Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-07-23
AT THE CAPITOL TO-DAY,
SENATOR BLAIR EXPLAINS.
His Unpaid Fee in a Pension Case.
THE PAYNE CASE UP AGAIN
ANOTHER WASTED DAY IN THE HOUSE.
The Senate.

washington special to the New York World
and an item in THE EVENING STAR to the
eject that 1T was reported that Senator would
be charged with having taken fee of $500 for
collecting pension tor q widow. Mr. Blair
said the only reason he had tor supposing that
he was the Senator referred to in the news
papers grew out of a private conversation Sena-
tor camden held with him; that on tie dcy
before these publications Senator Camden
urged him {Blair) 10 consent to the recommittal
OF "A report on the veto of the pension bill of
Mary j. Nottage; that he (Blair) refused, and
then Camden urged him To consent for the sake
OF MS personal reputation, saying it would be
better for him (BIair) to do SO, as rumors damag-
Ing TO him were in circulation; that there was a
report that he (BiaD bad charged \ widow a
eiee OF 500 for collecting her pension. Mr..
Blair added that Mr. Camden even referred to
papers IN existence relating to the case.
would not permit personal considerations to
influence him in disposing Of a public measure.
Mr. Blair said he explained to Mr.. Camden the
ierred TO, and he repeated the details. He said
that some years ago, while in the practice of
law, ne was urged to prosecute some pension
ciaiInS, as there were no claim agents in the
vicinity of his place of residence He consented
to take charge OF claim OF Mrs. Hannah
Ladd. an old lady whose only son died in the
Union service. 1t was a rather complicated
case, ana ne paid out his own money in prose-
cutting 1t. The pension was collected amount
ing in all to about ) 800. He (BlAir) was
elected to Congress in 1875 and lett all his law
business with his partner, who undertook to
coiieci the Zee charged. That partner called
upon the old lady for payment and she refused,
at first denying that any service had been rem
dered then falling back upon a positive refusal
to pay. Finding the old lady living comfort
ably on money procured by his services, the
partner entered suit tor the $500 fee and ob-
tanned Judgment. Upon ascertaining what had
been done he (Blair) directed that proceedings
he stopped, saying he did not want the
womans money il she not willing TO pay
II. Mr. Blair claimed that the actual service
Was rendered by him before he entered Con-
gress, and that since III, election he had taken
no lee Tor any case against the government. He
had read Il transcript OF the papers in the case
ana also an aiiuaSit from Mr.. Bureish, his
1oriner law pariLer, setting forth The services
rendered: Mfs. Laad's refusal 10 pay the lee or
even relnIburse the Hrm Tor actual expenses
incurred; That he regarded her conduct Il inl-
pudenL and offensive, and brought suit
against her, which was stopped at MIR. Blair's
oruer. A letter rom AIr. BurIeIgn was read
recItlns substantially the lacts contained ia his
affidavit. Mr. B.air tshed that the matter be
referred to the committee ON privileges and
elections
Mr.. Camden corroborated Mr.. Blair's state
hlcht ao 10 what occurred at the converSatI ton
Referred to, and auucd lhaL as mem bers o1 the
same Committee (pen>lou>J the kindest rei.,-
tioiin existed between himself ana MIR. Blair.
Mf. camden continued, saying thai he uIu re
MI. Be,it To nave Lic report ~ the vetoed ben
nlun uIil, reconi. teu; ,lIt.L the reor. Gov ercu
twehty-thie biAis and he (Camuenb thought
that IL Was designed To have political effect ,;Ind
he urged that eiicu Case be treated seuaraL,.ly
ana upon It's own Individual merits; that ne
tCaInuen) depreC>ted any personalities or marsh
iceilAa> SfOWIiS Ous vi tLtst vetoed bills, all /
ne thought that the course he advised would
tend 10 avoid amy troubles vi tnat KIND.
Mr.. hcnna stated tnat, aS a nIemuer of the
ihittee Oh public Expenditures engaged in
an eA"iiiiuaLi"u vi tue pension Lurc "a, the
papers III I'M, case came into hi, hands, and ae
would frankly say that While lac uld not regard
ile cast as involving any crimiuaiity ne uid
tulnk That III view vi Mir Bl.,lrs devotion 10
The SuIuIeiS ana his IUuse Oh the President be-
CAUSE vi \etoes lne Case was noteworthy, show
lug tii.i ne ttblili) wa, willing u press an oIu
Lady whose only son died ia the Union cause and
VINO Was uideneu vain All Imuec..e husband.
Inc wnoic Case MAS reierreu 70 lue culu LII Lice
on privileges aud elections.
kNIuHTS OF LABOR PETITIONS,
Mr. Vest III presenting batch of petitions
got up by tne knights Of Labor, remarked that
the signatures all appeared 10 be III the salIe
handwriting, and that he presumed lfrom the
explanation vi MIR. Van Wyck 1. lew uays aso)
that these were copies.
Mr. iioar remarked that the rules OF the SEN
ate prevented the Presentation of any petitions
except originals.
Iic Cualr sustained the point made by Mr.
Hoar, but said he dIu not Ieci AT liberty 10 re-
ploucn Senators Tor presenting sucu petitions,
although III doing So tney We're violating the
rules.
MIR. Vest said he did not propose to violate
any rule vi the Senate but he did not wish 10
De put III tne attitude oi opposing the right vi
petition. lie now presented these petitions
out auy personal knowie ieugel. they Were copies
1he petitions We're presented.
THE FISHERIES TROUBLES.
Senator Edmunds submitted the following
resolution, which was referred To the committee
OH Iorelgn relations:
Resoioeu, That the committee On foreign re-
lat!oiis be, and is hereby Instructed, to inquire
into the rights oi Aueric.an nsnlny Vessels and
merchant vessels within the North American
possessions vi The queen OF Great Britain and
whether any tights vi such Vessels have been
Nloialed, and II SO to What extent; tnat said
comm Ittee report upon tne subject aud report
whether any, and wnat steps are necessary to
be taken by Congress 10 insure the protection
ana vlndicstlon vi tie rights OF citizens OF tue
United states III the premises; that said COIN
mlttee have power 10 send lor persons and
papers, 10 employ u slenOSrapuer and to sit
during the recess oi the Senate, either as a full
committee OR by any subcommittee thereof:
That SUCH subcommittee shall Iur the PURPOSES
of sucn investigation he q committee OF the
Senate to all lutents and purposes.
Aesotced, That the necessary expenses of said
committee ON said investgation be paid out uf
the appropriation for the miscellaneous items
vi the contingent 1und of the Senate upou
vouchers to De approved by the chairman
thereof.
THE PAYNE CASE.
The Senate then at 1870 took up the Payne
case ami was addressed by MIR. Call in Opposi-
tion TO further investigation.
Mr.. Hawley argued III favor OF the investiga-
tion.
lie proposed, he said, to vote for the proposi-
tion W Investigate. IL could not be said that
this movement was promoted by fraction of
the the people OF Onio. 1t could not be said
that IL Came from political party in Ohio,
Ii they looked around and beyond the legisia-
live action they perceived that Enthusiastically
great majority OF the citizens Oh that
by MIR. Payne had been obtained
by means which would not bear the light III
vestigatlon. He waived the unaniInou declar-
alton vi republican newspapers and republican
organizations. There Was vast representation
OF pubic sentiment from democratic newspa-
pers and from democratic leaders denouncing
the conduct of the legislature which elected MIR.
Payne with the hottest Indignation, and evil
IDENTIFY stimulated by profound convic-
tion that the whole question ought TO
be investigated. 1t Was absolutely i'm possible
u deny lA;t the behavior OF that legislature
was dlscredltaDie to the party, to the state and
to the country. Nor hau that public sentiment,
Ae SAID, changed seriously. Nor had any OF the
manifestations Ot hot Indignation mOuerated.
Concurrent with all this were the opinions of
the governor, tue lieutenant governor, the other
Senator irom Ohio and the declarations of both
branches OF the legislature. 1t was beyond
controversy that these represented the senti-
ment OF the state Of Ohio. The whole proceed
ing was not u be governed by the technical
anu detailed small role OF practice la the police
courts. This was broader and grnnder
question: IL Was not u matter OF rumors or of
newspapers.
Mr.. kvarts closed the debate in an argument
against further investigation.
House Of RepreSentatfves.
A MILLION FOR NEW YORK HARBoR.
Mr.. Hewitt called attention to petitions
printed in the Record this morning and pre-
sented yesterday by MIR. Burleigh. The peti.
ions came from the New York chamber Of
commerce and from the New York merchants
in favor OF an appropriation OF $1,OOO.OOO for
the improvement OF New York harbor. These
petitions, he supposed, had been placed in the
Record In order TO contradict the statement
made by him some days ago, that the chamber
OF commerce was opposed 10 the appropriation