Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-12-19
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
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United States Senate

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United States Senate.
WAsHINGToN, December ISth.-Frye pre.
sented a petition from certain persons of
Maine protesting against any arrangement
with Great Britain by which Canadian fish
might be admitted free of duty.
Mitchell from the Committee on Pen
sions reported favorably the bill granting a
pension TO the widow OF General Grant.
The bill was at once passed without de-
bate.
Hampton introduced a bill making it
unlawful for Senators or Representatives
to recommend Or solicit appointments to
office.
Hawley inquired of the Chair whether
this bill was retroactive in its operations.
Laughter.]
The Chair replied that, in his opinion, it
was not. Renewed laughter
Butler called up his resolution of in
quiry relating to the alleged organization
of the Territory of Dakota into State.
Vest said the Senate by its record now
stood committed to the fact that there was
such thing in existence as the State of
Dakota, the papers heretofore presented by
Harrison and read from the desk having
borne the words State of Dakota" The
body of gentlemen coming here represent
ing Dakota style themselves 1.-The Execu-
tive Committee of the State of Dakota, :"
the Chairman Of it being Hugh ]. Camp
bell, who was not unknown to fame since
the Hayes Administration for his Jealous
and not over scrupulous political assistance
to that Administration. This person, as
Vest saw by the papers, was to receive an
ovation for having received recognition by
the United States Senate for 1.-The State
hood of the State of Dakota
Plumb thought Mr. Vest was giyinp
Campbell good deal of gratuitous adver-
tisine
Vest said Campbell was welcome to it.
He Vest as lawyer regarded this Dakota
organization as revolutionary He had no
doubt that the intent of the men concerned
was to organize State government, in case
this Congress should adjourn without re-
cognizing their so-cailed State
In reply to remark by Vest as to the
condition under which Territories might
be admitted to the Union, Harrison said
there was no such thing as breaking into
or breaking out of this Union.
Vest-We are not talking of the break
ing ou.." We had settled that
Harrison-Then there could have been
no point to the Senator's remark.
Vest-l am not leaving this matter to the
Senator from Indiana Heaven help me
II he had the decision of this question.
vest argued the question of admission
from a legal point of view, and insisted
that under the decisions of the United
States Supreme Court in former cases of
admission, the recent action in Dakota
was revolutionary. He cited Judge Cooley
and other authorities, to the effect that an
Enabling Act was necessary as prelimin-
ary to the admission of Territory as a
State, and asked what more outrageous in
suit could be offered to the sovereignty of
the United States than the action of men
responsible for the recent developments in
Dakota? He offered, as independent of
the resolution of Butler, resol lution to the
effect that the memorial from persons call
ing themselves The State Executive Com
mittee OF Dakota" be considered as com
ing only from private individuals of Da-
kota.
The resolution was laid over and ordered
to be printed
Logan inquired if it was revolutionary
for citizens of Territory to get together
and present their claims to be admitted as
State, they taking care to provide in their
new Constitution that they should not be a
State till Congress should approve their
Constitution? He thought it unfair for
Senators TO regard the action in Dakota as
revolutionary. Until they should set up
as State, and undertake to perform the
functions OF State, exercising the powers
of statehood, they were not revolutionists.
Butler said he had misapprehended what
constituted State il the election of Sena-
tors and Judges was not exercising State
hood
Logan replied that this was done so as to
take effect when they should be admitted
as State, as has been done before.
Butler remembered but one such in
stance.
Logan could not undertake to correct the
Senator'S recollection of history.
Vest could only remember Michigan as
an instance at all like Dakota
Mcmillan thought Minnesota such a
case.
Vest disagreed with him.
Mcmillan replied that the whole State
ticket had been elected in Minnesota sew
eral months before the State was admitted,
and Douglas OF Illinois had taken position
strongly IN favor of the admission of that
State.
ingalls, suggested the case of the ad-
mission of Kansas.
Plumb showed that the first Senator
from Kansas has been waiting in Washing
ton ready to take his seat on The admission
OF that State and took his seat in the SEN
ate the day following the Act of admission.
and that action had not been suggested to
be revolutionary. He thought it presented
exactly similar case to this of Dakota.
Vest had not specially looked up the
question of the admission of Kansas. al
though Missouri took some interest in that
admission, For" said he, "A large portion
OF our personal property escaped into that
State"
Plumb said, g Yes; some that was black -
Vest-No, sir; some others. But let that
pass. Vest would not accuse the other side
of the chamber of lacking three electoral
votes.
Logun suggested, soto voce, that the rea-
son urged for trying TO get the State into
Union might be applied to the attempt to
keep the State out.
Vest said if he had been disposed to be
offensive he might have remarked that the
Senators from Illinois and Indiana inferred
that three electoral votes might become
very necessary in the future.
Logan thought Vests allusion to parti-
sanship an error, so far as he Logan) was
concerned. 1t was the Senator from Mis-
souri, who had insinuated that persons
might desire to get Dakota in as State for
the purpose of getting electoral votes.
do not say that | am an esthetic
statesman" replied Vest; L am a poiiti-
clan; | suppose fight for my party. [ am
not mugwump. [Laughter.1 l shall be
satisfied if my party, which believe to be
sound on constitutional questions, shall say
of me, other things being equal, He stood
by his friends. He never rose to such an
esthetic pedestal that he could not distin-
guish friend from foe The Senator
from Illinois (Logan) himself has never
been accused of that, nor have l."
After further debate the matter. at .
o'clock, went over till tomorrow
The Senate then proceeded TO the consid-
Grafton of the Joint rules.