Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-05-08
SENATOR VOORHEES, APOLOGIES
Mr.. Palmer and the Trail of the Serpent.
THE HEWITT CONTROVERSY.
It is Renewed in the House.
The Senate.

oA oPPiopiAdIiOuSs
Mr.. VOORHEES, APOLOGIES TO THE SENATE.
After the transaction of morning business (and
while Mr.. Harris was In the chair, and Mr.. Ingalls,
on the floor, Mr.. voorhees, rose and said:
"Mr. President, If do not interfere with the
business OF the Senate, desire to make state
ment which l conceive to be due to the Senate,
ana wnlch is personal to myself 1t is well known
tnat have been seriously 1ndispOsed and confined
TO my room almost exclusively during the last
week l visited the Senate yesterday with the
purpose OF making the statement which shall
make now. The opportunity, however, did not
present itself UNTIL suffering so much, withdrew
discussion in which participated last week, de-
sire to say to the Senate that however severe the
provocat1on which was given, yet / made use of
rules and usages and to the decorum OF the SEN
ate, regret having used such language and tender
a proper apology to the Senate or the United
dignity OF this body, OF which I have been for
many years now a member, as well as my self-re-
spect induce me to make this statement"
without any comment on his part Mr.. ingalls,
resumed his seat as presiding officer.
THE BALTIMORE CUSTOM HOUSE.
The resolutions offered yesterday by MI. Mander-
son, calling for detailed statements as to removal
and appointments In the Baltimore Custom House
and Post-Office since 4th OF March, 1885. were
taken up and agreed to, with an amendment Of
fered by Mr.. German recurring designationr OF ap-
pointmentS under the civil-service law, and ap-
pointments without examination.
TOO LATE WITH THEIR PROTEST.
Mr.. Hoar presented a memorial OF the New Eng
land conference Of the Methodist Episcopal church
protesting against the ratification of the Chinese
treaty, or any treaty that precludes Chinese min
listers OF the gospel, or Chinese delegates reli-
gious conventions, coming into the country, char
acterlzing IT as utterly un-Amer1can and un-
Christian. Mr.. Hoar said that until there could
be an appeal from the American people drunk to
the American people sober, the matter might be
considered settled. He, therefore, asked that the
memorial be laid on the table. SO ordered.
1.-THE TRAIL OF THE SERPENT"
Mr.. Palmer (rising to q question OF privilege)
asked and obtained leave to have expunged from
to-days Record certain words which appeared in
the report OF his remarks yesterday. He explained
that they were in the manuscript from which he
and intended to have struck it out. The words
were these: "ThuS covered from beginning TO
end with the trail of the serpent" He added that
the Trail OF the serpent was quite promscuous In
the vicinity, but he did not think the lands were
all covered with 1t.
THE LAND FORFEITURE BILL.
The Senate then resumed consideration
of the railroad land grant forfeiture bill,
the question being on an amendment offered
yesterday by MT; Palmer to one offered by Mr..
The question was discussed by Senators Berry,
Spooner, Teller and Palmer.
House Of Representatives.
The message of the President transmitted yes.
terday), returning without his approval the bill
for the sale OF certain New York Indian lands in
Kansas, was referred to the committee on Indian
affairs.
TELEGRAM FROM Mr. HEwETT.
Mr.. Bryce IN. W, rising to question Of privi-
lege, read the language used by Mr.. Woodburn Nev)
In reference to ex-COngressman Hewitt having
apologzed to the British minister for Offering a
resolution OF inquiry as to the case Of O'DOnnell
under sentence OF death in Great Rrttaln Mt
Bryce stated that he had denied the correctness
OF the statement, and In vtndicat1on OF his denial
he had read telegram from Mayor Hewitt ener-
getically denying that he had ever apolOgized to
the British minister and letter In which he details
the circumstances OF the case.
The following is the telegram:
"Have just seen the reports in neWspapers.
WOOdburnS statements as reported are simply un.
true. BrummS statement Is probably due to
forgetfulness. He is entirely wrong. 1 never
the ODonnell business and never made any
apology there or elsewhere. There was nothing
to explain or TO apologize for. The story that I
apOlOg1Zed TO the British minister was lie which
contradicted at once In the newspapers in which
1t appeared. No charge was ever made in the
House, and hence never had occasion there TO
deny tt. The newspaper charge was utterly false
and was contradicted by MIR. West as well as my
SELF You were quite right to interpOse fiat con.
T1adlc,lEn, ada 1iS,, and thank you for It. WIN write
Mr.. HEwrT's LETTER.
The following is the letter.:
"a lie once started never ceases to circulate and
every time it reappears 1t comes up with new ad-
ditiona Iyama Crern eundo. Itelegraphed you
last night that you were perfectly right in inter-
posing HAT contradiction to the statements OF
Woodburn and Brumm as they were reported In
the newspapers. have not seen the Record and
therefore do not know the exact form In which the
lows: ON the second Monday Of che first session OF
the Forty eighth Congress introduced O reSOlu-
tion requesting the President to apply to the
British government for suspension OF the sem
tence OF death against ODonnell, who was to be
executed N the course OF the week. This
sssotution required unanimous consent, and was
members on both sides, In order that there might
be no objection. 1t passed, and owing to my
night, and the request to the British government
made within twenty-fOu hours. This action was
taken in good faith, and my part In it was never
by anybody until some one started the
story that had gone to the British minister TO
apologize for my action. This, OF course, was an
unmitigated lie; but It was true that did see the
resolution, not for the purpose OF discussing it.
but in the course Of the Interview urged upon
him the importance Of granting the request
matter on the floor of the House:
but the story which was circulated was promptly
denied by me- not only 10 reporters but specifically
by note addressed TO the editor OF the Irish
World, who Had made Inquiry OF me on the sub
lect sIessSusnsly IN Jsnqary Ian Mr. Brumm IN;
sionaI Record, OF the Forty eighth Congress- viz:
Resolved, That the committee on foreign affairs
be instructed to make inquiry whether any tor
eign minister accredited to the Government OF the
United states has endeavored to nullify the
effects OF unanimous resolution Of this House by
rejecting on the honor and In
tegrtty OF its members"
This resolution was referred to the committee
on foreign affairs, who, toward the end OF Feb
ruary following, made the following report, which
you VIII md on page 1ASl. vol Is, part 2 OF the
foreign affairs, TO whom was referred resolution
No. - to wit, Resolved That the committee on
foreign Affairs be instructed 10 make inquiry
whether any foreign minister accredited
to the Government Of the United States
has endeavored TO nulltfy the effects OF
unanimous resolution OF this House BY
rejecting on the honor and integ-
rtty OF It's members beg leave respectfully TO re-
port that they, under the instructions OF the res0
luton, made inquiry and have obtained no inf0r-
nation as 70 whether any foreign minister has en-
to nullify the effects OF q unanimous
resolution OF this House by representations refec
ting on the honor and integrity OF It's members,
and the committee ask to be excused from the fur-
ther consideration OF the resolution"
Whereupon the committee were discharged nom
the further consideration Of the subject
Nj: Brumm never offered any other resolution
which could have any reference TO the O'Donnell
matter. NY name was not used In connection
with these resolutions, and never made any
statement upon the fioor OF the House upon the
the House or 70 anybody else, tho allegation that
had In some way tntervened with the British
minister having been previously denied In the
D0W6D8DorH .Wh0r0 IL mnd0 Oulf0