Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-03-19
SENATOR BUTLER,s SEAT.
Ben. Periey Poore on the Memorable
Contest

Ben. Perley POore on the Memorable
Contest.
Senator Butler of South Carolina was
admitted to his seat after twenty-eight-
hour session, which closed on the after
noon OF Nov. %, 1877, and which was re-
garded as one Of the most remarkable on
record. The Democrats, with their bare
majority, obtained by the unity of their
own forces with the two sO-called apos-
tate Republicans, had determined to
force Butler into the Senate by means Of
the complete exhaustion Of all powers OF
physical endurance in the Republican
minority, but, as the result showed, they
reckOned without their host. The session
was marked by several able speeches and
many incidents of exceptional interest.
Dozens Of motions were voted down, the
majority holding their own in all matters,
session, which was obtained through the
vote OF David Davis with the Republi-
cans, and the deciding vote by the Vice
! President when the tie occurred. The
majority persistently rejected every pro-
position looking either 10 adjournment
| or recess for recreation, sleep or refresh
ment of any sort. Several times during
the night calls of the House were made
and members were required TO attend.
Wadleigh, as Chairman Of the Committee
on Privileges and Elections, Ostensibly
held the floor nearly the whole time from
midnight until noon; but his time was di-
vided among other Republicans, who in
cOrporated their remarks as parts Of his,
or made their speeches upon his time.
When everybody else was tired and
weary Wadleigh occupied the time and
rested himself by having read by the
clerks whole volumes of testimony and
statements against the claimant, Butler,
and other Senator'S came to his assistance
and read and explained certain matters
which he desired to have laid before the
Senate and the country. The speech of
the night was that by Senator ConkIing,
who never appeared to better advantage
nor made himself more felt in the Senate
than on this occasion. During the hours
from about daylight until noon nothing of
extraordinary character occurred. BY
noon the galleries were again crowded,
the ladies' gallery being particularly
gay. AS Il O'Clock approached, a more
determined effort to adjourn was made,
but the Democrats would not permit it,
and, after several Intellectual efforts to adj
iOurn or take recess, the members set
tied down as if prepared for another all
night session, which seemed inevitable.
Everybody in the chamber was haggard
In appearance and showed signs Of ex-
cessive WEAKNESS, and the universal
wish was that the end might be soon
reached, but nobody wanted to give it,
and hence there was almost instantaneous
"bracing up" as il for the inevitable.
Senators were worn and weary, and,
though no one would YIELD nearly ali
Republicans thought it was folly to try
their patience and strength any further.
They admitted that so far as this case
was concerned their fate was sealed.
They were satisfied that Patterson and
COnOyer would not yield, and the Demo-
Gratis would force continuance of the
session until they had carried their
point. 1t was hoped, however, that at
some future stage In the proceedings the
Democratic policy would be broken by
some possible error or some ruling by the
Vice President, and the end was, there
fore, not especially FASTENED. At about
O'Clock the debate came to an end, and
though the Thurman resolution to dis
charge the committee from the Butler
case was adopted, the subsequent plans
of the Democrats were broken into, and
they were compelled to succumb to the
superior tactics OF Edmunds and the Re-
pubGcans, and agree to allow the post
pOnement of the further consideration of
The pending matter until the next daY.
The Democrats had intended to disregard
the rule which requires that one day
shall intervene ii even a single exception
is raised to the immediate consideration
of motion TO proceed with the cOnsidera-
ton OF the subject OF such motion. They
intended to force vote upon a motion to
admit Butler TO the seat claimed by him.
After his resolution had been adopted.
Senator Thurman tried to have an adj
jOurnment until a later hour that day,
thinking the Senate would thereby get
into the legislative day of Tuesday
but IL was proven and decided that the
current proceedings We're on the legisla-
tive day of Monday, and as II O'Clock
meridian OF the calendar day had passed,
no legislative day Of Tuesday could be
had by the Senate. During the session
forty-nine votes by ayes and noes were
taken, twenty-one on propositions TO ad-
journ, ten to proceed to the consideration
of executive business, nine to take recess,
for as calls of the House and to require
attendance of members In order to make
a quorum, three on the appointments to
Thurman'S resolution, and one making
the resolution the special order for We'd
nesday at l o'clock, and the final vote on
the adoption of the Thurman resolution
dischsrging the committee. The work
upon the clerical force of the Senate was
in some respects the heaviest of any ses-
sion for many years, the reading clerks
having been required to read documents
and evidence, which performance con-
sumed large proportion of the hours of
the night.