Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-06-26
AT THE NATIONS CAPITAL
CHALMERS TAKES THE OATH AT
THE BAR OF THE House.

/ DAN Ut LINyl ST..
/ Details of the Debate which Led to tn.
Final Decision of the Contest-Ths
Senate DevOtes Itself to the Legisla.
tive, Executive and Judicial Appro.
priation Bill.
WASHINGTON, June 25.-In the Senate
to-day, on motion Of Mr.. Wilson, the
Committee on Expenditures of Public
Money was authorized to act by sub
committee and to sit during vacation in
the investigation of the government de.
partments.
On motion Of Mr.. Allison the Senate then
resumed consideration Of the legislative, ex-
ecutive and judicial appropriation bill.
Mr.. Beck opposed the amendment offered
by the Senate Committee on Appropriation
striking out the clause consolidating and re-
organizing the customs collection districts.
Mr.. Beck read from the annual report of the
Secretary OF the Treasury faYOring a reduc-
ton, and added that 1t was rare that public
officer made q recommendation that wOuld
cut down the number of government officials.
BY this clause in the bill we could get rid. Mr..
Beck said. Of fifty collection districts, of which
twenty-five pay nothing and thirty-two do
not pay their expenses. There would be
money saved to the government of from half a
million to a million. Several Senators sup
ported the committee amendment, among
de- L
gals, Sewell and Lapham.
Mr.. JONES VIEWS.
Mr.. Jones, of Florida, said that the estab-
lishment of customs districts was not based
on the idea of self-maintenance like post
offices. They were established for the gem
eral good. The fact that each individual dis
trict did not pay was no argument for its
abolition.
Mr.. Ingalls, remarked that if the House of
Representatives should send to the Senate an
at o1a In
number OF post offices in the United States to
siXty-nine the case would be parallel with
that under discussion. After further debate
a vote was taken, and the committee amend
ment was agreed to. striking out the clause
directing consolidation by A yeas to 13 nays.
The Senate Committee on Appropriations
having proposed, among other amendments.
to strike out the clause permitting small dis
tilleries to be run without a stOrexeeper,
Messrs. Vance and Beck opposed the recon-
mendation and Mr.. Allison defended it. Mr..
Vance said that if the Senators could see the
evils of the system which these officers repre-
sented, they would agree with him that it
was a scandal and ought not to be any longer
maintained.
FRAUDS PRACTICED.
These men entered into bargains with some
Of these distilleries by which the government
was cheated. They were spies upon honest
distillers. There was no reason why dis
tillcr should be considered by his government
to be a scOundrel and spies put to watch him.
other lines Of business. The people of North
Carolina did not object TO paying a tax. but
they objected to the horde of corrupt office
holders who collected it.
Mr.. Beck said that the present condition of
things in regard to the collection of the whisky
tax was bad. lie, too, thought the whisky tax
a legitimate tax, as also the tobacco tax, but
great crowds of men kept to collect the dis
tillery tax harassed the people.
Mr.. Allison referred to the great difficulties
that had been found in the collection of this
n Inns Nd 1afH
that he would be sorry to have to say of his
people what Mr.. Vance had said of those Of
North Carolina.
With regard to corrupt bargains Mr. Vance
admitted that there were some bad men
among the distllers of North Carolina.
but they were not all bad by any means He
had only referred to those OF them who were
capable OF being corrupted by the representa-
tives of the Republican party. He supposed
that so long as they could be useful to the
party they would remain.
Mr.. Allison said it would hardly do for this
government to permit distilleries to manufac-
ture what whisky they pleased without any
surveillance by the government. The debate
continued till o'clock when, without coming
to vote on the amendment the Senate ad-
journed.
Before the adjournment Mr.. Allison offered a
resolution which lies over till tomorrow,
making il in order for any Senator to move
five minutes limitation of the debate on the
amendments to appropriation bills
IN THE HOUSE.
In the House to-day, on motion Of Mr.. Low
ering, of Massachusetts, Saturday. the 2Sth Of
June. was set apart for consideration of bills
relating to the eight hour law and convict
Mr.. Hewitt, of New York, from the Com
mittee on Ways and Means, reported a bill
to modify the existing laws relating to duties
on imports and the collection OF revenue. 1t
was referred to the committee of the whole.
Mr.. Cook, of Iowa, called up the contested
election case of Chalmers vs.. Manning, and
Mir. Mills. of Texas, raised the question OF
consideration. The House decided by II2
yeas to l07 nays, to consider the case.
Mr.. Cook, who had drawn up the majority
report in fayoraf Mr.. Chalmers, said that he
had done so in haste, and that there was one
thing in the report to which he wished to call
attention. The report set forth that ''large
part Of the evidence is calculated TO show
that the contestant was deceltful in his
politics, treacherOus to his political friends
aud unworthy of so high an office" The
word ''calculated'' was used inadvertently.
II should be "intended." The fact was shat
there was great deal in the evidence which
was wholly immaterial to the question under
consideration, of which the House must limit
itself. 1t was claimed that Mr.. Chalmers
secured the Republican nomination through
the influence ofs Federal officers, but even
granting that to be so, there was nothing in
the evidence to warrant the House in saying
that the election should be set aside on
on account OF Federal interference.
He then discussed the question of law as
to whether Mr.. Chalmers was disqualified
from election by reason of holding the Office of
Special Assistant District ATTORNEY within
his term as a member of Congress. Mr.. Chal-
mers, the committee found, had been en-
ployed for special purpose, and that prior to
the time OF the convening of Congress the
matter for which he was employed had been
disposed of. Practically his connection with
the Office of District Attorney had ceased, and
he was not disqualified from taking his seat in
Congress.
THE MINORITY RESOLUTIONS.
NFsz
nority resolutions, which are as follows:
ResOlred. That the means and methods en-
ployed by the Federal administration in in
surfing the election of j. II, Chalmers, as a
member of the House of Representatives of
the Forty eighth Congress, are, as appears by
the majority report and the evidence on file,
repugnant to and subversive of a true repre-
sentative government; and said election is
| therefore declared void.
ResoLued further, That said Chalmers hav-
| ing accepted the Office of Special Assistant
| United States District Attorney for the North =
| ern and Southern districts of the State of
Mississippi since said election and holding said
| Office, up to and beyond February /, 1884, is
ineligible to seat in this Congress, and a
| vacancy exists in the Second Congressional
| district of the State of Mississippi.
MIR. Elliott, of Pennsylvania, asserted that
| there was not a shred Of evidence for the op-
| ponents Of Mr.. Chalmers to rest upon.
Mr.. Bennett, of North Carolina, maintained
that Mr.. CLEANERS had never ceased his EN-
pioyment as a special attorney, and was there
| fore ineligible to seat in the House.
LIBERTY AsSAILED.
He addressed himself to the question of
Federal intervention in Mr.. Chalmers cleo
| ton, and asserted that the shadow of execu-
tive influence had been used to break down
the spirit of liberty, which yet fingers in the
State. 1t had been used in Virginia to ad :
vance the ambitious projects of one who sat
on the other side of the capitol. The House
could not afford to seat a man who had turned
his back upon his own race and gone over to
his enemies, and who had covered himself all
over with the mantle OF the mercenary Heep.
Mr.. Valentine, Of Nebraska, and Mr.. Tur-
neT, OF Georgia, briefly spoke in advocacy of
Mr.. Chalmers right.
Mr.. Cook then demanded the previous ques-
tion, and the vote required on the second reso-
luton presented by the minority. 1t was lost
by a vote Of SO to 9S.
The first minority resolution was also lost
By st yeas to l6l nays, and the majority resO-
luton was adopted without division. Mr..
Chalmers then appeared at the bar OF the
House and took the oath of office.
The House then resumed consideration of
the Backbone Railroad Companys forfeiture
bill. After speeches by essrs. Lewis, of
Louisiana, in support of the bill, and Oates, of
Alabama, against it, the House, without ac-
ti0n, at O'Clock adjourned.
COOK DENOUNCES BLISS.
The Statements of the Latter Berated
without Mercy.
WASHINGTON, June 25.-William A.
Cook appeared, at his own request, before