Morning journal and courier., 1892-01-14
NO AGREEMENT.
The Committee ON Caucus Fail to
Agree and the General Assembly
Will Probably DO No Business
This Year-An Immediate Adjourn
ment Sine DIe Mol Probable.

The Committee on Caucus Fail to
Agree and the General Assembly
Will Probably DO No Business
This Year-An Immediate Adjourn
ment Sine Die Not Probable.
HARTFORD, Jan. 1S.-[Speciall THE sem |
ate and house convened at the capitol again |
to-day and came to the conclusion that as
far as the seating of Mr.. Phelan as secre-
tary of state is concerned they could not
agree. This means that no business will
probably be done this year and that both
the house and senate will keep up their
policy of adjourning from week to week,
or for longer period, until after the next
election, when they will come together and
adjourn sine die. At all the democratic
caucuses to day it was voted not to adjourn
sine die in the near future.
Both Mr.. Phelan and General Merwin
were at the capitol during the session, and
it was rumored that General Merwin would
preside in the senate, but this was un-
founded, as General Merwin said in open
caucus that he would not preside as long
as the present controversy continued, but
that by this he did not waive any of the
s-SSoANSN
ernor.
The senate.
The senate convened at 9 p. m. with
Senators Cleveland, Pierce, Twitchell, Hall,
Gardner and Binne, democrats, and Shum-
way and Palmer, republicans, absent.
On motion Of Senator Seymour, dem }
the senate took recess until 8 O'Clock,
| when they again convened.
Senator Holden, the senate member of
the conference committee, submitted the
report of the committee, and also letter
from Mr.. Phelan made part of the report,
which is as follows:
SENATOR HoEpEN's REPORT.
| The committee Of conference on the
part of the senate in the matter of the dis
agreeing action of the senate and house of
| Representatives upon senate joint resolu-
ton No. a, declaring John ]. Phelan
chosen secretary, met the house commit
tee on said matter, January II, 1892, and
discussed at great length the question up
on which the two houses of the general
assembly are disagreed and adjourned to
January 10, 1892, at which time it was IN
derstood that the claims of and PROPOSE
/ OoSh
house would be presented in writing. The
senate member presented the following in
writing:
| THE DEMOCRATIC PROPOSITION.
The resolution declaring John J. Phelar
elected secretary comes to this committed
through the unanimous action of the
senate insisting upon its passage, and ask
ing the house of representatives for com
mittee of conference, and the action Of thu
house of representatives granting sucl
| committee.
This committee is not authorized to con
fer upon any matter other than that con
tanned in the resolution. Each sta to Office
is entitled to declaration of his election
by the general assembly without regard t.
J.. any action that may be taken as to othe
officers.
The senate member of the committe
|. claims that such declaration should b
made upon the evidence specified in tn
, constitution and laid before the genera
: assembly on the first day of its session
!, and that, by such evidence, John J. Phelal
has been elected by majority of ga.
II THE HOUSE REPORT.
The house of representatives has adopte
the report of its committee on canvass @
| votes for state officers, which report show
! | that, after deducting from Mr.. Phelan
majority every vote claimed by the hous
, committee to be doubtful, he still has
, | majority of ia, unless 45S ballots re
: ported in the certificates under Sectio
240 of the general statutes, as rejected fo
: being double, or assumed to have bee
q illegally rejected, and are assumed to hav
been ballots for candidates other than Mr.
= Phelan; SO that, aside from all theories
the question in issue between the senat
and house of representatives, in regard I
the election OF secretary, can be remove
from she field of discussion, provided tbs
!, the mouse of representatives, upon its ow
I theory, can be satisfied that the 459 doubl
8 | ballots, or a sufficient number of then
a | were legally rejected.
The fact that the double ballots were n
: jected by the counters is conclusive tbs
! such ballots were lawfully rejected in tn
i absence of all evidence to the contrary.
!; Yet, if the house members of this con
! mittee are not satisfied that John j. Phela
u has been elected secretary, and are III
| willing to recommend that the house c
representatives 80 declare, without furthe
!. inquiry into the causes for the rejection {
the double ballots, the senate member {
a i this committee is willing to assist th
f house members in making such inquiry
and requests them to do so, b fore th
: committee finally concludes upon th
q proper report to be made to their respet
9 tive houses.
= The senate member is also willing
q come to an agreement with the hous
t | members to recommend modification
| the form of the resolution of declaration
MR.. PHELAN's LETTER.
:. To the Conference Committee on Resol1
ton de Secretary of State.
Gentlemen-I respectfully claim that
was elected secretary of state by the ele'
q | tors of Connecticut in November, 1890.
The senate has made declaration of m
election. The house has not. Under til
t decision of the supreme court I am no
ready to produce before your committe,
: or any other committee, whether it be
= | senate committee, q house special commit
tee, or a joint select committee, havin
jurisdiction of the case, the proper ev
t dence of my election; and I am ready
: meet any evidence that may be produced
to show that was not legally chosen, an
t to submit to any examination of the cleo
! | ton, that such committee, or your CON
mittee, may deem proper.
1 I shall be ready at all times to appea
8 before such committee, or your COMMITTEES
or any proper tribunal, demanding respect
fully as my right, and not asking as fs
! vor, complete declaration, or adjudica
= ton, of my election as aforesaid and of m
: right to the Office.