The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-02-23

ing Mr.. McLaurin, "and the other one,
too, for that matter"
'Mr. President" interjected Mr..
Foraker. Il join in that"
Surely" he continued with great
feeling, his face yet pale with excite
ment, there is some way to protect
the dignity of this body
Certainly" said Mr.. Burrows, who
had been endeavoring vainly to get
the eye of the chair. And the Senate
cannot let this thing pass, Mr.. Presi-
dent"
Mr.. President" again said Mr. Cal
linger, II asked that the doors be
closed"
Mr., President" said Mr.. Foraker,
who had moved into the main aisle, II
move that the Senate go into executive
session"
Without comment every senator la
boring yet under the emotion which all
endeavored to conceal, the motion was
agreed to and at 1852 the doors were
closed.
Both Declared in Contempt.
The proceedings after the doors were
closed covered almost two hours of
time and resulted in the adoption of
resolution in the form of an order,
as follows:
Ordered, That the two senators
aIOllA the SldlS OF ioOupn Od1'Ollnd DE
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 Privi-
leges 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-
ton of which was made by Mr.. For
aker. In presenting the resolution
immediately after the doors of the
chamber were closed, Mr.. Foraker
took occasion to remark that the oc-
currence had been an outrage upon
the dignity of the Senate of which
the Senate should take cognizance.
Mr.. Hoar indorsed the resolution of
Mr.. 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 that the two senators
from South Carolina be declared in
contempt by the Senate for disorderly
conduct and speech in it's presence, and
that both should be taken into custody.
In support of this amendment he said
that any court or any other parlia-
mentary body would commit men for
so grave an offense against it's dignity
to await its judgment. The reference
of the matter to a committee would be,
he said on line with a courts refer
ence to an auditor or a referee, and
the offenders should be restrained dur
ing the investigation.
Mr.. Blackburn and other senators
then stated that the two South Caro-
lima senators were willing to apologize
and thus purge themselves of the con-
tempt, and in view of this statement,
Mr.. Hoar withdrew the portion of his
amendment providing for their commit
| ment.
Mr.. Foraker then accepted the
| amendment of Mr.. Hoar and it was
embodied in the resolution. Before the
vote was taken number of senators
spoke, and while there were many kind
utterances regarding both senators,
! there was no exception in the opinions
| expressed as to the gravity and Sc
robustness of the offense. Among the
senators who thus delivered themselves
were Messrs. Teller, Fairbanks, Hanna,
Blackburn and Spooner. Mr.. Hanna
suggested that serious as had been the
| encounter in the Senate, it was not
so grave as the charge of misconduct
made against Mr.. McLaurin and he
thought that any investigation under
taken should extend to that matter.
Not the First Occurrence.
Mr.. Teller. while uniting with other
| senators in deprecating the occurrence,
said that it was not unprecedented,
that there had been other similar af-
fairs on the floor of the Senate, and
instanced among others, the encounter
between Senators Benton and Foote.
He also suggested that Mr.. Spooner
was not entirely blameless for to-day's
occurrence because by his interroga-
tories he had provoked Mr.. Tillman to
make explicitly the charges which had
been but vaguely made before his in
| reference in the debate.
Replying to this statement, Mr..
! Spooner said that he had been of the
opinion that Mr.. Tillman should either
not 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 Mr.. Teller looking to the