Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-02-13
BROWN WINS FOR SPEER
THE COMMITTEE TO MAKE A
FAVORABLE REPORT.

Confirmation by the Senate Probable,
But Not Absolutely Certain-Mr. Ran
dali Confident That There VIII Be No
Extra SessiOn-The Republicans FL
nalIy Aequiesce in Mr.. Edmunds
PhraseOlOgy.
WASHINGTON, Feb 12-By a strict
party vote the Senate Judiciary Com nit
tee determined this morning to act at
once on the nomination of Emory Speer,
and then by a strict party vote deter
mined to report the nomination to the
Senate favOrably. The committee took
this action chiefly because Senator Brown,
Of Georgia, recommended it. Had the
Georgia Senators been united in Opposi-
tion TO Mr.. Speer's confirmation it might
have been prevented, but as it was the
committee simply yielded what was so
earnestly desired by the senior Senator
from Georgia. The responsibility for its
action rests upon him. The executive
session OF the Senate to-day was
very brief. Mr.. Speer was not
confirmed. When Mr.. Brown moves his
confirmation, Mr. Colquitt will object.
Mr.. Brown will speak in favor Of con-
hrmatiOn. Mr.. COlquitt and the South
Carolina Senators will speak against it.
1t looks as though Mr.. Speer would be
confirmed, for he will probably get the
full Republican vote and the vote of Mr..
Brown. Mr.. COlquitt, who has led the
opposition admirably well, viii fight to
the end.
EDMUNDS PHRAsEOLOGY ACCEPTED.
The Republicans of the Senate slept
over the Edmunds form of announcement
at tie joint electoral convention, and
this morning came to the conclusion that
the wisest course for them was to say no
more about it, so Mr.. HOar moved the
reference of the Ingalls, resolution of yes
terday to the Committee on Privileges and
and Elections, and this motion was qui-
etly carried without debate. Mr.. Garland
had previously had the Clay resolution.
adopted by the House yesterday. prOvid-
ing for a Congressional committee to no.
tify Messrs. Cleveland and Hendricks of
their election, referred to the Committee
on Privileges and Elections for the correc-
tiOn of its phraseOlOgy.
Mr.. Sherman moved the creation
OF a committee of three Senators
who should make preparations for the in
auguratiOn of the next President and
Vice President, and Messrs. Sherman,
Hawley and Ransom were appointed such
committee. Tomorrow the Clay resolu-
tiOn, verbal alteration or two having
been made, will be reported by the Com
mittee on Privileges and Elections, and
adopted by the Senate, and then the mat
ter will end. The Republicans see clearly
now that the form of announcement en-
plOyed by Mr.. Edmunds is Just that
which they would like the Democratic
Vice President to use in 1888, if by that
time no legislation improving the
method of counting the electoral
vote shall have been enacted.
The Democratic leaders have ALWAYS held
the Edmunds theory of the constitutional
limitations of the Vice President IN this
regard so that everybody, Mr.. Springer
included, is satisfied.
In his opening prayer this morning the
Chaplain of the House invoked divine
protection upon him who has been
elected PRESIDENT and beseeched God to
direct him In ways Of wisdom, to grant
him in health and prosperity, long to live,
and finally after this life to obtain ever
lasting JOY and felicity.
NO EXTRA SESSION.
Mr.. Randall says that there will be no
extra session of the next Congress-
President-elect Cleveland told a number
OF gentlemen who called upon him last
week that he did not want an extra ses-
sion OF the next Congress. He did not
think that there would be any necessity
for so doing. Mr.. Randall says that the
regular appropriation bills are well in
hand, and that they can and will be passed
before March 4. This is the only abso-
lutely necessary legislation. The river
and haTbOr bill is not so considered.
Nevertheless the predictions of an extra
session, usually rife as the life
Of a Congress approaches its end, are
repeated on every side. One man knows
that the Senate Republicans propose to
force an extra session. Another is sure
that it is the House Republicans who will
bring it on. Both are sure that Congress
cannot possibly pass the necessary ap-
preparation bills within the weeks re-
naming. There were indications in their
course towards the river and harbor bill
that the Republicans of the House were
anxious to so delay matters as to make
an extra session necessary, but there has
been nothing in the consideration of the
post office appropriation bill to
support such theory. The dis
cussiOn to-day and tonight was
normal in character. Good progress was
made. John ID. White was not more
cranky than usual. The Senate Republi-
cans have shown no signs of an intention
to force an extra session. MIR. Randall
will resort to all proper eXpedients to pre-
vent an extra session. He will, if neces-
sary, prevent bills extending apprOpria-
tiOns for six months to supply the place
of regular appropriation bills which
failed to pass. The Democrats generally
feel confident in Mr.. RandalPs statements.
The talk on the floor of the House about
an extra session is chiefly speculative.
Chairman Randall to-day informed the
Committee on Appropriations that, under
his general authority, he would on Mon
day next move the passage of an apprO-
priatiOn bill under the suspension of the
rules.