Evening star., 1902-02-24
BOTH EXPRESS REGRET
Tillman and McLaurin De-
clared in Contempt.
ACTION OF THE SENATE
TWO IoURs' DISCUSSION BEHIND
CLOSED DOORS.
Matter Referred to the Committee on
Privileges and Elections to Re-
port Recommendations.
ACTION OF THE SENATE


sion Saturday afternoon. after the Tillman-
McLaurin encounter, two hours were spent
IN discussing the affair. and the following
order was made:
Ordered. That the two senator's from the
state Of South Carolina be declared In con.
tempt of the Senate on account of the al
tercation 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
70 report what action shall be taken by the
Senate in regard thereto"
Discussed by the Senate.
The discussion which occurred in the Sc
cret session was based largely upon the
ABOVE resolution, the first suggestion Of
which was made by Mr. Foraker In pre-
sehtihs the resolution, Immediately after
the doors of the chamber were closed Mr..
foraker took occasion to remark that the
oecui renee mad been an outrage upon the
dignity OF the Senate of which the Senate
SEould take cOgnizance
beiore the vote was taken a number of
alors spoke, and while there We're many
hIno i, uttefances regarding both senator's
there was no exception in the opinions ex-
pressed as to the gravity and seriousness
OF the offense. Among the senator's who
III nus oellvered themselves were Messrs
Spconer. Mr. Hanna suggested that seri
Jus as had been the encounter in the SEN
dte, IL was not 50 grave as the charge Of
nliscIhduct s made against Mr.. McLaurin
anu ne thought that any Investigation un-
dertaken should extend to that matter
On the suggestion of Mr. Bacon there was
a uiVislon OF the two branches of the cues
tlon. The first vote was taken on the dec
ta.l. asa..on that me two senator's were in con-
tempt and it prevailed by a unanimous vote
VI ol TO y on roll call. The remainder Of
me resolution referring the matter to the
committee on privileges and elections was
duopted without Il roll call. Both the South
CaFollna senators remained in their seats
during the entire secret session. They CON.
1erFed occasionally with their friends hut
Senate. 80 'ti'
After the secret session the Senate at
5:lo, resumed business in omen session AZ
soon as order could be restored Mr. RIack
burn said that the seal of secrecy had
oeen removed from the secret session irsr
held. he was at liberty to saw that dur;ns
.nat session he mad made a statement to
the senate of what the senator from South
carolina CMr. Tillmam was prepared and
pieased to say to the Senate. He explained
M M,hat poth senator's from South Carolina had
peeh declared by the Senate to be in con-
tempt What he desired now to know. and
ne wanted the chair to rule upon the point
was whether any statement could be made
70 the Senate In open session by either Of
OF the Senate.
Status of the Belligerents.
After some discussion the chair ruled:
Nhiie tneSe two senators are declared
10 De IN contempt the chair could not rec
ognize either If he should rise and address
lhe chair' but on motion made by any
senator that they be heard the chair would
recognize the senator making the motion
he y,ont
order. In the ordinary transgression OF
the rules or violation of order the senator
violating II must take his chair and he
cannot be recognized BY the presiding Off
Ger again until the Senate has relieved him
or that by motion. OF course the senators
from South Carolina can be relieved from
the condition in which they are now, 50
lar as recognition by the chair is concern
ed, by a motion and by a majority vote of
the Senate. What will happen after the
two senators have purged themselves 50
far as it is possible of the contempt the
chair will be prepared to rule whenever
that question is raised"
On motion Of Mr. Blackburn, the two
South Carolina senators We're given permis-
sion to address the Senate. Mr. Tilman
being the senior, was first recognized He
said:
Mr.. Ti1lman Expresses Regret
Mr.. President, 1 have always esteemed
1t high honor and privilege to be a mem
Der Of this body. l had never had any
legislative experience when 1 came here,
and my previous service as governor of
South Carolina for four years had united
me in a measure to enter this august as
sembly with that dignity and regard
proper regard 1 will say-for it's tradi-
tions and habits and rules that is desir-
able.
Il have been here seven years. / have
in that time learned to judge men with a
little more catholicity of spirit than | did
when l came here. l have found great
many people here in whose personal in
tegrity and honor and regard for the OBJ
legations gentlemen have implicit con-
fidence; but have seen SO much Of parti-
sanship, l have seen so much Of what [
consider slavsh submission to party dom
ination. that l confess 1 have felt some
what at a loss how to judge men who, in
one aspect appeared to be so high and
clean and honorable, and In another ap-
peared more or less despicable. say this
because Of the fact that one OF the sena-
tors has seen fit to allude TO some matters
that occurred in the debate this afternoon.
/ now want to say that so far as any ac-
tion Of mine has caused any senator here
or the Senate as a body. or the people of
the United States to feel that I have been
derelict and that l have not shown that
courtesy and proper observance OF the
rules Of this body that regret it; I apollo
gize for 1t. I was ready to do that two
minutes after l had acted, but under the
provocation which was known of all of you
1 could not nave acted OtnerWiSe tnan
did, and while I apologize to the Senate and
am sorry that 1t has occurred. have moth
ing more to say.
MI. McLaurin Apologies.
Mr.. McLaurin rose at the conclusion of
Mr.. Tillman's brief address His state
ment follows:
"Mr. President I did not realize that I
was in contempt Of the Senate. nor do I
think now If my words are read in the
Record, that I was In contempt of the Sem
ate, but at the same time. as the Senate
has ruled that / am in contempt of this
honorable body, beg leave to apologize.
Il desire to say, Mr.. President, that I
have been very sorely and severely tried.
I was in attendance on the committee on
Indian affairs when I received a message
from a friend in the Senate that my pres
ence was needed here.
1.-The history of the vote on the Spanish
treaty Is known to all of you. There have
been statements made in newspapers and
Insinuatlons that had been Influenced by
Improper motives In connection with my
vote on that treaty. Knowing In my own
soul and knowing that God in heaven also
knows, that it was false. when was told
that it was centered down to me I was
go outraged by what I considered most
brutal assault upon my honor as a man,
and especially in view of the fact that in