The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-10-12

WASHINGTON, Oct. 11.--There was
apparently no larger an attendance Of
Senators than there has been any day
for several weeks past, Notwithstanding
the official announcement that the NAL
struggle over the silver purchas, repeal
bill will begin to-day.
Bate (Dem., Tenn.) sent to the clerks
desk and had read series of resolu
tions adopted at large meeting of the
citizens of Lincoln county, Tenn, COM
mending the action OF the Tennessee
Senators against the unconditional re-
peal Of the Sherman act.
At 11:45 the silver purchase repeal
bill was taken up, and Cockrell resumed
the floor and proceeded with his speech
against the bill, which he began on
Monday.
why not restore bimetallism?" was
his first sentence.
Cockrell, at 2:1O, said he would yield
the floor temporarily to Smith, OF New
Jersey. One of his latest sarcastic ex-
pressions WAS, GAS calamity bowler
a New York banker would make Kan
sas Populist hang his head in shame. -"
Smith made an able speech in favor of
the repeal bill.
His speech was followed by one from
Irby Is. c. against the bill. He was
opposed to it, he said, as man, Sena-
cor and Democrat. He believed in
Democratic principles as he did in the
bible. ("Hard on the bible" said Re.
publican Senator in an undertone.) The
people Of South Carolina, he said, did
not propose to be driven out Of the Dem
ocratic party by the President or any Of
the self-constituted leaders of the Dem
ocratic party. They had been honestly
opposed to the nomination of Cleveland
and were honestly opposed to tho pend
ing bill
His manhood revolted, he said,
against the idea of settling great ma
tional question by the test of physical
endurance. That was both humiliating
and futile. Represent atives of Repub-
lican States had foisted upon the Demo.
cratic party nominee who did not
represent it. That was unjust, unfair,
undemocratic. and now it was flagrantly
wrong for that nominee to use the Re.
publican party to press laws thu t meant
ruin and destruction to the palmer
and poorer class of the South and West.
In conclusion he appealed to the Dem.
ocratic supporters of the repeal bill to
halt IS they loved the Democra tic
party and its glorious history and as
they loved the priceless boon OF civil
liberty. Halt" he said II have
given you fair warning. and il the De-
mocracy BIO now divided, the entire re.
sponsibility must rest upon you"
Cockrell then resumed the floor and
went on with his speech until he was
relieved from duty, at Sis. by Allen,
Pop, Neb who continued a speech
which he had begun last week in oppo-
sition to the bill
While he was reading his argument
(rather abstruse) the galleries were
gradually filled up with spectators at
tracted by the expectation of scenes
preparatory to and connected with and
all night session in the Senate.
Allen was still occupying the floor
when at 6:O5 p. m. Dubois rose and by
his leave suggested thatit was past the
hour when the Senator from Indiana
(Voorheesl usually made motion to
adjourn. He asked that Senator il he
desired TO submit that motion this oven.
ing.
81 feei it my highest duty" said
Voorhees,, mot to make that motion
this evening, but on the contrary to ask
the Senate to sit in continuous session
until the pending measure lie disposed
Of"
During this proceeding the seats of
Senators were being filled by accessions
from committee rooms and cloak rooms,
even Colquitt Dem, Ga.,) being
wheeled to his seat in his invalid chair.
The galleries were crowded, and the
diplomatic gallery had half dozen &C.
cupants-a rather unusual occurrence.
Dubois said the statement of the
Senator from Indiana meant that the
Senate was to be held in continuous
session until the pending bill was
brought to vote, or until it was demon
strated that it could not be brought to
vote. Dubois said there had been no
attempt at filibustering on the part of
the opponents of repeal There we're,
thirty. nine Senators who favored repeal
and thirty. eight Senators who were op-
posed to unconditional repeal and would
so vote.
In addition to this the country had
been drifting steadily to the silver side
OF the controversy In conclusion Du.
bois eaid: "You know as we'll when you
start In as you will know when you
emerge from the struggle that you must
fail. With the conditions as they exist
in the Senate there is no hope of radical
legislation.
III you conclude to abandon appeals
to reason, and to risk q settlement OF
this great question to a test OF which
side can stand the most punishment, we
desire to give notice now that we shall
protect our side by every means in our
power. We will insist that you furnish
the quorum and tina, you keep it con.
stantly in this chamber If 1t takes in.
Vulnerable roll calls. The response
bility for what is to follow must rest on
you as we'll as it's physical effects on in
dividuala