The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-01-19
with negro at her heels, and her
dress hanging from her knees"

'G1ye us the name or the witness,
Mr.. Gallinger suggested, but Mr.. Till
man declined, saying that he preferred
to hold it for the proposed investisa-
ton He added that he mad names of
four men who would testify to these
facts as stated.
Here Mr.. Tillman stopped abruptly
TO move the appointment of a commit
tee of investigation He suggested
that five Senators be named for the
purpose of inquiring into the incident.
Mr.. Hale suggested that as the pro-
ceedings was informal the motion
should be Withdrawn and brought in
in proper shape tomorrow and Mr.
Tillman consented.
Here Mr.. Hopkins fnterposed an
objection to the entire proceeding say
ing that he saw mo more reason why
the Senate should investigate the af-
fairs of the Presidents household
than that the President should inves-
tigate the personal affairs of the Sen
atOr from South Carolina
Mr.. Hale said that he had not pre-
tended to bind any Senator by assent
far as he was concerned he would not
oppose the resolution.
Mr. Daniel then took the floor and
entered a most earnest plea with Mr.
Tillman not to present the resolution.
He evidently regarded the matter as
Of very great moment and scarcely
raised his voice above a conversation
al tone He referred to his feeling of
attachment for Mr.. Tillman and said:
This is a very delicate matter, and I
hope the Senator will refrain entirely
from presenting such a resolution as
he has Indicated 1t is to be pre-
sumed," he went On, that the Pres
ident will do what is right in his own
house, the house of the first citizen of
the country, and I regard such a res
luton as an invasion Of the comfy of
government
Not only did he reprObate the pre-
sentation of the resolution, but he ex-
pressed regret that any a1lusion had
been made to the Morris affair and
hoped that nothing more would be
heard about it ON the floor of the Sen
ate. ''This is not a tribunal which
ought to take jurisdiction in such a
matter" he added, and after express
| ing his own attitude of respect for the
| l..
Tillman to let the matter drop.
Mr.. Tillman declined to accede to
| the request, declaring that his resent
ment of the mistreatment of a lady
! was such that he could not reconcile
| silence and inaction with his idea of
propriety. Referring again to the
| testimony Of witnesses his eyes filled
with tears and his voice almost
chOked with emotion when he quoted
one of the newspaper men who had
been present as saying that 'he had
since upbraided himself with tears in
his eyes, even at the risk of personal
! injury, that he did not rush to the
| rescue of Mrs Norris And what are
you going to do about it?' he asked
| in voice now attuned to a high
key. Let these imper1alistic practic-
es continue? Nothing? Then, indeed
! will the Senate sink into contempt,
| into contempt that will be deserved,
the contempt of every good man and
| woman in the country. [ cannot be a
party to such a course but I will take
the consequences. | will offer the
resolution and the Senate can do as it
pleases with it
| these poor, pitiful liars, the news
papers" had reported that about the
| time the Norris election occurred
| the President had written a letter to
| prize fighter FitZsimmons showing
that his dignity had not been so great
as had been represented. Nor had he
been too dignified to try the jiu jitsu
system or to put On the boxing gloves.
In view of these reports he had waited
in the hope that 1.-The President would
take some action apropOS Of the
brutal treatment of Mrs. Norris that
would do credit to him as a gentle
man, and it was only after he had
shown besotted Indifference to a pub
lie opinion that l felt called upon to
present true statement of the Incl
dent and ask for an investigation to
disproye the falsehoods and garbled
statements given out by Mr.. Barnes"
Mr.. Tillman closed with a declara-
ton of his high regard for woman
hood, taught him by his association
with his mother and wife and said
| that they had taught him to love
women. and when I see a man ignore
| his plain duty to right a wrong to the
sex l would be false TO my nature
| if | remained silent
The South Carolina Senator closed
abruptly and was evidently deeply
affected as he took his seat.
It was understood that Mr.. Spooner
and Mr.. Lodge We're to make reply.
But neither rose. Instead Mr.. Hale
again addressed the chair The chair
was asking what shall be done win
the resolution when ignoring the
query, the Maine Senator moved an
executive session
The motion prevailed and in less
than two minutes the vast throT.g Of
people in galleries were cleared ou-,
the doors were closed and one of the
tensest days in the recent history of
the Senate came to an end.
The Senate adjourned until tom,or-
row.