The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1886-04-03
EDMUNDs' RESOLUTIONS
Adopted by the senate seriatIm.

currences at Carrollton, Miss.
The Edmunds resolutions were
then laid before the Senate and Mr..
ingalls, took the floor and spoke at
length in favor of their adoption.
He was followed by Messrs. Logan,
Harrison and Edmunds on the same
side, the last named of whom closed
the debate. fe
The question then was on Mr. Van
Wyck's amendments providing that
in all such cases of removal the mat
ter of combinations shall be .consid-
cred in open session of the Senate
Mr.. VanWyck made strong speech
in advocacy of the amendment.
Mr.. Hoar raised the point that
the amendment was not in order, in
asmuch as it changed the rules of
the Senate and no notice had been
given of it.
The President sustained the point
Of order and an appeal was laid upon
the table, yeas 81, nays IS. This
was strict party vote except that
VanWyck and Riddleberger voted
with the Democrats.
Mr.. Harris having demanded
separate vote upon the Edmunds
resolutions, the first resolution was
adopted-Yeas, 80; nays, 26. The
second resolution condemning the
refusal of the Attorney General to
send copies of papers called for by
the Senate was adopted-Yeas, 80;
nays, %.
The question being ON the third
resolution, declaring it to be the
duty of the Senate to refuse its adj
vice and consent to proposed remov
ais of officers, if the documents in
reference to the supposed miscon-
duct of whom are withheld, Mr..
Gray raised the point that it chang
ed rule of the Senate and was not
in order.
The President pro tempore over
ruled the point of order, and Mr..
Gray appealed from the decision.
Mr.. Morgan, inferring from some
remarks of Mr.. Edmunds, that he
held the Senate to have right to
imprison the Attorney General for
| raf,, tn h, do, Il
on him in this resolution, inquired of
Mr.. Enmunds if that inference
was correct.
Mr.. Edmunds 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 90 into no discussion now,
was lawfully bound to answer a de-
mand of either House of Congress,
that if he failed, he could be punish
ed for contempt.
Mr. Morgan-The Senator has
stated in his resolution that the At
torney General is lawfully bound to
obey this order.
Mr. Edmunds-Most undoubt-
eddy.
Mr. Morgan said that Mr.. Ed
munds meant to say that the Senate
had a right to call him before it on
this issue and imprison him for con
tempt if he did not produce the pa
pers. That was the doctrine that
the Senate now proposed to assert,
though it had been carefully CON
cealed.
Mr. Blackburn defended Mr..
Gray's point of order. After stating
the parliamentary force and propri-
ETY. of the point, he argued from the
Senate's rules and the principles of
common justice and fair dealing that
such a resolution should not be
passed.
Mr.. Hoar did not think the reso-
luton open to the construction put
upon it by Mr.. Blackburn. He Mr..
Hoar) understood it to mean that
when papers deemed necessary were
refused the Senate would not pro-
coed to consider the nomination; but
if the necessary information could
be had from other sources, the nomi-
nation could be considered, if the
Senate chose to do so, even under
this resolution. Probably three
fourths of these cases of suspension
could be disposed Of
Mr.. Gray's appeal was laid on the
table
Mr.. Brown moved to amend by
striking out the third resolution al
together Lost.
A vote being taken on the third
resolution, it was rgreed to, yeas 80,
nays 30, Messrs. Mitchell, of Oregon,
Riddleberger and Van Wyck voting
with the Democrats.
The fourth resolution condemning
the discharge of exUnion soldiers
and putting in their places men
who had rendered no military SER
vice for the Government was then
voted on and agreed to, yeas Sc and
nays l.
The Harrison Democrat comes out
for Col. Ben Wilson for Congress. 1t
gives number of good reasons why
he should be selected as the standard
/ L, IL