The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1889-02-14
or excitement or for sectional cOntrO-

for excitement or for sectional contro-
versy.
Morgan demonstrated against taking
up the resolution, and declared that If
the debate were opened Republican
Senators might as well provide for
their incoming president calling an
extra session of congress.
Chandler commented upon Harris
remark as to this being an inauspiciOus
moment for taking up the subject, and
said that he wondered when a more
appropriate time could be selected than
one when the process had been COM
meDced in certain states of killing con-
testants for seats in the house of rep
resentatives. Should the senate wait
until all the contestants W ere killed and
all the appropriation billb passed. He
proceeded to speak of the assassination
of MIR. Clayton in Arkansas, and read
to the senate the statement made on
the subject by Mr.. ClaytOn's two
brothers. He referred in that connec-
ton TO the withdrawal from the con-
test for the governorshi p of Arkansas.
of the republican claimant. and asked
Harris to inform the senate and the
country what time he thought would
be Opportune for discussing the queS-
ton of suffrage and of human life.
Berry characterized the killing of Mr..
Clayton as cOwardly murder and one
without excuse or paliation, and said
that the insinuation that the people of
Arkansas were responsible Tor it di-
rectly or indirectly was not true. He
had known MIR. Clayton intimately and
had canvaSsed his district with him at
the last election. travelling in the same
buggy and sleeping in the same house,
Mr.. Clayton had been treated by
the people with entire respect.
Mr.. Breckenridge and Mr.. Clayton had
been personal friends and there had
been no bitterness IN the canvass be-
tween them. As to the murderer hav-
ing been arrested as yet, Mr.. Berry re-
called the fact of the murder of ex-con-
gresham Human while Mr.. Powell
Clayton was governor of Arkansas and
said that no arrest had ever been
made in that case and no reward
offered for the arrest and convic-
tiOn of the murderer. There might be
some excuse, he said, for the statement
made by Mr.. Powell Clayton and his
brother put there could be no excuse
for those who knew nothing of the
facts but who were willing to use the
death of John NJ. Clayton as stepping
stone to their own political preferment
by exciting passions and prejudices at
the north.
The question was then taken on
Evarts' motion to lay aside the Pacific
railroad funding bill and to take up the
report of the committee and it was
agreed TO by party vote, % to 10.
The resolution accompanying the re-
port was read as follows:
Resolved, That the committee on
privileges and elections be directed
carefully to revise the existing laws
regulating the election of members of
congress with view of providing for a
more complete protection of the exer-
else of the elective franchise and for
the punishment of offenses against it.
and to report to the next legislative
session OF the senate by bill or other
| wise.
other suggestion. 1t was that in order
to economic time and to avoid an irri-
tating sectional debate the vote be
taken at once land without discussion
| on the adoption of the resolution.
Evarts. somewhat embarrassed by
| the proposition, did not reply i'm
mediatPly but looked to Republican SEN
ators around him as if for some indi-
cation of their opinion on the subject.
The Democratic senators had q quiet
laugh at Evarts apparent hesitation
but finally the New York senator made
answer. He should be very glad, he
| said, to keep the debate within bounds
but he thought it right that the COM
mittee which reported the resolution
should be permitted to lay before the
| senate the grounds on which the reso-
luton was based. 1t did not seem to
him tie proper that the committee
| shoulu be asked to refrain from the
presentation of the matter. 1t would
be optional with senators on the other
side to reply or not. Adjourned.
| HOUSE.
| WASHINGTON Feb l2-On motion