Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1886-04-01
THE SENATE,S EMPTY VICTORY.


of the United States.
THE SENATE'S EMPTY VICTORY.
On Friday the Senate passed the resolu-
tions of the Judiciary Committee by vote
of 32 to 25, condemning the Attorney-Gen-
eral for not delivering up private papers in
connection with making removals from
Office, or nominations sent to the Senate by
the President. The action is simply mat
ter of record, showing the extent of parti-
san feelings in the National legislative body,
and has no practical effect. On Friday the
discussion closed, with speeches by ingalls,,
Harrison, Logan and Edmunds, all favoring
the adoption of the resolutions. The follow
ing is a report of the closing proceedings:
After the debate closed the question was
then on Senator Van Wyck's amendment,
providing that SIN all such cases of remov-
ais the matter of confirmation shall be con-
sidered in open session of the Senate"
Senator Butler thought that if there ever
was time in the history of the Senate or
the Government when the injunction of Sc
crecy should be removed from the proceed
ings, this was the OCCASION. The Senate had
been talking about the Star Chamber pro-
ceeding of the President, and attacking him
because he had not seen fit to disclose to
the Senate motives which prompted him,
and at the same time it had been closing the
doors on nominations, which he (Butler)
would be very glad to have discussed IN
open session in order that the country might
understand the reasons and grounds assign
ed by the majority of the Senate for refusing
to confirm the nomination.
At the suggestion of Senator Harris, Sen
ator Van Wyck modified his amendment
by omitting the words "Of confirmation"
Senator Hoar raised the point that the
amendment was not in order, inasmuch as
| it changed the rules of the Senate, and no
notice had been given oft.
The President pro tenn. sustained the
point of order, and an appeal was taken by
Senator Butler-laid on the table, yeas 81,
nays ga strict party vote, except that
Senators Van Wyck and Riddleberger,
voted with the Democrats.
| The vote was not considered a test of
strength on the proposition for open eXecu-
tive sessions, since Republicans who favor
the principle voted to table the appeal and
Democrats who opposed it voted against
tabling it.
Senator Harris having demanded sepa-
rate vote upon the resolutions, the hrst reso-
luton adopting the report of the Committee
on Judiciary was adopted-yeas 80, nays 26.
The second resolution condemning the ac-
ton of the Acknowledgement in not sending
copies of the papers called for by the Senate
was adopted-yeas 80, nays 25. Against
the third resolution declaring it the duty OF
the Senate to refuse confirmation, Senator
GRAY raised the point that it changed rule
of the Senate and was not in order.
The President pro TEN. overruled the
point of order and Senator Gray appealed
| from the decision.
Senator Morgan inferring from some re,
marks of Senator Edmunds that ne held
the Senate to have the right to imprison the
Attorney General for refusing to answer the
demand made on him in this resolution, IN
quired of Senator Edmunds whether that
| Inference was correct.
He replied that he was bound to say for
the progress of constitutional liberty and
law. that, if any officer of the United States,
except the President, about which he would
go into no discussion now, was lawfully
bound to answer to a demand OF either
House of Congress, and if he failed he could
be punished for contempt.
Senator Morgan-The Senator has stated
in his resolution that the Attorney-General
is lawfully bound to obey this order.
Senator Edmunds-Most undoubtedly,
Senator Morgan said that Senator Ed
munds evidently meant to say that the Sen
ate had the right to call him before 1T on
this issue and imprison him for contempt if
he did not produce the papers. That was
the doctrine that the Senate now proposed
to assert, though it had been carefully con-
cealed. :,
Senator Gray's appeal was laid on the
table.
Senator Brown moved to amend by strik-
ing out the third resolution altogether.
The motion was not agreed to-.
A vote being taken on the third resolu-
ton, it was agreed to-yeas 80, nays 20,
Mitchell, of Oregon, Riddleberger and Van
Wyck voting with the Democrats. The
fourth resolution, condeming the discharge
of ex-Union soldiers and the putting IN
their places of men who had rendered no
military service for the Government, was
then voted on and and agreed to-yeas 56,
nays (Morgan).
Before that resolution came to vote,
Senator Butler said that if he had time he
could demonstrate that the Republican par
ty had violated the law relating to soldiers
ten times, while the present Administra-
tion had not departed from it once.
Senator Morgan offered a resolution de-
claring that nothing in the resolutions al
ready adopted was to be construed as de-
claring that the conduct of the Attorney
General rendered him liable to impeach-
ment, and that the Senate disclaimed the
right or power to punish him by imPrison-
ment or other than by impeachment for the
offence charged against him in the resolu-
tions.
On Senator Edmunds' motion this reso-
luton was laid on the table-yeas, 80 !;
nays, 2G.
JEFFERSON DAVIS TO SpEAK.-The
Monumental Committee of Montgomery,
Alabama, has received from Jefferson
Davis, eX-President of the COnfederacy,
letter formally accepting the invitation to