Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-02-23
l WASTED HOUR IN THE HOUSE.
Then the Deficiency Bill is Taken Up.
The Senate.

The motion was agreed to, yeas. &c; nays,
% "a party vote); and the resolution was taken
up. 1t reads:
ResolUed. That the committee on privileges
and elections be authorized to inquire whether
in any state the free and lawful expression of
the will of the people in the election of MEN,
bers of the Fifty-frst Congress. and ascertain
ing the result thereof Or in the election of
members Of state legislatures who have elected,
or are to elect, Senators of the United States
who may claim seats during said
Congress, and ascertaining the result
thereof in the choice of electors Of President
and Vice-President of the United States in 1855,
and declaring the result thereof, has been pre-
vented by violence, intimidation, bribery, and
other unlawful use Of money, fraud, or other
crime. Also, whether the laws governing such
election in any states have been so framed or
administered as to accomplish or permit the
defeat OF the will Of the people in such elections
Also to inquire into the facts of the recent
election in the state of Louisiana. held on the
18th day OF April, loS8, at which there was
chosen legislature which has since elected
two United States Senators. And said committe
shall also inquire whether there were, in con-
nection with the aforesaid election, illegalties,
frauds, false canvasses, and false returns, 80
extensive and systematic in their character as
to show that there existed on the part of the
various state election officers deliberate plan
to apparently carry said election without regard
ernor and other state officers and a state legis-
lature by such illegal. false, and fraudulent
means. and, if so, whether said legislature
was actually and duly elected by the
people of Louisiana, or was in fact
substantially the creation solely of the return
ing and canvassing officers, and whether said
state of Louisiana has republican form of
government. including legislature entitled 10
choose United States Senators. and to provide
methods for tine appointment of electors Tor
President and Vice-President of the United
States.
Mr.. HARRIS AMENDMENT.
Mr.. Harris gave notice that he would move
to amend the resolution by striking out the
words referring to the election of members of
the state legislature of Louisiana.
Mr.. German moved that the resolution,
(which is purely political in its nature, and
cannot accomplish any good be postponed
till Monday. and said that if that motion pre-
vailed. he would follow it with one to proceed
to the consideration Of the bill to provide for
the printing of government securities in the
highest style of art The motion was rejected
yeas, %; nays, 26.
Mr.. DANIEL SAYS STATES RIGHTS ELECTED BEN
JAAIIN HARRISON PRESIDENT.
Mr.. Daniel addressed the Senate in opposi-
ton to the resolution. He began by saving
that state rights had elected Benjamin Harri-
son President of the United States, and had re-
called the republican party to power, while
ma ority of "a 60l voters had cast their sufrages
in favor of Grover Cleveland.
Here a side remark of Mr.. Hoars attracted
Mr. Daniels attention, and he inquired what
the remark was.
Mr. Hoar-I owe an apology to the Senator
from Virginia, which will now make. made
4 remark to one Of the Senators near me in
rather too loud tone. What / said was that
that was the very fact which We desired to
have inquired into.
Mr.. Daniel-The inquiry would have been
more felicitous il it had been made before
counting the vote for Mr.. Harrison. He then
proceeded with his argument against the reso-
luton. As the republican party, he said, owed
a debt to state rights for its incoming Presi-
dent, SO the country owed debt to state
rights for the domestic tranquility which
hailed his coming.
DEMOCRATIC CHARGES OF BRIBERY IN NEW YORK.
Having alluded to the democratic charges of
bribery in New York during the recent election.
of the purchase of voters in Indiana in ''blocks
of five. and of the colonization of aliens in West
Virginia. as well as to the counter-charges
made by the republicans. he asked what pam
demonium. what terrible suspense, what a
paralysis of business would have followed had
not state rights exercised their conservative
and healing SWAY. Gen. Harrison's title of
President. he said, which had been sealed and
u Il
ton. or by "a majority of its people, but by
sovereign states, which had commissioned him
as their chief magistrate.
State rights. he said, had held the ladder for
Benjamin Harrison to ascend the Presidential
chair: had given Senators their prerogatiyes,
and had lifted the republican party out of the
Slough of Despond and over the Hill of Diff
Guilty, and brought it within sight OF the goal
of its desires.
THE BRIDGE WHICH CARRIED THE REPUBLICANS
OVER THE STREAM.
1t was an old axiom that the traveller must
praise the bridge which carried him
over the stream; and now that the
states rights bridge had carried the republican
party safely over the turbulent stream of con-
hict, it was time for that party to confess that
after all il was pretty good bridge. That re-
publican would be an migrate who would turn
back to destroy that which had done him and
his party 50 good turn. II would be aston
ishing indeed IL New England Senators should
unite to break 1t down.
MR. HoAR ASKED MIR. DANIEL
whether, in his judgment, Congress had author
ity to make inquiry into the existence Of crime
against elections for members Of the House of
and into whether the consti-
tutional right to vote was abridged in any
state.
Mr.. Daniel said he did not doubt the
constitutional authority of Congress to
inquire into the state Of the suffrage, where it
was alleged Gin such manner as to COM
mand respect and attention) that the
Constitution had been violated in rela-
ton thereto. As to inquiring into the cleo
tion of members of the House of Repre-
sentatives he admitted that there might
be times, circumstances, and conditions under
which an inquiry would not be improper, but
he could conceive of nothing more improper,
more indecorous, or more usurpatory of the
proper functions Of government than (pend-
ing contested election cases in the House)
for the Senate to undertake by
partisan committee to throw all of its author
itg and prestige in favor of one side. He had
been amazed and sstouuded when he read Mr..
Hoars' resolution, gravely requiring the Sem
ate to enter into an inquiry Of the election Of
members Of the House Of Representatives. II
more un-American or more in conflict
with the spirit Of the American Constitution
could have been suggested, he was at = loss TO
conjecture what that thing was.
House of Representative.
The House met at 10 o'clock this morning,
but there was very small attendance of MEM
bers when, at that hour, the chaplain, in his
invocation, feelingly alluded to the fact that
to-day the House would pay its last tribute
tcnsinued on ma page.l