Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-02-19

amendment proposed by him in relation to
public schools. and asked to have it printed in
the Record.
Mr. Sherman objected to its being printed in
the Record, and suggested that it be printed in
the usual form public document.
Mr.. Blair-Very well. Then l will state the
contents of the memorial.
The presiding officer-The rules require that
memorials shall be submitted with a brief en-
dorsement of their contents, and without de-
bate.
Nr. Blair-I ask unanimous consent to state
the contents of the memorial in full.
Mr.. Harris-The statement in full will be
simply reading the memorial. | object.
MIR. Blair-I will withhold the memorial and
introduce it in speech.
ELECTION METHODS IN THE SOUTH.
Mr.. Hoar, from the committee on privileges
and elections, to which were referred the reso-
luton offered by Senators Chandler and Glib
son, for an investigation of recent elections in
Louisiana and other states, and memorials
t opolitlcal assassinatiens, reported them all
bao Ito be laid on the table,, and also
ported an original resolution instruct
| ing the committee on privileges and
elections to inquire whether, in any
state, the free and loyal expression
of the will of the people in the election of
members of the Fifty-first Congress and ascer-
tanning the results thereof has been prevented
by violence, intimidation, fraud or Other crime.
Also to inquire into the recent election i'll
Louisiana in April, 1888, and whether that
state has a republican form of government,
the committee to report at the session to be
held in December, 1889.
Mr.. salisbury, on behalf of the democratic
| members of the committee on privileges and
elections. expressed utter dissent from the
resolution reported, on the ground that the
Senate had no jurisdiction over the question.
The resolution was, on objection by Mr..
German, laid over till tomorrow.
SUGAR INVESTIGATIONS.
Mr.. Hoar offered resolution (Which was
agreed toy calling on the Secretary of the
Treasury for recent reports relating to sugar
Investigations, improper allowances for dam
ages to imported merchandise and undervalua-
ton in woolen and worsted goods.
Mr.. Hale offered resolution, which went
over till tomorrow, directing the Secretary of
the Treasury to inform the Senate whether the
sugar division in the appraisers Office of the
New York custom house is now in charge of John
S. McElwee; whether charges have lately been
made against McElwee effecting his personal
character and conduct; whether such charges
Tehnop fSs peeh f so e he Assa. ts
mony taken and of the report made.
Also, to inform the Senate whether McElwee
has been previously dismissed on charges made
affecting his personal character.
MR.. VESTS OBJECTIONS TO THE DIRECT TAX BILL.
The Senate then proceeded to the considera-
tion of Mr.. Vests motion to reconsider the vote
by which the conference report on the direct
tax bill was agreed to last Saturday
Mr.. Vest proceeded to state his objections to
the bill itself. Twenty-eight years, he
said, had elapsed since the legisla-
ton under which the direct tax
was collected. and there was no pretense. never
had been. and never could be- that that law was
not constitutional in every yart. And now it
was proposed to take out of the Treasury s17.-
100000 and give it back, not to the people who
paid the tax. but to the states that assumed and
paid it. If the power to pass this bill existed
in Congress then the unlimited power of ap-
preparation existed, and Congress could, at its
| own will and pleasure.
! BANKRUPT THE TREASURY.
If Congress could pass this bill without vio-
| lating the Constitution. then it could vote
every dollar in the Treasury to Jno. Smith and
Chas. Brown, or to any object Of its generosity
| or gratuity. The bill stood upon the bald
| naked pretense that because some of the peo-
| pie of the United States had not paid the di-
| rect tax those who did pay it should have the
amount returned to them. In other words, be-
cause one taxpayer had not discharged his
duty and paid his taxes the taxpayer who had
done so could come back and demand pay
ment. The result of such doctrine would be
| to place premium on defaulters.
1T WOULD BE TO GIVE LACROSSE
to the citizen who refused to perform the obli-
cation existing on him to support the govern
ment by taxes. What tax. he asked, could ever
! be collected if that doctrine were established?
| 1t impossible in the nature of things
that the people from whom the tax
was collected could receive it back
| as Tin all the northern states) the
tax was paid to the state governments with a
| discount OF 10 per cent. If the government
were pressed for money, the bill would not re-
ceive votes enough to make it respectable. No
more glaring illustration of the danger of
I Nltr1n hn Of, -A1.
Senator who did not realize that fact He did
not propose (even for the S646.O00 which
would g to Missouri under the bil) to give up
the convictions of his whole life as to the pow
ers of Congress in such n case. No matter
what clamor might be made at home. he
| DID NOT PROPOSE TO sTULTIFY HIMSELF
and give up his belief in the essential princi-
Piles of the Constitution in order to put at the
disposal of the legislature of Missouri s6i6. coo
or any other sum. IL the doctrine on which
| the bill rested were correct. then all that he
had ever held true in political history went for
nothing, and the restrictions of the Constitu-
ton were merely 'full of sound and fury, sig
nifying nothing"
Mr.. SHERMAN DECLINES TO REPLY.
Mr.. Sherman (who had presented the confer
ence report) said that he did not deem
it his duty to reply to the Senator
from Missouri. The text of the bill
had been passed by both Houses
and was thus beyond their reach. 1t seemed
to him unusual (perhaps almost unexampled)
! to discuss the measure itself in conference
report. The only propositions considered
by the conference committee had
| been one merely formal and another
an item of s8500O0 to be refunded to citizens
| of South Carolina whose lands had been sold
for direct taxes. After long conference
and full examination the committee
had come to the conclusion that the
House amendment as to Beaufort,
S. c., was substantially equitable disposition
of the question. If he were to follow the argu-
ment of the Senator from Missouri it would be
only going over propositions that had already
been decided by the Senate and the House.
THE BILL WAS A BILL OF PEACE,
of quiet, rendering substantial justice. There
was not even the dignity of constitutional
| question in relation to 1t.
The bill was further discussed by Senators
Harris and Morgan, in support of it, and by
Mr.. Blair in opposition.
THE NOTION TO RECONSIDER REJECTED.
Finally the motion to reconsider was re-
| jected-yeas, 8; nays. 49, The Senators voting
| yea we're: Messrs. Berry, Blair, Kelly, Jones
| (Ark.), Pugh, Reagan, salisbury, and Vest
The conference report now goes to the
House for its action.
| THE sUNDRY CIVIL BILL.
| The Senate then proceeded to the considera-