The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-12-16
During the Progress of Which Senator Cock
rell Relates Some Unpalatable Truths as
to the Habits of Certain Statesmen.
Legislation Delayed Because Senator's
Were Too Drunk to Do Business.
Lengthy Debate in the House on the Pro.
posed Changes in the RuleS-The Argu-
ments for and Against the New Plan.
THE SENATE.


WASHINGTON, Dec 15.-The Chair laid before
the Senate letter from the Secretary of War,
with the report of the Chief of Ordnance, show
ing the tests of iron and steel during the last
fiscal year; also letter from the same Secretary
transmitting in compliance with recent reso-
luton of the Senate, the report of Captain
Bxby, United States engineer. on the seacoast
Notifications of Europe.
Mr. Edmunds, from the committee on the
judiciary. reported favorably the bill to relieve
Gen. Alexander r. Lawton, of Georgia. of his
political disabilities. He asked for the immedi-
ate consideration of the bill 1t was read three
times and passed.
Mr. Edmunds introduced a bill granting
pension to Mrs. Julia D. Grant, and another bill
granting her the franking privilege Mr.. Ed
munds said the bills were precisely in the form
adopted in similar cases heretofore.
Going to the calender, the Senate took up Mr.
Hoar's bill, to provide for the presidential sue
cession, and Mr. Hoar addressed the Senate on
it, He said, among other things, that the
measure would be protection of the persons
holding the presidential Office from the assaults
! of political criminals, as no one would attempt
to assassinate the President in order to elevate
dents own party. It was desirable to protect
the presidential incumbent from assault in time
of great public excitement, by persons mad
dened and crazed, as the feeble minded Guiteau
had been, by political quarrels, or from person
who should persuade himself that he was per-
forming the part of 0-~.tus.
Mr. Conger inq' what would happen in
case Secretary 9 performing the presi
Dental duties sho .imself die, or become in
capable9 Would person who would succeed
m aS SecrptarV 0r ha e3 10
him as Presdentl
Mr. Hoar replied that there would be no Sec
retary of State; the duties of Secretary of State
and President would be performed by the same
officer
On the conclusion of Mr.. Hoar's remarks the
bill, by unanimous consent, went over until to-
morrow.
| Mr.. Frye called up the bill reported by him
| from the committee Oh rules, embracing code
| of joint rules for the two houses of Congress.
| He believed the United States Congress to be
no joint rules Mr.. Frye briefly explained the
rules. One of the clauses, he said
every morning dispose of all messages on it's ia
| bic. THAT" said Mr.. Frye, ''will prevent the
other house from adjourning at the close of the
session with 240 Senate bills on its table" An
other rule regulated conferences. as to which
there was now no regulation another would re-
quire the House. during the last ten days of the
session, to take up the business of the other
house. This was what the Senate had alw>ys
done. AS to rule thirteen, providing that no in
toxicating liquors be sold in the Capitol, Mr.
Frye said that the majority of the committee be-
lieved the subject of the rule to be one that
should be left to each house separately and the
committee had, therefore, recommended that
| the rule be struck out
Mr.. ingalls, thought that if it were intend
ed to legisate on prohibition the
Senate. the House and the President
would all be called upon to do their share.
While he (Mr; Ingalls) might have his private
opinion as to the proprety of the of alcoholic
liquors in the Capitol, he thought that matter
one of legislation. rather than action by the
Senate in its individual capacity.
Mr. Riddleberger moved to strike out the
words ''for sale,' SO that the rule would exclude
liquors. whether for sale not. On this he
called for the yeas and nays, but the call was
not sustained nobody rising to second it but
Mr. Riddleberger himself. He demanded the
call again, saying the real question involved was
whether whisky should be permitted in the COM
mittee rooms.
Messrs. Edmunds and Vance seconded this
| call of Mr.. Riddlebergers but the yeas and nays
were not ordered.
| On the committees proposition to strike out
the rule, the yeas and nays were demanded and
resulted, yeas 20. nays &C. The yeas were:
Messrs. Beck Brown, Cali, Cockrell. Coke, Eus-
| tace. Gray. Hampton Harris, Ingalls,, Jackson,
Kenna Manderson, Maxey, Morgan, Ransom,
Riddleberger, Vest Walthal and Voorhees,.
Mr.. Riddeberger again rose and insisted that
if there was to be prohibition in the Capitol.
l a
senator should be made liable to fine and i'm.
prisonment for keeping whisky in his commit
tee-room
Mr.. Brown. in offering an amendment similar
to the one that had been offered by Mr.. Riddle
berger, said he (Mr. Brown did not suppose the
Senate cared to go beyond the idea Incorporated
in the prohibition laws in the prohibition States.
| He thought senator could not be prohibited
from taking social glass with a friend in a
| hotel.
| Mr.. Vest said that every one knew that if a
| senator wanted liquor in his committee room
| he would have it, and would visit the severest
| punishment in his power on any clerk who
should inform on him. The whole thing was
| simply an attempt to meet fanatica spirit in
| the country on this question, to which Mr.. Vest
| would not give countenance.
Mr.. Browns amendment was lost-yeas 81.
nays 80.
An amendment of Mr.. Morgan's was agreed to-
| confning the joint rules to so much of the Capt.
| tol as was in the control of the two Houses of
| Congress. This excludes from their operation
go much of the Capitol as is controlled by the
| Supreme Court.
| Mr.. Cockrell offered an amendment to the ef-
| feet that any senator or member of Congress
violating the rule should be liable to expulsion.
1t looked very small. he SAID, for senator's to be
| passing rules for the purpose or innicting pun
| ishment on committee clerks, for 'conniving at
the use of whisky in the Capitol, when it was
| notorious that distinguished senators who voted
| to keep the rule in, kept intoxicating liquors in
| their committee rooms. He (Cockrell) had never
had any liquor in the Capitol, but it was useless
to deny that it had been kept there by senator's
| Mr.. Ingalls, said that by insisting on keeping
| in Rule l3. the Senate was straining at gnat,
| and swallowing camel" He sent to the desk
copy Of the bill of fare of the Senate cafe, at
which, he supposed, senators took lunch
McCockreli-In a tea cup instead of glass.
Mr.. ingalls, had seen it sta.ed that the keeper
| of this cafe was the only man in the country
who could conduct restaurant on strictly
| temperance basis.
| Mr.. West inquired whether the senator had