Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-12-18

Senators and Representatives 10 Con.
gress could never be officers OF
the United States, hence they
were shut ont from the succession.
Would the trainers of the Constitu-
tion--men so circumspect and saga
cious--haye left such . loophole to the
presidency as that senator's could va
cate it themselves Gas for example by
impeachment and then ill it tnem-
selves? Then what would senator's do
with the decision--the sound constitu-
tional decision. in Mr.. Evart's belief,
that neither senator nor member Of
the House came within the impeachment
clauses of the Constitution? The
President and Vice-President were
named as liable to impeachment,
and both Of them were officers but er
industrio and to guard against the no.
ton that they would not be included in
the mass of officers, the only persons
declared open to impeachment under
the Constitution were the President
and Vice-President and all cirI officers.
If senator should become President,
therefore, he would not come within the
impeachment clause. To Mr.. Evarts's
mind no one could. under our Consti-
tuition, properly support the deposit Of
the presidential power in any officer Of
the Senate only and not Of the United
States, or any officer Of the House Of
Representatives only and not Of the
United States, within the meaning of the
Constitution.
Mr.. Evart's remarks occupied about
an hour in delivery, and were listened
to with the utmost attention, both on
the floor Of the Senate and in the gal
leries, which were well filled.
The vote on the Edmunds amend
ment to strike out the clause Of the bill
that dispensed with new election was
as follows
Yeas.-Messrs. Aldrich, Blair, Cam
eron, Cockrell, Conger, Edmunds, Haw-
ley, Mcmillan, Malone, Henderson,
Mitchell Of Pennsylvania, Morrill,,
Palmer, Plumb, Sewell, Sherman,
Spooner, Stanford, Teller, Vance, and
Vest-2l.
Nays.-Messrs. Allison, Beck, Ber-
ry, Blackburn, Brown, Butler, Call,
Chace, Coke, Colquitt, Cullom, Dolph.
Eustis, Evarts, Frye, George, Gibson,
German, Gray, Harris, Harrison, Hoar,
Ingalls,, jackson, Jones Of Arkansas,
Logan, Maxey, Mitchell of Oregon, Nor
gan, Plat, Pugh, Ransom, Salisbury,
Voorhees,, Walthall, Wilson of Iowa,
Wilson of Maryland-37.
The bill was then passed without d.
vision as reported from the committee.
The bill increasing the salaries Of
United States district judges was then
laid before the Senate, but that body
went into executive session, and when
the doors were reopened adjourned.
House OF Representatives.
Mr.. Dibble, Of South Carolina, asked
leave to introduce joint resolution
proposing constitutional amendment.
1t provides that in case Of removal from
office by death, resignation, or consti-
tutional inability both Of the President
and Vice-President of the United States,
the office of President shall devolve on
the Second Vice President, who shall
be voted for on distinct ballots at the
same time and in like manner and for
the same term as the President and
Vice-President by the electors appoint
ed by the several States.
The second ce-President shall pre-
side over the Senate in the absence Of
the Vice-President or in case the office
of President shall devolve upon the
Vice-President.
Mr.. Randall, of Pennsylvania, said he
had like measure which he would like
to 60 with the proposition Of the gentle
man from South Carolina.
Mr.. Tucker, Of Virginia, saw no rea-
son why these measures should have
any precedence, and he objected to their
introduction.
Among the bills introduced to-day
were
by Mr.. Harris: TO amend an act
entitled an act to prevent the introduce
ton Of contagious or infectious dis
eases. 1t transfers the functions of the
Marine-Hospital service to the National
Board Of Health. Also, by Mr.. Harris :
To empower the Commissioner of Inter-
nal Revenue, with the approval of the
Secretary of the Treasury, to exempt
distillers of brandy made exclusively
from fruit from any of the provisions Of
the title relating to the manufacture Of
spirits except as to the taxes thereon.
The subject of the rules then came
up for discussion, Mr.. Morrison, OF
Illinois, stating that he would try to
close the general debate at 4 o'clock
| to-day.
MIR. Mcmillan. of Tennessee. did not
believe the question presented was one
of confidence or want of confidence in
the integrity of members Of the House.
The question was whether the House
should have committee supervising the
expenditures of the Government, and
he would oppose the distribution Of the
appropriation bills for the same reason
that he would proposition to divide
the duty of the Committee on Ways and
Means. To give the subject Of
tariff to one committee, and Of
internal revenue to another, if
the report Of the Committee on
Rules was adopted, instead Of saving
time, as was claimed for it, it would re-
suit in one third more time being con.
sumed in the consideration of appro-
priation bills. But proposition more
dangerous than this was the one which
was proposed-to repeal the third sec
ton Of the twenty-tirst rule. This was
the section which had been adopted in
the interest of economy and had re-
suited in great saving Of money to the
people. He. regarded the proposed
change as one which would permit
amendments increasing expenditures and
rule out those tending to reduce them.
Mr.. McAdoo, of New Jersey, de-
Tended the Appropriations Committee,
asserting that to that committee, which
had stood before the doors of the Trea-
sury and resisted the raids upon it, was
to be attributed the fact that the Demo.
cratic party was now in power. Was
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