The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1884-03-22
CONGRESSIONAL.
SENATE.

Tee On FOfelgn NelatlOns, In COmDll.
ance with a resolution of instruction
from that committee to inquire and
report what legislation, if any, was
necessary to protect the interests OF
the United States against those gov
ernments which have excluded or re.
strained the importation of Ameri'
can meats reported an original bill
providing for che inspection of meats
for expectation and prohibiting the
importation Of adulterated articles OF
food and drink and authorizing the
President to make proclamation in
certain cases and for other purposes.
Placed on the calender. g
Vance presented the views of the
minority committee. -
The chair laid before the Senate as
unfinished business q bill to aid In
the establishment and support of
common schools. A long debate fol-
lowed, and when Blair had the floor
and was meeting the objections raised
to the bill, Harris inquired whether
he would give way to motion to ad-
journ. Blair's speech having taken
up several hours In delivery, the sug
gestton was agreed to with q hearty
laugh, in which Blair good naturedly
joined. A few amendments were
made to the bill and the Senate ad-
journed.
Hoar called up the bill introduced
by him, and reported favorably from
the Committee on Judiciary, fixing
the salary of United States District
Judges at five thousand dollars. A
long debate followed.
Curtin, chairman of the committee
on foreign affairs, reported as a priyi-
legged question the following resOlu-
tiOns:
Resolved, That the resolutions re-
ferring to the death of DR.. Edward
Lasker, adopted by this House Janu-
ary 9th, were intended as tribute
of respect to the memory Of an emf
nent statesman, who had died with
In the United States, and an expires.
sion Of sympathy with the German
people for whom he had been an
honorable representative.
Ees0lved, That the H0use having
no official concern with the relati0us
between the executive and the legis.
lative branches Of the German gov.
ernmeht, does not deem 1t requisite
to its dignity to criGlcise the manner
OF the reception of the resolutions or
the circumstances which prevented
them reaching their destination after
they had been communicated
through the proper channels to Ger
many.
Curtin Immediately demanded
that the prey ious question should
not be ordered, as the House had
made apologies enough for having
been insulted.
Cox, New York, moved to lay the
whole matter on the table; that was
the way to treat the German Chan
cellor. The motion was lost, 80 to
123.
The previous question having been
ordered, Ochiltree rose to debate the
resolutions. He yielded to no gentle
men in his esteem for and confidence
in tho distinguished members of the
Foreign Affairs Committee, and
ordinarily was disposed to rely on
their Judgment, but this affair had
gone beyond the domain of red tape
aud circuml0cuti0n. 1t had assumed
q phase which called on each and
every Representative to look to it
that his individual honor and dignity
were preserved, and In so doing to
defend the dignity of the people. It
was not becoming the dignity Of this
body to enter into explanations of
the meaning Of the original reso-
lutiOns.
Ochiltree then delivered a eulogy
on the high abilities and character of
Lasker. He said compliment to
Lasker was q rebuke to the German
government because they were an
tithesis to- each other. The speaker
then proceeded to picture Bismarck
as a flattering and sycophantic in
strument of dpspotic royalty.
BelfOrd asked ironically whether 1t
would be in order to offer resolutions
presenting the apologies Of the House
to the German Chancellor for having
troubled him.
Phelps said this matter was of very
little consequence. Had it been OF
great consequence and the committee
had unanimously agreed upon a re-
port, it would seem there ought to be
an explain alton, when, on the 9TH OF
January, the members were cl' sing
their desks preparatory to adjourn
ment, the gentleman from Texas
(Ochiltree) sent to the clerks desk
the resolutions and asked for their
unanimous consent and adoption.
After waiting till they. were read,
unanimous consent was given and
the House adjourned. After 10 days
the House was startled by the infOr-
nation that the Chancellor had re-
fused to accept them and the next
morning the members hunted the
records to see what they had done.
They found they had expressed re-
pret at the death of Lasker and SYM
pathy with the German people at bis
loss. This was true. They read also
they had expressed the belief that the
free and liberal sentiments of the de-
ceased had advanced material and So
cial interest to the country. This was
true; but between two truths there was
the differences: one was truth which
the House could export; the other
was truth which the House could
not export. The House could say i!
regretted the death of Lasker and
send the message anywhere. 1t could
believe his political sentiments,
but it had no right to send that
opinion to a friendly power which
entertained different opinions and
nOlitical sentiments from Lasker.
Here was the dilema, and where
was the refuge? There seemed to be
none. The House could not resist
the fact that It's friendly sentiments
had been reflected upon; it could not
resent the fact that its political senti'
ments had been rejected because II
had no business to put them on the
same paper.
The resolutions were adopted with.
out division, though an unsuccessful
attempt ives made to have yeas and
nays ordered. BEFORE their passage