Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-12-12
JOHNNIE DAVENPORT
Gets Roasting in the Senate In Connee-
ton with the Election Bin.

In the United States Senate on Mon
day the Election bill was under con-
sidcratiOn, and Senator Gray IN the
course Of his remarks criticized the bill
in its details. lie spoke of the ma
chinery provided in il rs similar TO that
under which Napoleon Ill. arrayed his
plebiScite i'm 1859 and erected an empire
on the ruins of the French republic.
He thought that the bill. il IL were not
10 be recommitted 20 the Committee on
Privileges and Elections, should be at
least sent tOa committee on style, which
would make plain what the bill meant
Let rs. he said, adhere 20 the rules OF
English liberty and freedom. Let us
have the lucid periods OF the Senator
from Massachusetts, and not the turgid,
confused phraseology Of the chief super
visor OF New York, and then we can
discuss the bill with more Intelligence
than we can discuss it now.
Mr.. Gray, having again referred to
the New York Herald report OF hear
ing before Mr.. Davenport, in October,
1874. from which he had quoted on Sat
urday, Mr.. Hoar said that he was au-
thorized 10 say that that report was alb
solutely false, and that no such trans
action had occurred The transaction,
Mr.. Hoar s. which did occur had been
the subject OF complaint against the
chief supervisor before Justices Batch
ford and Woodruff, of the United states
Court, who had on a full hearing OF the
case pronounced the conduct OF the chiet
supervisor correct and proper in every
particular. Mr.. Gray declared that he
did not believe that an ordinary news
paper reporter, reporting proceedings
from day to day, would have ever so
blackened his soul as 20 make and have
printed A report that was deliberate
| lie. On the face Of that report there
were the marks Of its verify. lie would
not believe even the chief supervisor
/ OF New York against the reporter.
The chief supervisor had said TO the
counsel in the case that he was talking
/ 10 the newspapers. Thank dOd'
said Mr.. Gray, "that there was a repor-
ter TO report it. Our liberties ana our
freedom are never so secure Is when the
calcium light of the press Is turned on
all these places where the liberty OF the
citizen. a right TO life, liberty and
prosperity is concerned, or may be
passed upon by his fellow-mel. Inc
counsel on that occasion was talking 10
the newspapers OF course; and l am
now talking 70 the newspapers, because
senators on the other side are not lis
tening to me. am talking through the
newspapers To the people OF the coun-
try. who. thank tod. will give me a
/ hearing" Applause.
Mr.. kenna asked Mr.. uOar aS u
when and where the Chief supervisor oil
New York had given him authority to
deny the correctness Of the newspaper
report?
MIR. Hoar intimated that the question
was extraordinary and very imperti
ncnt.
MIR. Kenna said that he would answer
il himself BY saying that the authority
had been given here ia Washington
and that for weeks and months th'
Chief Supervisor Of New York had oeei
i'm the Hobbies promoting the passage o.
the bill. Applause in the galleries
which was rebuked by the presiding oil
hcer. Mr.. Dolph, who threatened u
have the galleries cleared II the ouenS'
was repeated
MIR. Hoar suggested that the Senator
from West Virginia would gain nothihs
hy adopting the tone or style oil addreS'
which he had used.
Mr. Kenna protested that his queS
ton was a fair and civil one, ana was
10 his mind. an important one. IL Wa
at least significant that the SehatOl