.. Van
Wyck asked the Chair to state the question,
which the Chair did, saying the amendment of
MIR. Van Wyck to the amendment proposed by
the Senate committed OIL appropriations had been
laid on the table, and that the Senator had
moved to reconsider the vote by which his
amendment had been laid on the table.
Mr.. Van Wyck-Fhen when we went into
secret session the amendment of the committee
on appropriation of $780, 900 was under eonsid-
Grafton.
The Presiding Oficer-Mr. Harrisl-The
amendment OF the committee had not been dis
posed of In the Senate, but the pending question
was to reconsider the vote by which the amend
ment of the Senator from Nebraska was laid on
the table.
III ' I'll HyNh-I Nv pIODCI "
consideration of the open Senate now is further
consideration or a vote upon that amendment!
The Presiding Ofhcer-The pending question
is, the bill having been read three times, shall it
passs
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 had
the right, as a senator, to demand that vote be
taken in open session on that amendments.
Several question.
The question-shal the bill passl-was put, and
on this the yeas and nays were called by Mr..
Vance. The result was thirty-four yeas, one
nay Mr.. vance,. No quorum voting.
Messrs. Vest, Jonas and Van Wyck were paired
with absent senators. but announced that 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 of the Senate was called, but did not
secure a quorum, and the Senate adjourned.
THE U