The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-01-17
CONGR ESSIONAL4.
SENATE.

Senator Miller (Cal. made q Ion
formal speech In its support, givin
the history of the negotiations frol
the beginning, and Senator sherma
made an equally formal speech in OF
position, basing his argument chief
on the belief that the Clayton-Bulwe
treaty was still in force.
| At the conclusion of the debate
motion was made to have the tw
speeches printed for the use of th
senat!in executive session, but it wa
Withdrawn upon the suggestion Q
the danger that copies might reacl
the press and public.
The Davis SHERMAN controvers.
coming up in debate, Senator Shel
man took part, and asked why shoul'
not these papers be printed? Di'
they not show the motives which lie.
to the great civil war? Did they no
tend to show the probable termina
ton of the rebellion, if American
arms had not suppressed it, to b
eventually succeeded by the estab
lishment of q despotism in the South
ern States? Senator Sherman added
"Whenever the motives and cause!
of the war are called in question,
must assert it was because this rebel
lion enters in with bad motives, an0
the men who led in the movement
were traitors to this country of ours. y
II assert, SIR" said Mr.. Lamar
"that no such letter is in existence,
and in my opinion, no such letter
was ever written. When the truth
comes before Gen Sherman that he
has made an assertion, even against
a political enemy, which he cannot
sustain, it would comport better with
his high character and position to
acknowledge inadvertent and unin-
territorial injustice, rather than to
change the issue before the American
people and raise question as to the
character of the secession move
ment."
As q reason for his belief, Lamar
said he had been throughout a friend
of Davis and had been often in con-
sultati IN with HIM, and if he had
changed his opinion from the begin
ming of the secession controversy to
the end, as to the imp ortance of main
tanning q government based upon the
consent of the people engaged In it,
and not on any force, his most in
innate friends were ignorant of any
such revolution of opinion. No man
has stood more firmly than Davis by
the doctrine that it should be gov
ernment, based on the consent and
not on force through all the eventful
scenes of the struggle.
Vest said the senator from Kansas
(Ingalls) could indulge in no debate
without becoming personal. That
senator had q verbal horror of fancied
error. One of the offeases known to
the old common law was that of sbe-
ing q common sc0ld, the punishment
FOR which was ducking. He (VeSt)
would not, however, prescribe such
for the senator from
Kansas. In the confederate states,
Vest continued, were dead soldiers,
who fought forithe confeedracy and
those who fought for the union slept
side by side with them; having illus
trated within atchless deeds, the valor
aud her0lsm of both sections. Above
them might be put an ancient epi-
tsph.
The knights are dust,
Their swords are rust,
Their souls are with the Lord, I trust.
And with that there should be an
end to the acrimonious discussion
If the issues involved in that terrible
conflict. But the senator from Kan
,as sought to impute to senators dis |
oyalty to the oath they had taken to |
support the constitution of the United
States. The senator had said that he |
Vest) had been in the habit of aliud- |
ng in spirit of boastfulness to the |
act that he had been member of |
he confederate senate. 1t was not |
rue. The records would show that |
le had made such illusions only |
lpon two OCCASIONS, once in his eulo-
" upon Hill, with whom he had
erved In the confederate senate, and
Igain to-day in order to assume his
Ill share Of the responsibility which
vas sought in certain quarters to be
,ut on Davis.
The senator from Kansas had said
hat be (Vest) was never accredited
o the confederate senate. He had
ecelved his credentials from the
overnOr OF the state of Missouri,
lected by q majority of $1,000 in
ime of profound peace. and his elec-
ion was by legislature elected in
ime of peace. He would say now to
he senator from Kansas, that his cre-
entails to the confederate senate, as
lso those to the United States senate,
ad never been disputed by bis own
and the senator from
Kansas would know what he meant.
The hour of 2 o'clock having ar
ived, the matter went over till to-
borrow, and the chair laid formally
efore the senate as unfinished legis-
tive business the interstate COM
lerce bill, bnt this was yielded to a
lotion for the consideration, as ex-
cutive business, of the naval bill,
lst passed by the hOnse. 1t was first,
owever, laid before the senate and
eferred to the committee on appro-
riations.
The joint resolution providing for
le meeting of both houses in joint
on February 11th, to
punt theielectoral vote, was also laid
efore the senate and referred to the
on privileges and elec-
Ons.
After an executive session the SEN
to adjourned.
WASHINGTON, Jan. l4.-Upon mo-
on of Mr.. Hale the senate took up
ne naval appropriation bill. The
enate committed g 'samendments were
in and the bill was passed.
The chair laid before the senate the
lter-state commerce bill. Senator
later offered an amendment pro-
ibiting the charging of higher rates
compensation for transportation
the same kind and amount of
roperty for shorter than for longer
stances. Mr.. Slater described the
of the principle discrimi-
ating against 'short hauls" and the l
-, nf form nov,o ., | =