The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-02-23

let this thing pass. Mr.. President"
Mr.. President" again said Mr. Gal
linger. II ask that the doors might b,
closed"
"Mr. President" said Ms. Foraker. VIII,
had moved into the main aisle, II NOV,
that the Senate go into executive ses
sion."
without comment. every. Senator. labor
ing yet under the emoticn which all en-
deavored to conceal, the motion wa.
agreed to, and. at 2:52. the doors were
closed.
/. DECLARED IN CONTEMPT.
closed covered almost two hours of time
and resulted in the adoption Of resolu-
ton in the form OF an order as follows.
Ordered, that the two Senators 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 to
report what action shall be taken by the
Senate in regard thereto"
The discussion which occurred in the
secret session was based largely on the
above resolution, the first suggestion of
which was made by MIR. Foraker. In pre-
senting the resolution Immediately after
the doors Of the chamber were closed Mr..
Foraker remarked that the occurrence
had been an outrage on the dignity Of
the Senate. Of which the Senate should
take cognizance. Mr.. Hoar endorsed the
resolution Of Mr.. Foraker but moved to
amend 1t by ordering that the two Sem
ators from South Carolina be declared in
contempt of the Senate for disorderly
conduct and speech in its presence and
that both should be taken in custody In
support of this amendment he said that
any court or any other parliamentary
body would commit men for so grave an
offensc against its dignity to await its
judgment. The reference Of the matte
to a Committee would be. he said. on a
line with courts reference to an audi
tor or referee and the offender should
be restrained during the investigation.
READY TO APOLOGIZE.
Mr.. Blackburn and other Senators stat
ed that the two South Carolina Senators
were willing to apologize and thus purge
themselves of the contempt. and in view
the portion of his amendment providing
for their commitment.
Mr.. Foraker then accepted the amend
ment of Mr. Hoar and it was embodied
taken number of Senators spoke and
there was no exception to the opinions rs
to the gravity and seriousness Of the Of
Tense. Among the Senators who thus de-
Fairbanks, Hanna, Blackburn and Spoon
er. Mr.. Teller suggested that grave as
should be the encounter. 1t was not so
grave as the charge of misconduct made
against Mr.. McLaurin, and he thought
that any investigation undertaken should
extend to that matter.
Mr.. Teller. while deprecating the occur
renee. said that 1t was not unprecedented,
that there had been similar affairs on
the floor of the Senate and instanced,
among others, the encounter between
Senators Benton and Foote. He suggest
ed that Mr.. Spooner was not entirely
blameless for today's occurrence because
by his interrogatories he had provoked
charges which had been but vaguely
made before his interference in the de-
Mr.. Teller said Mr.. spooner should
make charges or move for an inquiry by
the Senate If he believed them to be well
founded.
There was much argument as to wheth-
er the vote should be taken in open or
secret session. A motion was made by
Mr.. Teller looking to the opening of the
doors. This was voted down, is to Il.
The Republican Senators generally ex-
pressed themselves as willing to hear the
apologies promised but generally insisted
there should first be action on the reso-
luton.
On the suggestion of Mr.. Mason there
was division of the two branches of
the question. The first vote was taken
on the declaration that the two Senators
were in contempt and prevailed 81 to
0 on a roll call.
The rest of the resolution referring the
matter to the COMMITTEES on Privileges
and Elections was adopted without a roll
call. Both the South Carolina Senators
remained in their seats during the entire
secret session but neither made an at
tempt to address the Senate After the
secret session the Senate, at 5:l5 re-
sumed business in open session. Evil
dence was abundant that the secret ses-
haan ycff Aa
soon as order could be restored, Mr..
blackburn said as the seal of secrecy
had been removed from the secret ses-
sion, he was at liberty to say that dur
ing that session he had made a state
ment to the Senate of what the Senator
from South Carolina (Tillman) was pre-
pared 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. He wanted
the chair to rule upon 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
Senate.
Mr.. Foraker interrupted to suggest
unanimous consent be given to the Sem
ators to make their statements.
Mr.. Blackburn declined to hear for
moment any suggestion that unanimous
consent be given them to address the
Senate. What he wanted to know was
whether Senators in contempt could ad-
dress the Senate as a matter of right
On that question he demanded ruling by
the chair. The Senator from South Car
DINA (Tillman), he continued was willing
and anxious to make a statement to the
Senate, but he wanted to know how he
could make it. The action of the Senate
in declaring Mr. Tillman in contempt
was, in his judgment. premature
RIGHT TO address SENATE.
Mr.. Hoar suggested that the Senators
could address the Senate by unanimous
consent or by motion to give them
that privilege for which a majority of
the Senate should vote. Mr.. Blackburn
objected to unanimous consent. maia-
tanning If the Senators were accorded
speak upon any subject. "Oh. no. no."
came protests from all parts of the
chamber.
Mr.. Stewart (Nev) was about to sug-
gest the practice Of courts in contempt
cases. but he was interrupted by Mr..
Blackburn with the statement that the
senate was not court in any sense.
ing in the rules of the Senate which
covered specifically such a violation of
the order and dignity of the body as had
occurred.
AS both Senators had been declared
by the Senate to be in contempt. how
ever. II was manifest that they could
not take the floor except for the EXPRESS
purpose of purging themselves of the
contempt. The discussion on this ques-
tion was quite lengthy and was partici-
pated in my Mr. Blackburn. Mr. Patter-
son, MIR. Foraker and Mr.. Teller Other
~ Tho Dnn&