The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-02-27
GENERAL WASHINGTON NEWS.
Mr.. Chandler Reads to the Senate
and Raises a Storm.

from Union county, Ark, representing tnat
at the state election there in September, 1888,
a systematic reign of terror prevailed. Armed
and reckless mobs paraded the county night
and day, terrorizing the whites and shooting
and whipping colored voters. Schools and
churches were demoralized and ballot boxes
carried off. The petitioners asked for the
protection guaranteed by the constitution.
Mr.. Harris asked Mr.. Chandler whether
the statement he was making was such a
"brief statement" as the rule contemplated
in the presentation of petitions and added
that 1t was direct violation of the rule.
Mr.. Chandler replied that he understood
the rule and how the rule was construed. He
was not reading the petition, but was read
Ing from as condensed statement Of 1t as
he could make in justice to the petition
erS.
Mr.. Harris desired a ruling of the chair
under the rule which provides that every
petition or memorial shall have endorsed on
II brief statement of its contents and
shall be presented and referred without de-
bate.
Mr.. Hoar remarked that Mr.. Chandler
said his statement was as brief and compact
as he could make it and added that the rule
left the matter entirely to the discretion of
the Senators.
Mr.. Berry asked Mr. Chandler whether
had himself prepared the statement he was
making or whether somebody else had done
so.
Mr.. Chandler replied that he had written
it himself
Mr.. Berry-"I thought so. 1t is not a pc
tition, but collection of rot and filth which
the Senator collected himself"
Mr.. Chandler-"It is a statement | make
on my own responsibility of the substance of
TINS petition and was prepared by myself. l
N uich fo al ofoH Hh0 r.xln Of tba
ate. am only sorry that the Senator from
tennessee should not have taken occasion to
comment on the practice of making full state
ments OF petitions on some other petition
than one which concerned the rights of citi-
zens."
Mr.. Harris called on the Chair for ruling.
The Vice President-"The statement made
by the Senator from New Hampshire is
that he has prepared condensed state
ment Of the petition. The Chair is of the
opinion the Senator has the right to CON-
plete the reading of the paper
Mr.. Berry-"If it comes from the Senator
from New Hampshire himself. / do not think
1t can injure either the state or the people of
Arkansas. Therefore, have no objection"
Mr.. Chandler-"I am very much obliged to
the Senator from Arkansas for the pleasure
of being informed that a petition on this
subject can be presented in the Senate of
the United States with the consent of the
Senator from Arkansas"
The statement completed, the resolution,
with several others from Arkansas on the
same subject, was referred to the committee
on privileges and elections and business ON
the calendar taken up. Twenty-six pension
and private bills were passed.
AT O'Clock the Blair educational bill was
taken up as unfinished business, and Mr..
Reagan addressed the Senate la opposition
to the bill. He made statement to show
that as far as Texas was concerned, that
state had done, and was doing its full duty
In the matter Of free common schools. He
described the bill as offering bribe of S79,-
100000 to the states if they would consent to
accept 1t, as the price for the destruction of
the right of local self:governmentt.
atFSs conSRs0n them ths hum
affirmative act. such policy. To prevent
the federal government from being convert
ed into despotism, to avoid an additional
and fruitful cause of sectional strife and agi-
tation, he hoped for the defeat of the bill.
Senator Wilson Of Maryland argued against
the constitutionality of the bill.
Mr.. Blair replied to some points in Mr..
wilson's speech and also to the speech of
Mr. Faulkner. He referred to the newspa-
per report of an attempt made In Virginia to
restrict the school tax raised from the whites
to the education of white children, leaving
that raised from the colored taxpayers to be
used for col0red schools. He showed that
under one section of the bill no state that
made any such distinction could derive any
dufdutdkO lIOul llc Dlll. INcltIIluk W
assertions as to the growing unpopularity of
the bill, he gave it as his opinion that the
bill was much stronger throughout the
country today than originally. He said it
was never so strong among the masses of the
people especially among the masses Of the
white people of the South, as it
was today. So it was in the
Senate. Some Republicans had voted against
1t because they did not like to trust DEM
ocratic administration with the distribution
of the money, but Low with Republican
administration, perfectly honest, with only
good men in 1t, the money would be applied
as sacrediy as missionary fund. He anti
cipated that every Republican senator would
vote for the bill who was not too sick to be
present. He was aware the grip had some
of them. lie ridculed the two senators from
Texas for calulating the time between 1860
and 1880 as 80 years. and challenged them to
debate on that point in the presence of school
teachers. Laughter
Mr.. Coke quoted from the Record to show
that he made no such calculation.
Mr.. Blair went on with his general re-
marks in explanation ana defence of the bill.
He said he did so because no other senator
desired to speak upon it today.
Mr.. Butler offered resolution, which was
agreed to, authorizing the select committee
on the five civilized tribes of Indians to in
tween the United States government and the
Cherokee tribe of Indians relative to the
Cherokee Outlet.
After brief executive session the Senate
at 4.45 adjourned until tomorrow.