The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1902-03-04

statement.
The report then continued as fol-
lows:
"The majority of the committee are
of opinion that the legal effect of ad
Judging these senators in contempt
of the senate was to suspend their
functions as senators and that such
punishment for disorderlY behavior
is clearly within the power of the
senate but the conclusion they have
reached makes it unnecessary to dis
cuss this question. The offenses
committed by the two senators were
not, in the opinion of majority OF
the committee, of equal gravity.
Mr.. McLaurin did not commence
the encounter but only stood in his
place at his desk, where he was speak
ing and resisted the attack that was
made upon him. In other words his
ofense was confined to the use of un-
parliamentary language, for which
he had unusual proVocation. Never
theless, his offense was a violation of
the rules of the senate of so serious
character that in the opinion of the
committee it should be condemned.
THE GREATER oFFENsE.
"In the case of Mr.. Tillman, the
record shows that the alteration was
commenced by the charge he made
against Mr.. McLaurin. Such a
charge Is inexcusable, except in con-
nection with resolution to inVesti
gate. Mr.. Tillman not only made
the charge without any avoWal of a
purpose to investigate, but also dis
claiming knowledge of evidence to
establish the oftense and this he said
after the charge had been specifically
and unqualifedly denied by Mr.. Nc
Laurin.
"Such a charge under any circum-
stances, would be resented by any
man worthy to be a senator;but, made
as it was in this instance, its ofen-
siveness was greatly intensified. This
feature of his offense, coupled with
the fact that he also commenced the
encounter by quitting his seat some
distance away from Mr.. McLaurln,
and rushing violently upon him,
struck him in the face, makes the
cause one of such exceptional misbe-
haviour that a majority of the COM
mittee are of the opinion that his Of
fense was of such greater gravity
than that of Mr.. McLaurin.
CANNOT GRADE THE CENSURE.
"The penalty of censure by the
senate in the nature of things must
vary in actual severity in proportion
to the public sense of the gravity OF
the ofense of which the offender has
been adiudged guilty. Therefore,
Notwithstanding the fact that in the
opinion of a majority of the commit
tee there is difference in the gray
ity of the ofenses under considera-
tion your committee are of the opln-
ion that public good and the dig
nifty of the senate will be alike best
promoted and protected, so far as
this particular case is concerned oy
imposing upon each senator by for
NAL vote the censure of the senate
for the offense by him committed
and therefore, recommend the adop-
tion of the resolution"
At the conclusion of the reading
Of the majority report Mr.. Bailey OF
Texas, offered the following state
ment as representing the views OF
himself and four other senators:
MILD DEMOCRATIC DISSENT.
"We dissent from so much of the
report of the committee as asserts
the power of the senate to suspend a
senator and thus deprive a State OF
its vote, and 80 much as describes
the offenses of the senators as of diff
ferent gravity; but we approve the
resolution reported"
The report of the minority OF the
committee then was read.
In this statement the senators
signing it say that while they &C.
cept the statement of the case as
y ..7 -..o.4 ~ AZ, 1o