Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1888-09-07
PRESIDENT CLEVELAND
CALLED UPON FOR THE BRITISH COR
RsSPoNOENce OF THE FISHERIES.
The Chinese Bill Causes Quite Breeze
in the Senate, In which Bar. sherman
Takes n Positive Stapd-A Lively De-
bate in the House Between Representa-
tives Barnum and Scott.


WASHINGTON, D. c., September An
other unsuccessful attempt was made by
the Senate yesterday to pass the Chinese
exclusion bill
Mr.. Hoar offered resolution calling the
attention of the President to the resolution
adopted by the Senate on the 2sth of Au-
gust asking the President for the CORE
spondence with Great Britain relating to
the fishery question, and requesting him to
furnish such information as soon rs posi-
BILE, in order that it might be considered in
acting on pending legislation.
At the suggestion of Mr.. Vest, who
thought that the Secretary of State could
give good reasons for not furnishings the
information, the resolution went over.
Mr.. Dawes called attention to a mistake
made Wednesday by Mr.. Pasco in quoting
from an article from the Springfield, Mass,
Republican, and designating that journal
as Republican paper. On account OF its
name, he said, while its exact position Il
not known, it is regarded as Republican
paper. but it was one of the most jealous
advocates of President Cleveland.
Mr. Pssco said he had cut the editorial
in question out OF newspaper. which de-
scribed the Springfield Republican as a
. Republican paper, and whatever its politics
were, the sentiments expressed in the
alOIlt NtIt anu luob to"1iN
the southern people. At 2o'clock the
Chinese exclusion bill was taken up. Mr..
Sherman said he favored the passage of the
bill if the Chinese government had refused
to accede to the new treaty. or TO negotia-
tions upon it. II was an unusual thing for
the Senate to pass upon q bill OF snch I'M
portance without reference to committee,
without consideration and without any of
the forms acquired in ordinary legislation.
He said that the bill came from the execu-
tive department of the government and
of the Senate so as TO meet the
necessity of the OCCASION. No
answer had been received to the resoiu-
ton adopted asking the President whether
il was positive information about the rejec-
ton of the Treaty, and If IT should appear.
as he believed il would. that no such infor-
nation had been received. and if the SEN
ate, without regard 20 the ordinary usuages
of sthe Senste's should hurriedly pass
this bill. it would be surprise to the
country and to the whole civilized world.
MIR. Sherman said he had information from
undoubted sources, Not from the Presi-
dent. or Secretary of State" he added, that
the probability was that no such action had
been taken by the Chinese govern
ment When the bill came over
from the House he had assumed as a mat
ter of course that the House had passed il
on information that came from the eXccu-
tive; but the Senate had no such inforina-
ton and should not rush wildly like a flock
OF frightened partridses into the passage
of the bill. Ii it should turn out as he be-
heved it would, that the Chinese Govern
ment lad not rejected the treaty, the hasty
passage OF the bill would be unbecomins to
the American Senate, and 50 he thought it
h,atrnd Inv the dt.a he-
tween nations as between individuals, TO
await action of the Chinese Government.
and il the bill was passed and the treaty
was ratified, the Senate would have placed
itself in the ridiculous attitude of ASSUMING.
a fact which did not exist; but il, on the
contrary, the treaty was re ected, there was
sill ample time to pass the bill.
Mr.. Sherman therefore asked the Senate
to let the bill go over for day or two un-
I'll the facts were ascertained, but Mr..
Stewart objected and the discussion of the
bill was reopened. Mr. Slate said il tht
bill was passed to vote he would vote for
il under protest. He did not like the un-
tame way in which the bill had come he
fore congress. Mr.. Slate wanted to know
his haste to pass the bill if there had bee;.
no notice, official or unofficial received by
the executive had the treaty been rejected
TO pass the bill under such circumstances
would be direct insult TO nation with
which the United States desired 10 con
tinue friendly commercial relations. lie
would vote for the bill if the vote WAS
forced upon the Senate, because he was
not going to act on the assumption that the
pending bill was an electioncering dodge.
Mr. Plumb. criticising the colIrse of the
administration in this matter, said the
President had apparently sent the bill ia
the House in the shape Of n message Ia
that body. The Ionse received il FROM
the hands of the Presidents trusted coun-
sellor," and it had been passed upon as an
administration measure.
Mr. Brown asked Mr.. Sherman whether
be, as the chairman of the Committee I'm
Foreign Relations, had any information oi
the rejection of the treaty.
Mr. Sherman-Certainly not. A gentle
man who has had business with the Chi
nese Legation. told me that the legation
had information of the rejection OF the
treaty; that there has been no objection,
SO far as known, to the amendments TO the
treaty, but, on the contrary, the minister
himself assented to them at the time they
were Offered. and it was a pre-
sumed. as a matter of course, that
the treaty would be ratified. / fee
free TO say that no communication oi
any kind has come to the President in re
fact, and the whole of our action on the
bill is based upon the assumption that be
cause a distinguished member of the HOUSE
of Representatives brought it in and had il
hurried through the House, it was done
with the sanction of the administration
Certainly we ought not to be satisfied
with that. Suppose the President should
veto the act which he has now before him
on the ground that we had passed this bill
abrogating the treaty, we would be "in q
hat''-in a very embarrassing position.
Mr.. Brown moved TO amend il by ad
hitting to land such Cinnamon as having
left this country with certificates emitting
them to return, were now on their way {,
the United States. To pass the bill with
out such provision would be, he said, moi
only great hardship but a cruelty aud al
outrage which no exigency or political ex
icency could justify. II this bill wer,
passed who could deny the right of the
Chinese Government TO extradite from
China every American merchant and mis-
sionary within the limits OF that vast EN-
pire? and if this should be the result thers
would be such an outcry against this legis
lation that instead of political capital be
ing made of it, il would be the political
downfall of the party regarded as most al
fault.
Mr.. Teller objected to the proposed
amendment as not being offered and the
objection was sustained. Mr.. Morgan
questioned the sincerity of the Pacific
Slope Senators as to the exclusion of Chin
amen and remarked that the sentiment fol
their exclusion was far from universal.
The statement was challenged by Mitch
ell, who said that there was not one wort
of truth from beginning to end. The de
bate being closed, the Senate proceeded t.
vote on the passage of the bill. The vot'
was unanimous-yeas 81, nays none.
There being no quorum voting, ther'
was a call of the Senate when thirty
nine Senators. exactly q quorum, answered
to their names Mr.. Hoar said he hat
been present when the vote was taken, bu