Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-07-10
FORTY-NINTH CONGRESS.
First Session.
sen ATE.

SENATE.
WAsAISGroN. July 9.
The Senate on Friday took up the Riddle
berger resolution offered Thursday, to have
executive session Of the day held with open
doors.
Mr. Harris made point of order that the
resolution proposed change Of rules ane
that proper notice of it had not been given.
Mr. Riddleberger conceded that point of
order might apply, but he merely wanted t0
call attention TO the matter, and he was 60
ing to do so on every occasion that presented
itself
The chair sustained the point of order and
the resolution was laid on the table.
Mr.. Sewall from the committee on pen
sions presented report in the case of the
vetoed hill granting a pension to Margare
ID. Marchsnd, widow of Commodore March.
and. The committee repeats its former re.
port in the case and recommends the passage
Of the bill over the Presidents objections
Referred.
The Senate after passing a private bill fol
the relief of Capt. Ernest H. Wardwell pro-
ceeded to the calendar.
The bill to incorporate the Atlantic and
Pacific Ship Railway Co, the Eads' bill ant
House bill concerning federal elections wers
severally objected to and went over.
Mr.. Hosr offered resolution calling on ths
President for information as to seizure ul
detention in any foreign ports of any Ameri
can vessels, pretexts or alleged causes there
for, and what efforts have been made to pro-
vide redress for such seizure and to prevent
their recurrence. The resolution went over.
MIR. Call offered resolution calling on the
President to direct the American represent
ative in Mexico, to investigate the truth OF
the statement made in the newspapers thai
the citizens of the United States are confined
in a Mexican dungeon without trial for al.
legged offences against the laws of Mexico, ,and
that their final trial has been postponed with
out cause ana requiring the United States
government to demand trial of such person:
and their humane treatment during confine-
ment and to make provisions for their defense
and relief from confinement where no suth
cient cause for detention is found; also re-
questing the President to institute negotia-
tions with the government of Mexico for cen.
venience to secure fair trial of citizens OF
the United States who may be charged with
violating laws of Mexico.
The Edmunds resolution was agreed to and
the Senate, at l2.45, went into executive ses.
sion.
Immediately after the doors were closed an
order was made on the motion OF Senator In.
gals, that the public be excluded from the
upper corridors, lobies and committee rooms,
which order was carried into effect at once.
This resulted in closing the Offices of Asso-
ciated Press, Western Union and Baltimore
& Ohio Telegraph Cos, and the ejectment of
all reporters from the Senate wing of the
capitol.
The adverse report upon the nomination OF
Solicitor General John Goode was then taken
up. 1t is said that the program of operations
in respect to this case had been arranged by
the republican members of the judiciary CON-
mittee.
Mr. Riddleberger made long speech in
favor of confirmation Messrs. Hoar and
Malone replied at considerable length, and
Mr.. Riddleberger spoke again. The burden
of the debate was the tissue ballot used in
politics.
Mr. Edmunds said he had letters which in
culpated Goode. These letters stated that il
he was confirmed certain of his subordnates
would be retained.
Mr.. Riddleberger demanded the letters, bu,
Mr.. Edmunds declined to produce them.
Mr. Riddleberger asked that the final vote
be postponed till tomorrow, and assent
being refused, made two or three diatory
motions.
The vote being taken at o'clock, resulted
in Goodies rejection by 25 to 2s.
Adjourned.
Immediately after the reading of the Jour.
nal in the House on Friday, the speaker an.
nounced that the regular order was a vote on
demand for the previous question on the
motion to refer to the committee on invalid
<L.. ftl,g L..
the bill, granting a pension to Sally Ann
Bradley. Amid a great deal of confusion
Mr.. Burrows of Michigan, on the part of the
republicans, and Mr.. Matson of Indiana, rep.
resen,ing the democrats, endeavored to come
frttered away with roll calls 1t was finally
agreed that the demand for the previou.
question should be Withdrawn and that Mr.
Grosvenor of Ohio should be allowed fifteen
minutes to oppose the motion to refer, with
permission. to some democrat to reply if so
desired. Mr.. Grosvenor said that he desired
to heap no recrmination or condemnation on
the President for his veto messages. They
were caused by a total Misrepresentation on
the part of the President, of his relation to
the administration of the government.
He, Grosvenor, had read all the vetoes
coming from that prolific source of vetoes,
and he though hit the trouble was that the Pres
ident understood it was his duty to examine
carefully every act of Congress, and if he as a
member of Congress would not vote for the
bill, he gave no sort of consideration OF
weight to the fact that the legislative branch
of the government had acted affirmatively
upon it. The President acted upon the idea
that the Executive had the right and it was
his duty to decide absolutely on every ques-
ton.
Another idea of the Presidents was that
no private act should be approved unless there
was q law authorizing it; wholly oblivious to
the fact that Congress was the law-making
power and had a right to confer pensions on
anybody. Mr.. Grosvenor then detailed facts
of the special bill under consideration and
commented on the fact, as he assested, that
the President had approved the Fitz John
Porter bill on the very day that he had vetoed
the bill granting a pension to Sally Ann
Bradley, the mother of four sons, two of
whom had died on the battlefield and two of
whom were in the hospital disabled. Fiiz
John Porter would go on the pension roll,
while Sally Ann Bradley would go to the
poor-house, and this was the government
which undertook to say that it was dealing
generously and literally with its soldiers.
The House was terrified by the vote Of the
single man. proposition tyrsnnical and in the
direction of usurpstion, in the direction of
turning from its normal position. The Con-
gress of the United States turning over the
administration of the generality of the gov
.srnment to one man.
Mr.. Matson merely remarked in reply that