The San Francisco call., 1896-03-21

our diplomatic or consular OmcerS dDTOau
which display partisanship or which condemn
any political party or party policy or organlza-
ton of citizens in the United States are in
dereliction OF the duty of such officers, impair
their usefulness as public servants and
diminish the confidence which they should
and may command at home and abroad.
The contested election case OF Alexis
Benoit VS.. Charles Boatner, from the Fifth
Louisiana District, was called up by john
son (R.) of Indiana, chairman of the Com
mittee on Resolutions 2, who moved
the adoption of IT, resolution adopted by
the committee declaring the seat vacant
and that an invalid election was held.
Bailey CD of Texas moved as substi-
tute. the resolution recommended by the
minority that Boatner was entitled to hold
his seat.
1t was explained that at the suggestion
OF the contestee, Boatner, it had been
agreed to submit the case to the House for
decision to-day without argument. The
reason for this was that in case the House
should concur in the report OF the COM
mlttee and unseat Boatner tomorrow was
the last day on which the Governor of
Louisiana could give notice OF new cleo
ton In the district to be held at the geh-
eral election of the State on April q.
Taylor (R.) of Ohio read from the report
OF the committee, which substantially
charges that the election in question was
permeated with fraud, violence and intimi-
dation, and the committee had adopted a
resolution declaring, therefore, the seat in
Congress from the Fifth Congressional Dis
trict of Louisiana to be vacant.
Boatner presented to the House portions
OF the report of the minority, after which
-Benoit, the contestant was accorded the
privilege of the floor for ten minutes. In
that time he briefly sketched the condition
OF things in the district, asserting that the
negroes were either prevented from voting
at all or compelled to vote the Democratic
ticket.
The resolution of the minority was re-
iected-ayes SO, noes 131-.and then, with
out division, the resolution of the ma
jority declaring the seat vacant was agreed
to.
At o'clock the House took a recess
under the rules until o'clock. for regular
Friday night session for pension bills,
sitter which it will adjourn until Monday.
At the evening session no question OF
quorum was made upon the motion to go
into committee of the whole and several
bills were ordered to be reported favorably
to the House. Among them was one
granting pension OF $100 month to Jo-
seph A. Cook, a brevet major-general in
the War of the Rebellion. He was vet
eran of the Mexican War and as such has
been drawing pension of So month.
More recently he has been in receipt of a
pension of $12 month under the general
law of 1890.
In the course of the evening Loud (R.)
of California antagonized bill to pension
the widow of Captain Crandall, for some
years an employe of the Senate, and in
connection with his remarks read pro-
test from Sedgwick Post. G. A. R., of San
Francisco, against the granting of large
pensions to widows Of deceased officers.
He said he was surprised that the old SOL
diers had not risen in rebellion against the
action of Congress in regard to some of
these cases. Applause.
Blue (R.) of Kansas also warned the
House that the old soldiers were watching
them and would intelligently make up
their minds whether or not they acted
with equity in the cases brought to their
attention in these Friday night sessions.
At 1880 o'clock the House adjourned
until Monday.