The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-07-16
THREE REP0RTS0N PAYNE
TWO OF THEM UNITE IN EXONFR-
aATING THE SENATOR,

| hATING THE SENATOR,
and State That No Evidence Is Brought
Out to Prove the Charges Against Him
While the Other Report Calls for m,
Investigation - The Senators on the
Committee.
| WASHINGTON CRY, July 16.-Three re-
ports from the senate committee on prjyi
| leges and elections upon the Payne ease
were submitted TO the senate Thursday
The report signed by Senators Pueh, SauI,
bury, Vance and Eustis, the Democratic
memhers OF the committee, sets forth at
| length the public history of the case. rec
oGnEes. the transcendent importance of
throwing around the senate of the United
States the highest safeguards against sent
| ing member whose title was procured by
| bribery, fraud or corruption, and describes
the processes by which the signers reach
the conclusion that there is no ground for
further proceedings against Mr. Payne.
The report says the committees first act
was to comply fully with the first request
OF the Ohio house of representatives,
| 10 make an examination of the
testimony taken by the select committee at
NoiumUu+ Upon this testimony Mr. Hoal
| made Il report to the committee that after
careful reading, 10 evidence, opinion. or
| statement whatever WAS found personally
inculpating Mr.. Payne in any way with
the corrupt use of money in connection
| with his election. Neither did such exam
| NATION show that enough had been found
TO justify the charge that the election was
procured by the corrupt use of money.
Apoat TINS time the supplemental resolu
tioh OF the two houses of the Ohio legisia
ture ana OF the Republican central commit.
tee made their appearance, and soon after
congressman Little and Butterworth
were heard at length The sigpers
| OF the report declare that no new evidence
not contained in the original matter sub.
mltted was brought to their attention which
any court would not hold to be merely Gu
maiative and speculative and insufficient by
ltseif, or In come tion with the original, TO
justify d report in favor of a trial by the
senate OF MIR Payne's right to his seat.
They conclude that Henry B. PAYNE has not
been charged with having any thing to do
personally, or with having any personal
knowledge or come ction with, OF anticipa-
hon In, any act or anything that may have
been done, or charged as having been
done, that was wrong, criminal, I'M
moral or reprehensible in his elec.
ton; that no member of the
committee and no witness. representative or
other person has expressed the opinion CT
intImated any belief or suspicion that
Henry b. Payne is or was connected in the
remotest degree by act or knowledge with
any thing that was or may have been wrong
or criminal or immoral in bis election, and
on the whole case as presented to them, they
recommended that the senate make no fur !
ther investigation of the charge involving
the right Of Henry B. Payne to his seat
This report asks that the committee be dis
charged from further consideration of the
subject and that it be indefinitely most |
poned.
6ASenators Teller, Evarts and Logan unite |
lii report in which, after reciting the cir |
cumstances surrounding the senatorial eIec-
tlon In Ono IN 1884, it is said that no action I
was taken by thu state legislature which |
elected Senator Payne calling in question |
the validity of his election but that the new |
legislature constituted in January of the |
present year had adopted the resolution un-
DER which the investigation of Donavan's /
charges had been made The senate com
mittee had found it proper to accept the
presentation OF the case set out in the ma
Jorlty and minority reports of the select
committee of the Ohio house OF representa-
tl'es The only constitutional warrant for
an investigation il case like that |
presented is in the clause making
each house of congress the Judge
of the qualifications OF its own members
ana the clause tonterring the right of ex
puision he siSners of the report do not
llnd that case bas been presented that
would affect Mr. PAYNE with such turpitufIe
as would tolerate his expulsion from the
senate, nor that testimony is accessible that
touches the subject OF the personal inculpa-
tion OF MIR. tayne. They therefore turn
their attention TO the question Of the valid
ltY of his election to the senate The renort
holds that the evidence in such a case must
7ho" mat the fraud which it alleges WAS
committed embraced enough in number of
he voting electors 10 change the result In
CONCLUSION, the report says, the senate
would not be warranted under the constitu
non III 1nstItutlng an investigation
senators Hoar and Frye in a separate re-
'ort state that they can not concur with the
news expressed by the other members of
lie tommittee, and say they think case is
PRESENTED in which it is the duty of ,ba sen
lie TO permit the petitioners to present their
violence and to authorize the issue of l
roper process to aid In procuring the atj
enhance OF witnesses The senate is tba {
MY court which can have jurisdiction of
he question The rerort concludes with
esolutlon directing an Investigation of ths
harses, and with Il recomnen iatiou that it
g adopted