Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1897-02-16
MORGAN GAINS A VICTORY
Blocks Senate Legislation at
Sherman'S Expense
AN EXECUTIVE SESSION
Obtained by the Astute Politician After a
Heated Tilt.
DEMANDS IMMEDIATE ABR0GATI0n
Of the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty, Designating
It Club in the Hands of Great
Britain-House Again Has
Night Session.
AN EXECUTIVE SESSION
DEMANDS IMMEDIATE ABRoGATIoN

Washington, Feb. 15.-The morning
business Of the senate was soon broken
in upon today by the vice-president lay
ing before that body the joint resolution
introduced last week by Mr. Morgan to
declare the Clayton-Bulwer treaty abro-
gated. When Mr.. Sherman called atten-
ton to the fact that a joint resolution
was not properly subject for considera-
iion in the morning hour the vice-presi-
dent promptly sustained the point of Or
der, intimating al the same time that
he would recognize Mr.. Morgan to move
that the joint resolution be taken up. In
stead of making that motion, however,
5 Mr.. Morgan appealed from the decision
of the vice-president and was about to
make his speech in support of the joint
resolution when he was again brought up
suddenly by another point of order on
the part of Mr., Sherman that the appeal
was not debatable. Mr.. Morgan insisted
that it was, and made the cutting re-
mark that the senator from Ohio had
been so long in the senate that he had
forgotten the rules. Again the vice-pres-
ident sustained Mr.. Sherman's point,
causing Mr.. Morgan to intimate that he
was being 'victimized by the chair and
by the senator from Ohio. The allega-
tion was promptly, and not without
show of annoyance, repelled by the vice
president. Senators Faulkner (dem. w.
Va); Quay (rep. PENN; Chandler Tep.
N H), made suggestions intended to
clear distractions out of Mr.. Morgan's
path; and finally the latter made the
formal motion that the joint. resolution
be taken up for consideration and that
motion was carried by majority of one,
80 to 81. But just as Mr.. Morgan was
Ii, t,,i,, 1oifxr
his speech for the abrogation of the
treaty he was once more blocked by the
objection (made by Hoar (rep. Mass)
that the subject was one for considera-
dion in executive session.
Mr.. Morgan suggested that what Mr..
Hoar meant, was not an executive ses-
sion but secret legislative session. TAX
ing the same view of it the vice-presi-
dent ordered the galleries to be cleared
and the doors locked. This occurred at
12:40, and at O'Clock three bells were
rung, indicating that the executive ses-
sion proper began then. 1t lasted until
near O'Clock, when the doors were re-
opened and the bankruptcy bill was
taken up as the unfinished business.
No progress was made with it beyond
having the senate substitute read in full.
After that the conference report on the
legislative bill was presented and agreed
to. And twenty-four private pension
bills. with a lot of other miscellaneous
bills were passed, and at 5:15 p. m. the
senate adjourned.
The detailed vote on Morgan's motion
to take up his joint resolution is as fol-
lows:
Yeas-Allen, Bacon, Bate. Berry,
Blackburn Blanchard, Brown, Call, Cam
eron, Chiffon, Gallinger, Gibson, Cor
man. Hansbrough, Mills, Morgan, Muir
ply, Pasco. Peffer, Pettigrew, Pritchard,
Pugh, Quay, Roach Smith. Stewart, Till
man, Turpie, Vest Voorhees,. Walthall,
White--32.
Nays-Baker, Burrows, Caffery, Can
non, Garter, Chandler, Cullom, Davis,
Gray, Hawley, Hill, Hoar Irby. Lindsay,
Lodge, McMillin Mantle, Martin, Mitch
ell. of Wisconsin; Nelson, Palmer, Per-
kins. Platt, Proctor, Sewell, Sherman,
Shoup, Thurston, Villas, Wetmore, VIII
son--31.
Among the bills passed was senate
bill appropriating $4,000 for the investi-
cation of the obstruction of the naviga-
BILE waters of Florida, Louisiana and
South Atlantic gulf states by the aquatic
plant known as the water hyacinth.
Washington, Feb. 15.-A resolution was
adopted providing for evening sessions
tonight and tomorrow for the considera-
tlon of private pension bills. Amend
ments of the senate to the diplomatic and
consular appropriation bill were con-
Cured in. The bill now goes to the
president.
House substitute for the senate bill
appropriating $50,OOo for closing the crav
asse in the Mississippi river at Pass Al
Outre, was passed.
This being suspension day, Mr.. Can
non, (rep. of Illinois), moved that the
rules be suspended and the sundry civil
bill be passed.
An effort to dispense with the formal
reading of the bill being unsuccessful the
clerk proceeded with the reading.
When the reading of the bill had been
completed Mr. Sayers, (dem. of Texas),
criticised tins possage of the bill under
the suspension, containing as it did, large
appropriations for rivers and harbors,
of which sufficient information had not
been furnished and upon which sepa-
rate vote should be made.
Mr. Pearson, Tep. Of North Carolna),
made a sharp attack on the river and
harbor items,
He criticised particularly the fact that
every member of the committee had in
the bill an appropriation of about $4,000
for some Improvement in his state and
Mr.. Sherman, of New York, had taken
care of his district by an item of $685.
25S for Dunkirk harbor, New York
w. A. Stone trep. Pal defended the
bill. It had been under consideration in
committee since the beginning of the
session. and he cited precedents where
appropriation bills had been passed un-
der suspension of the rules, and taunted
the democrats with having passed the
Wilson tariff bill, not even under suy-
pension ot the rules, but under special
order.
The sundry civil bill was then passed,
Its opponents not being numerous enough
to even secure a vote by yeas and nays.
Senate amendments to the agricultural
appropriation bill were non-concurred in,
and sent to conference.
= Resolutions reported from elections
committee No. declaring Charles J..
R0at0er tho prpSeut Incumbent pipcted
and Alexis Denoit. contestant. not elected.
to the present congress from the Fifth
district of Louisiana, were agreed to.
Under suspension of the rules, the fol-
lowing were passed:
Senate bill, giving the supreme court of
point district attorney for the District
of Columbia when YacanrY occurs--the