Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1893-10-28
The SILVER DEBATE.
Synopsis of the Discussion in the United
States Senate.


| ing TO reclto the presence of Messrs. Allen
| Cpop,, :. d. and Kyle (pop, Neb) on sundry
| roll calls, they having been present in the
| senate and failed to vote. Mr.. Hill (dem
the criticism that in the absence OF
| rules the speaker of the house had not
| the right to tell the truth and to
| make the journal refuse to tell a lie; that the
| speaker had not the right to exercise his own
| senses, and when member sat right In front
| of him and did not vote to have the journal
| show the fact of his presence The senate,
| Mr.. Hill SAID, was clinging to some traditions
| OF past ages and there no sense in II; there
| was no reason for IL, and never had been. There
was no harm in what was proposed TO be done
| The rights OF no one would be invaded. The duty
| OF senators was greater than that OF merely
| remaining in their seats; 1t was their duty 10
take part in the transaction of business. He
believed that the presiding officer OF the senate
had perfect right under the rules, upon a roll
| call either upon his own suggestion or that of
any senator, TO first ask q senator who is in his
| seat to vote. II the senator refused to vote
| then the presiding officer had the right 10 direct
! the clerk TO enter upon the journal that the
| senator was present and declined to vote.
Mr.. Morgan dem, Ala) said he was not sur
| prised that the senator from New York (Mr.
HilUhad champoned the rulings of the speaker
| of the house because he was the unfortunate
instruments when he presided over the
| senate of New York, in the introduce
| tion of that heresy not only
into the democratic party and its
traditions, but also into the constitutional
| rights of legislative bodies He said he did not
wonder that politician born and raised in
| New York, where arbitrary force was the NOV
| ing agency in all political machinery, both dem
| ocratic and republican, had Mt last come TO be-
lieve that there was nothing else to be done in
| politics but simply to get a majority OF the
votes and then use the power which that gave.
Mr.. Morgan went on to speak of the alliance
and coalition" between certain democratic
| senators and certain republican senators rs
| certain to disrupt the democratic party, and he
asked whether his democratic colleagues were
willing TO strike that fatal blow. The coalition
in the senate was created in defense OF the ma
tional banks and for the purpose OF destroying
| silver money!
Mr.. Gray dem, DELI said for himself the
charge was untrue.
Mr.. Washburn rep Minn.) asked Mr. Nor.
gan what he meant by his declaration of y coal.
ition.
Mr.. Morgan replied that he meant an agree
| ment between the democrats and republicans
who favored the pending bill that 1t should not
be amended in any particular whatever
| Mr. Washburn desired to state that there
was no coalition OF any description.
An exciting controversy followed between
| the two gentlemen, in the course OF which Mr..
Washburn said he was not to be stamped upon
| and insulted for his position.
Mr.. Morgan responded deiantlv that he was
| responsible for every word he said, either in
] lUC Senate CnulnDer OF OUTSIDE IJu MT. w aSn
burn understand that? asked Mr.. Morgan To
this Mr.. Washburn responded: Perfectly"
Mr. Morgan then went on with his argu
ment. In the course of 1t he alluded TO Mr.
Sherman as one of the leaders OF the coal
tion and Messrs Lodge and Hill he
called "the juveniles from Massachusetts and
New York"
On the question of closure Mr.. Morgan defied
senators 10 establish such rule He would
not be alarmed into subordnation to the scheme
Of
he surrender his constitutional rights in re-
sponse to bowling, rampant demands Of conces
sion to the national banks.
"If / must die here said Mr.. Morgan in
closing, II will die like an honorable man at my
post"
Mr. Hill dem, n. W said it was true that
there were politicians in New York He sup
posed there were politicians in Alabama
They were all statesmen from that country
Mr.. Morgan had spoken of his lifelong devotion
to the constitution. ~ supposed" said Mr.
Hill, THAT for brief period my friend was
supporting another constitution, but may be
mistaken" AS 10 Mr. Morgan's talk about
dying at his post, Mr. Hill had heard like state.
ments by men who were going to die in the
last ditch" but said Mr.. Hill, There are many
| of them left"
Mr.. Hill said he did not know to what Mr..
Morgan referred by the corrupt politics and
corrupt elections of New York but let me
tell him that from all 1 have heard of the cleo
tion methods of Alabama and other sections of
the south think those Of New York will stand
easy comparison"
Mr.. Hill also said to his Alabama critic that,
"if we may judge from the report in the con.
tested election case of Cobb vs.. Wilson, the po.
litical methods of the senator himself are not
above suspicion"
Mr.. Sherman rep, o. said the rules OF the
senate We're made 10 expedite public business
in an orderly, proper manner, and their object
was TO enable the senate to legisate. While
this was the primary object of all rules it was
equally important TO give the minority full
and free opportunity of debate. But when
the rules were used by the minority to
obstruct legislation those rules should
at once he altered. Whenever a minority nsed
means of obstruction unduly it created q revo
luton. The obstructive methods which had
been pursued in the last two months had gone
far beyond anything he had ever witnessed in
his senatorial experience. In fact, obstructive
measures had been resorted to which had never
been invoked since the senate was first
organized. II was then dignihed body
OF twenty-six members and 1t went
to the extreme verge of liberality III
debate. The practice OF stopping q
senator in the midst of his speech to suggest
the absence of n quorum was an innovation and
was kind of obstruction that had never been
resorted TO, When the republicans were in the
majority they had never shrank from the re-
sponsibilty which was upon the demo
| cratic party. He said: 1--WE ask our broth
ers on the other side, for whose abil
ity and standing we have the high
est respect, TO meet together and con
. suit with each other. II they do not like the
presidents plan give us some other, and In
Gods name let US settle this impor tant ques
tion for the people of our country. Then We
will take it into our consideration. II we car
agree with you we will. We will not follow
your example If we do not agree with you We
will give you a manly mo- You must agree
or else you must abdicate and this side will
take the responsibility OF doing something"
Mr. Morgan asked whether the senator (Mr.
Sherman) would vote for the unconditional re
peal of the entire Sherman act
No" replied Mr. Sherman emphatically
t iect would do 1t, in my judgment"
4 Mr.. Morgan said he intended to offer aI
0 amendment to that effect and get vote up
9 on It.
Mr.. Sherman stated that he would vot,
against II with the greatest pleasure and then
in conclusion, said: Break down this barrier
; now maintained by the United States senate