Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-02-05
KLTX. CONGRESS.
WASH NGTON, Feb. 4, 1856.
SeBafr.

come from civil life.
Mr.. Plumb hoped that some explana-
tion would be given Of the need Of such
an officer and OF the need Of such
haste in taking up the bill at this time,
it having but recently been reported.
The debate on this bill at once took
a political turn, and it lasted until >
O'Clock. The participants were Messrs.
Iloar, Butler. Cameron, Ingalls,. Hale.
Plumb. Hawley. Beck. Allison, Van
WICK, Blackburn, Cockre.l. and LO-
gan.
The main feature Of the debate was
the attack upon the present head OF the
Navy Department by the Republicans
on account Of his action ia the matter
Of John ROach's contracts. and de-
fence by the Democratic senators. FL
nally Mr.. Cameron urged an immediate
vote on the bill. but SIR. Logan OPP
posed this, and at . o'clock the matter
went over.
The Dakota bill was then placed be-
fore the Senate. and Mr.. Harrison took
the floor, taking up the objections made
to the admission Of Dakota. lie pro-
ceeded to show. as he contended, either
their iDapplicability to the case under
debate or their inherent fallacy. lie
insisted that the real animus Of the OBJ
iections was that another presidential
election should pass before the people
Of Dakota were to be permitted to par
ticipste in such election.
Mr.. Morgan said the Senator from
Indiana Harrison. who was evidently
a candidate for the presidency, might
not have chance at the votes Of Da-
kota. for be Morgan did not think he
would ripen in four years.
Mr.. Harrison replied that if he ever
should be a candidate, although he
would not be al al sure but that he
might Justly claim the electoral vote Of
Alabama, he never would expec, 70
have it counted for him.
Mr. Harrison defended the persons
who had been prominent in the Dakota
proceeding from the attacks made On
them by the senatorial opponents Of
admission.
Messrs. Butler and Morgan frequent
" interposed with comments and IN
quiries as to Mr.. Harrison S points. and
the debate occasionally became warn.
On Mr.. Butler's stating in one in
stance that Mr.. Harrison did not IN
derstand the point at the moment in
controversy, Mr.. Morgan remarked {:
Oh, he does not want to understand
it; let him 90 along"
Mr.. Harrison insisted that Messrs.
Morgan and Butler had set up a man Of
straw and hustled him all around the
Senate chamber. and as the debate pro-
ceeded and Mr.. Harrison read papers
cOntradicting those read on the other
side to show the feeling prevalent in
Dakota with regard to the question Of
admission. one senator created some
thing Of a sensation by quoting King
Hcnry's exclamation oh, Lord {.
how this world is given to lying"
This brought down the door as well as
the galleries.
Other passages az arms tooh place
between the senators participa,in. in
the debate. For example When Mr..
Harrison wanted to know how Mr..
Butler would have entitled the new
Constitution OF Dakota ifnOt ' The Con-
stitution OF the State OF Dakota" he
propoUnded this inquiry " Would the
Senator have begun it with the words
BY the grace Of God and the Senator
from South Carolina " Laughter,
To which Mr.. Butler replied " No: /
should have simply sal. BY the grace
Of the Senator from Indiana. Re
newed laughter.
Mr.. Harrison spoke al some length
on the further maintenance Of the points
originally made by him IN favor Of the
committees bill.
Mr.. Butler obtained the ;oor 10 reply
to Mr.. Harrison. but Mr.. Call asked
him TO give way for az executive ses-
sion. This Mr.. Butler was willing to DO.
Mr.. Harrison wished some agreement
arrived at a. to the time when the Sen
ate should come to vote on the bill.
Mr.. Beck said that in Mr. Vests
absence be Beck would not be will
ing TO consent that the time be fixed.
Mr.. Harrison under TODD from Mr..
Vests colleague that Mr.. Vest might
not be in The Senate for a week yet.
{ Considerable confusion arose as TO the
course to be pursued, the Republicans
showing willingness to 60 into execu-
tive session without an agreement as to
a vote.
Without further action on the bill,
at = 80 P. NJ, on motion Of Mr.. Ed
muuds, the Senate adjourned.
House OF ReDrrsentauVe>
After the reading ofthe Journal, which
consumed more than half an hour. the
Speaker proceeded to call the commit
tees for reports, but no measures Of
public importance were submitted.
In the morning hour Mr. CulberSon,
Of Texas, on behalf Of the Committee
on Judiciary, called up the bill dividing
The Eastern Judicial district Of Arkansas
into two districts. 10 be known Is the
Eastern and Western districts OF the
Eastern district Of Arkansas. Passed.
Mr.. Hammond, OF Georgia, on be-
bali Of the same committee, called
up the bill to prevent the claim
# war taxes under the act Of Au-
gust 5, 1861. and acts amenda-
.ory thereof by the United States, be-
Dg set of against States having claims
against the General Government.
Mr.. Barksdale, OF Mississippi, made
IN argument in favor Of the bill, con-
ending that it was a matter Of simple
Justice TO the various States Of the
MON.
Mr. Hepburn, Of Iowa, attacked the
iii as a proposition to relieve certain
states that had been in rebellion from
be obligation ofpayment without in any
ray attempting to secure equal justice
o all Of the States by reinbursing those
'hieh had promptly made full pay
aent.
Pending further discussion the morn |
Dg hour expired.
The House went into Committee Of !
DO Whole on the bill to relieve the ship !
ing interest Of . portion Of existing |