Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1885-03-10
10th Congress---special Session.

SENATE-The galleries of the Senate were
well filed by II o'clock, and when the Vice
President called the Senate to order at IL
o'clock every seat was taken. The chair
laid before the Senate the Governors Gre
dentials of Henry W. Blair to be United
States Senator from New Hampshire. Mr..
Edrtuhds deinanHed that they be read
Mr.. Vest, after the reading, moved that
the credentials be referred to the Committee
on Privileges and Elections
Mr.. Hoar hoped that no such reference
would be made as the Committee on Privi-
leges and Elections had not yet been ap-
pointed.
Mr.. Salisbury contrasted the present case
with that OF the appointment by the Cover
nor of Mr.. Bell of New Hampshire. He did
not think 1t In the power of the Governor to
appoint for the beginning of term.
Messfs. Hoar and Dawes thought the Sem
ator shotld be sworn iii, ind if there should
be any contest it could be settled aftefwafd
After further debate the whole question
went over By Unanimous consent:
Mr.. Van Wyek called DIP his resolution
asking the Secretary of the Interior for in
formation respecting the issuance of
Baton Rouge an5 .Eicksbura tBaekhonel
railroad and enquiring whether unusual
means had been used to hasten such patents.
Mr.. Van .Wyck. addressed the Senate, re-
viewing the action taken By ths rsilresd
to secure these lands. He dwelt at length
upon what he termed the fraudulent acts of
the Gould-Huntington crowd cit has been
announced" said the Senator, "that a special
meeting of the Cabinet was held to legalize
this fraud" "Why such haste?' enquired
the Senator. s'Why should the clerical
force be compelled to work nights
and Sundays to get tHess PIT
ents through before March az Was it
supposed that the republic would die with
March Ar After further remarks the Sena-
tor gave notice that the legality of these pat
ents would be contested.
Senator Teller was surprised at the resolu-
ton offered by ths Senator from Nebraska
1t was not his first appearanee before the
public. ;. He wished to be known as the spe-
cial champion Of the 1sboring classes A
number of similar resolutions had tesched
the executive of the last administration
from the same source. He would not per-
NIT similar ones to annoy the present
administration without his earnest protest
''Mr. President, said Senator Teller, fffrom
the reading of the resolution you would sup
pose that in issuing The lsnd patents some
thing had been done which had never been
done before. But. matter of fact every
Secretary of the Interior for the last eight
years has done exactly what was done in this
case by the retiring Secretary" During
the course of his remarks Senator Teller was
interrupted with questions by Senator Van
Wyck; which we're met with sharp responses
to the effect that the very question put
by the Senator showed that he was entirely
ignorant of the facts Id the case: Mfr: Teller
explained 1t ishdth The course under, which
the department proceeded in the premises.
The record he said, would show that the
lands were granted by authority of law and
the House committee declared that they
we're assignable. The question Of assign
L.
General; who after months III attsr-
ton decided, that the. -. assignment
was valid. This vaa recognized =, by
the commissioner of the general land Office,
the Hon. A. J. Williamson, in his letters
of February II, 81 and 20, 1881; by Secre-
tary Kirkwcod in the proceedings to appoint
a commission to examine the read. BY the
President Il apfointtns aonrnissieu, to e1-
anime the road and the approval OF the re-
port made by said commission; by the At
torney General to whom the question of
ownership and the right to receive patents
was submitted January g. 1882; by the Judi
ciary COMMITTEES of the Forty seventh Con
gress by its refusal to entettaih q resolution
to forfeit said grant; and by the Judfciafy
committee of the House. IS to 2, May II, 1864,
by the House of REPRESENTATIVES on the 26th
of June, 1884, when bill fer ths forfeiture
of the land was defeated by direct vote by
a majority of forty-two; by the House on
the following day when it refused by an in
creased majority to reconsider the vote by
which the forfeiture bill had been defeated;
by the Senate Committee on Railroads by it's
report of June Z, 1882, and the action of
the Senate thereon; by. the refusal of the
Senate July s. 1884, to investigate the man
ner in which the company had acquired its
rights to the land claimed and By the report
of the Senate Committee on Publis fa1lds.
In closing his remarks Senator Teller in
stanced number of cases where resolutions
of inquiry had been adopted much to the
embarrassment of the different heads of de-
partments and in this connection pictured
the Importance of giving to Cabinet officers
seats in legislative branches of the
government. He took the, ground
that these resolutions were frequent
ly introduced merely for ths pur-
pose of a cowardly attack upon the
heads of departments and to give the mover
an opportunity to pose as the watchdog of
the treasury. Headefended the Department
of the Interior against the imputation that
certain reports had been delayed to avoid
their printing during the present session,
maintaining that it was utterly impossible to
prepare the docniients called for In shorter
time, and closed his speech by saying
that he was perfectly willing to
leave the work of his department to answer
for itself and that he would be ready at any
time to reply to interrogatories respecting his
administration over the Department of the
Interior.
After a brief rejoinder by Senator Van
Wyck, on motion of Mr.. Frye further debate
was deferred and at 2:25 the Senate ad
journed until tomorrow at IL.