The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-05-14
that the government should not be used

that the government should not be used
| to influence politics.
Mr.. Vest went on to tell of the presi-
dents removal of United States District
Attorney Benton of Missouri. When
Mr.. Vest first read this announcement
he Immediately started for Washington
and asked his excellency" what had led
| to the preparation of this outrage, the
| removal of man of unimpeachable
| brought out a newspaper paragraph
charging Col. Benton with pernicious ac-
tivity.
| Mr.. Vest had shown the charges to be
| unfounded and the preside. las just
enough to revoke the order att, wing
to the public letter openly lee. 9
Col. Benton against any participation
politics while serving the government.
Mr.. Cockrell interrupted at this point
| to ask as to the recent Michigan conven-
| ton at Detroit, declaring that Federal
officials had gone there as delegates in
structed for free silver and had voted
| against silver
Mr.. Vest, proceeding, said he referred
to the presidents letter to Col. Benton
warming him against "dabbling in
| politics" because the administration had
of late given its whole influence and pur-
pose to influence the political sentiment
of the people and to influence these So
| called snap conventions.
Mr.. Vest referred to the Nebraska con-
vention, where. he said, oflicehoders,
postmasters, collectors of internal
| revenue, their lungs filed with the aid
which came from the treasury, were in
control.
The. senator spoke of cabinet officials
| speaking about the country and added
| that he had not heard a whisper of
criticism from his excellency."
Mr.. Vest then turned his attention to
| the recent Michigan convention, reading
| from an article written by the delegates
who had participated in that shameful
| farce"
| The senator criticised the action of
backsiders, who had been instructed
for silver and voted against it.
Mr. Vest said he had letters from
many, Democrats of high standing say
ing the Michigan convention was a
shame and disgrace to the public.
| Mr.. Vest closed with startling decla-
ration as to his own position.
Il am delegate to the national con-
vention, said he; IAN unwilling dele
gate, chosen by my people, and | serve
notice now that if the convention at
Chicago is to be made up of office holders
to stifle and prevent the expression of the
VIII of the people, then it is no Demo-
cratic convention to me. The Demo-
cratic party is the party of honorable ex-
preston, not of federal patronage"
Mr.. Vests closing words were made
with his Characteristic vgor
Mr.. Hill at once took the floor to close
his speech in opposition to the bond reso-
luton.
BY this time the galleries were crowded
III anticipation of the vote on the bond
resolution, set for o'clock.
Mr.. Hill referred smilingly to the re-
cent speeches as prelude to the Demo-
cratic national convention.
AS to snap" conventions, however,
proceeded Mr.. Hill, appeal TO senators
to let me speak as ~anT expert. laugh
teri. The Illinois and Missouri conven-
tons had not been "snap" conventions.
They had been regularly called by the
regular officers of the party.
Mr.. Hill closed with reference to the
surfeit of Investigations the senate was
| about to make.
MIR. Hill said he expected to be over
ridden. He had performed what he re-
garded as n duty to officials whom he
had helped to put into power. The in
vestigatiOn might be justly conducted:
yet this silver question warped mems
minds and made them hate each other.
lie had stood alone before, and he could
do so again. 81 have performed duty"
he continued, ''and with that / am con-
tent"
Mr.. Hill closed at o'clock, and voting
began Mt once, after Mr.. Lindsay DEM
| of Kentucky had offered and then with
| drawn an amendment striking out the
third section. There was keen interest
in the passing vote, although the result
was foregOne conclusion. The resou-
ton was adopted as follOws
Yeas-Democrats: Bacon, Bate Ber-
ry, Blackburn, Chiffon, Cockrell, Daniel,
George, Harris, Irby, Lindsey, Pasco,
Pugh, Roach, Turpie, Vest, Walthall,
white-1S. Republicans: Allison, Ba-
ker, Brown, Burrows, Carter, Cullom,
Davis, Dubois, Gallinger, Hansbrough,
Mantle, Mitchell of Oregon, Nelson, Per-
kins, Pettigrew, Sewell Sherman, Shoup,
Squire, Teller, Warren, Wetmore, VIII
son, Wocott-2S. Populists: Allen,
Butler, Jones of Nevada, PETER, Stew
art-5. Total, 81.
Nays-Democrats Gallery, Faulkner,
Gray Hill, Mitchell of Wisconsin,
Palmer. Total, 6.
Before the vote was announced Mr..
Hill asked if Mr.. Frye had voted, as he
had understood that there was pair be-
tween Mr.. Frye and Mr.. German.
"This is important" said Mr.. Hill, "the
vote is SO close" Laughter).
Mr.. Frye withdrew his vote.
The senate Immediately turned to
other business. The action of the COM
mittee in striking out the contract pro-
vision for $S60,000 for the mouth of the
Yazoo river and harbor at Yicksburg
was opposed by the Mississippi senator,
who succeeded in having the full amount
restored to the river and harbor bill.
The contract item for expenditures by
the Missouri river committee at Omaha,
Council Bluffs and other points occa-
stoned contest. The bill was laid aside.
The conference agreements reported on
the legislative, executive and judicial APP
preparation bill. including the item of
salaries for United States district attor-
neys and marshals was agreed to. The
bill was passed extending the time for
building a railroad by the Denison and
Northwestern Railway company through
the Indian Territory; also the bill sending
to the court the case of the shook agents
of the Neutrality-suspicious. church,
south"
1t was $3.50 when the senate adj
journed.
HOUSE PROCEEDINGS.
Washington, May THE net result
e n tI,uon aaJ 4, half hourc aaaciOn Of