Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-02-26
time and resulted IN the adoption Of a
resolution in the form Of an order as

llIIle anu III luc dOOpIiSt VI
resolution In the form Of an order as
follows:
Ordered, that the two senator's from
the state of South Carolina be declared
in contempt Of the senate on account OF
the alteration and personal encounter
between them this day, in open session,
and that the matter be referred to the
committee on privileges and elections,
with instructions to report what action
shall be taken by the senate In regard
thereto"
The discussion which occurred in the
secret session was based largely upon
the above resolution. the first sugges-
tion of which was made by Senator
Foraker. In presenting the resolution
Immediately after the doors of the
chamber were closed Senator Foraker
took occasion to remark that the occur
renee had been an outrage upon the
dignity Of the senate, Of which the SEN
ate should take cognizance.
| Senator Hoar endorsed the resolution
of Senator Foraker, but said he thought
the action Of the senate should be more
explicit than contemplated by the res
olution. He therefore moved to amend
| it by ordering the two senators from
South Carolina be declared in contempt
| by the senate for disorderly conduct
and speech in its presence, and that
both should be taken into custody. In
support Of this amendment he said that
any court or any other parliamentary
body would commit men for so grave an
offence against Its dignity to await its
judgment. The reference OF the matter
to committee would be on a line with
courts reference to an auditor or
referee and the offender should be re-
strained during the investigation.
Senator Blackburn and other senators
then stated that the two South Carolina
senators were willing to apologize, and
thus purge themselves Of the contempt,
and in view of this statement Senator
Hoar withdrew the portion or his
amendment providing for their COM
mitment.
| Senator Foraker then accepted the
amendment Of Senator Hoar and 1t
was embodied in the resolution. Before
the vote was taken number or sena-
tors spoke, and while there were many
kind utterances regarding both sena-
tors, there was no exception in the opin-
ions expressed as to the gravity and
seriousness Of the offence. Among the
senators who thus delivered themselves
were Messrs Teller, Fairbanks, Hanna,
Blackburn and Spooner.
Senator Hanna suggested that. seri-
Gus as had been the encounter in the
senate, 1t was not so grave as the
charge of misconduct against Senator
McLaurin, and he thought an investi-
cation undertaken should extend to
that matter.
Senator Teller, while uniting with
other senators in deprecating the occur
renee, said that 1t was not unprece-
dented, that there had been other sim
liar affairs on the floor Of the senate,
and instanced among others the en-
counter between Senators Benton and
Foote. He also suggested that Senator
Spooner was not entirely blameless Tor
todays occurrence. because by his In
terrogatories he had provoked Senator
Tillman to make explicitly the charges
which had been put vaguely before his
Interference in the debate.
Replying to this statement, Senator
Spooner said that he had been OF the
opinion that Senator Tillman should
either make his charges or move for an
inquiry by the senate If he believed
them to be we'll founded. There was
much discussion as to whether the vote
on the Foraker amendment should be
taken in open or In secret session. A
motion was made by Senator Teller
looking to the opening Of the doors.
| This was voted down-18 to AZ.
The Republican senators generally
expressed themselves as willing to hear
the apologies promised. but generally
insisted that there should be first action
on the resolution.
On the suggestion of Senator Bacon
there was division; of the two branch
es of the question: LThe first vote was
taken on the declaration that the twp
senator's were in contempt, and 1t pre-
vailed by a unanimous vote Of 81 to 0
on a .roll-call. The remainder Of the
resolution. referring the matter to the
committee on privileges and elections,
was adopted without a roll-call.
Both the South Carolina senators re-
mained in their seats during the entire
secret session. They conferred occa-
sionally with their friends, but neither
made any attempt to address the sem
ate.
After the secret session the senate at
|5.15 resumed business in open session.
Evidence was abundant that the secret
session had been more or less exciting.
Nearly every senator in the chamber
was on his feet. Groups Of senators
were gathered here and there about
the chamber, all discussing the porten-
tious event, which had thrown the dig
nified body into ferment.
AS soon as order could be restored
Of secrecy had been removed from the
secret session just held, he was at lib
erty to say that during that session he
had made a statement to the senate OF
what the senator from South Carolina
(Tillman) was prepared and pleased to
say to the senate. He explained that
both Senators from South Carolina had
been declared by the senate to be in
contempt. What he desired now to
know. and he wanted the chair to rule
upon the point, was whether any state
ment could be made to the senate In
open session by either Of the senators
while they were in contempt Of the SEN
ate.
Senator Foraker interrupted to sug-
gest that unanimous consent be given
to the senators to make their state
ments.
Senator Blackburn declined to hear
for a moment any suggestion that
unanimous consent be given them to
address the senate. That they were In
contempt all senators-all the world
now know. What he wanted to know
was whether senators In contempt could
address the senate, not as matter OF
courtesy, but as a matter Of right? On
that point he demanded a ruling by the
chair. The senior senator from South
Carolina, (Tillman) he continued, was
willing and anxious to make state
ment to the senate. but he wanted to
know how he could make it. The ac-
ton Of the senate in declaring Senator
Tillman In contempt was, in his judg-
| ment premature