The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-12-13
SENATE.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 12,-Certifcates o
election of the electors for president ant
vice president of the United States wer
presented from the states of New Jersey
Colorado Connecticut and Ohio and wer
placed Oh file. Numerous petitions and re
monstrances against the passage of tn
anti-option bill were presented and referred
to the committee on agriculture. Petition
were also presented for the closing of th
worlds fair on Sundays ana in favor o
the construction of the Nicaraguan canal
Senators PETER and Cali We're appointed
additional members of the committee OF
immigration.
The Joint resolution introduced by Mr.
Vest on Tuesday for the appointment of I
commission TO treat with the five civilized
tribes of Indians in the territory, with the
view of making agreements to induce then
to take homesteadss in seYeralty, was takeI
up and Mr. Vest made some corrections o.
the statements made by him as to court
expenses in that territOry-these correc
tions showing large increases Of the figures
then given. a summary for the United
States courts in Texas, Arkansas, Kansas
and Indian territory (for business of the
territory shows expenditures for the last
three years of 81 ,S9j, 600, instead of SSl7, O00
Mr. Berry said that he did not disagree
as to the policy Of appointing the commits
sion as proposed. He criticised Mr.. Vests
description of the lawleSsness In the In
dian Territory as overdrawn and eXag.
gerated.
Mr.. PETER advocated the joint resolu-
tion. He declared the Indian Territory TO
be refuge for thieves, burglars aud muir
Gerers.
Mr.. Vest. replying to the remarks of Mr..
Berry in defense of Judge Parker Of the
Fort Smith court, narrated the case OF a
poor negro who was sentenced TO be hang
ed for shooting a deputy marshal who
broke into his hOnse, with others, one
night The judge, however, charged that
the prisoner was presumed TO have knowl-
edge of the offiial character of the man
whom he killed The case had been
brought TO NJ. Vests attention, and he
had taken the record of the case TO the de-
partment of justice, where the pardon
clerk recommended the pardon Of the
prisoner Mr.. Vest had then brought the
papers TO President Cleveladd, who COM
muted the sentence to ten years lmprlson-
ment.
A senator-He ought to have been par
doued
Mr. Vest-He ought to have been acquit-
ted in the first instance, or he ought to
have been pardoned by the president. But
Judge Parker afterwards denounced the
action Of the president for interference
with his judicial authority. and has since
fering with his sentences. That IS the
kind of court which is giving the civilized
Indians of this country an idea OF our
mode of Misunderstanding Justice.
Mr.. Berry defined the issue between him
self and Mr.. Vest as being whether or not
the dread Of punishment now existing
among the cutthrOatS OF the Indian Terri
tory from the courts at Fort Smith, Ark,
and Paris, Tex, should be Withdrawn.
That, he said, was the only issue between
them. They both equally favor letting
The Indians hold their lands in severalty
and the opening of the territory To settle
ment. When that took place, then it
would be right and proper to contine Grim
inal jurisdiction to the courts within the
territory.
Mr. Vest asked Mr.. Berry whether he
justified Judge Parker's critcising the
president Tor exercising the right OF
pardon.
Mr. Berry said that he thought Judge
Parker went out of his way, and did that
which judge should not DO.
The Indian Territory resolution was laid
aside without action, ana the antl-optlon
bill was taken up, the question being on
the amendment offered by Mr.. Daniel at
the last session 60 strike out section 10,
formerly 49,
Mr. Harris criticised the mani er in
which the bill had been printed, an0 sug.
gested a reprint of the act, so that the
senate could act intelligently on the sub
ject.
Mr. Washburn replied, showing that at
the last session 1t was agreed that the re-
print of the act as amended should be con
sidered as the original act. StIll, with the
understanding that there was to be no de-
lay, he had no objection to the biI's being
reprinted and gong over till tomorrow.
There was purpose, he said, on The part
of the people interested in defeating the
measure to do so by delay.
The senate bill reported last session tor
the allotment of lands among the several
Indian tribes of the Quapaw agency in the
Indian Territory and for tie sale of the
surplus lands Of such tribes, and for the
creation of the county Of Cayuga in
oklahoma was taken from the calendar
and passed.
The senate then went into executive ses
sion. and, upon the doors being reopened,
adjourned till tomorrow.