Year: 1877

atlOu DILL was agreed 10.


The amendments of the Senate to the army
committee was ordered.


Recess till 9 o'cleck and a Democratic caucus
was announced


Evening Session.


The conference committee on the legislative
bill stated that it was unable to agree on the
salary of the President.


Another conference was ordered.


The conference committee on the Postofice
bill reported that the Senate receded from their
amendments. The report was agreed to.


A resolution was adopted to receive the ad-
dress of the people Of Ireland coupled with an
expression of hope that all governments would
yet become free.


and crowd was trying to get chance to in
tended.


Mr.. Page endeavored to have land bill pass.
ed and Mr. Morrison remarked that it was q
vicious affair.


Mr.. Page retorted that it was not true.


Mr.. Morrison seized Mr.. Page by the throat
but friends separated them without further
disturbance.


The conference committee reported thatlthey
were unable to agree on the legislative bill and
the House receded from its opposition and the
bill then passed; This leaves the Presidents


Another conference committee was form ed
on the army bill


Mr.. Wells moved the passage of the bill re-
funding and distributing $6S, 900 taxes or
cotton. Rejected.


The House at 2 35 a. m. took a recess till s
o'clock a. m.


Closing Hours.


House met at s a. m and after passing a few
bills took recess at $50 for one hour. When
the House met at $50 there was large num-
ber of members present but very few specta.
tators in the galleries.


The House having been called to order by
Mr Cox, MI; Banks rose and said it was ap-
propriate and customary for the House to ex-
press its acknowledgements to the Speaker for
the assistance which he had given it in the
discharge of its important and onerous labors
There were few who could estimate justly the
difficulties which were inseparably connected
with that position. 1t was but just that the
House should make acknowledgment to
Speaker Randall for the fidelity and impair
tiaiity with which he had discharged the duties
of his office. He therefore offered the follow
ing:


Resolved, That the thanks of the House be
rendered to Speaker Samuel J. Randall for the
prompt efficient and impartial discharge of the
duties of his office during the present ardu Gus
and important session of the 44th Congress.


Mr.. Holman of Indiana, said that 1t CAV
him great satisfaction to second the resolution
which paid a just compliment to Speaker who
udu tuEOuSu d mUm6ub OI tuo RT6At6SL peril
the country discharged his high trust faithfully
and we'll.


Mr.. Wilson of Iowa, said Speaker Randall
had been called upon to rule where the rules
were not. A law was given him and he could
only appeal to that law and to his innate sense
of Justice and right, and when the heat anG
passion OF the late contest had passed away
every one would be compelled to admit that
the Speaker had discharged his duties with
wonderful fidelity and prudence.


The resolution was unanimously adopted.


Mr.. Atkins of Tennessee, from the confer.
ence committee on the army appropriation bill
reported that the committee were unable to
agree The committee made no progress what
ever, it was not even able to agree upon tht
simple question of the salary of the General Of
the army. In respect to the restriction clause
in the bill the Senate has been found implaca
BILE. As far as he was concerned he could say
he had taken his position upon that question
and he should not yield. He was not ready to
take as solemn pledges the little rumors which
had been pervading the capital and the country
as to the intended peace policy of the gentle
man who was about to hold the reins of gov
ernment. There was nothing in the 9TH section
of the bill which initiated against the consti
tuition: there was nothing in it which prevent
ed the preservation of peace. That provision
was simply intended to say that the army was
not to be used for setting up the rotten bur.
rough government over the wishes of the peo-
pie Of the Southern States. There was but a
simple issue in the whole matter and that was
whether or not the army should he the pOlitica
engine used in holding up the political parties
of the country.


Mr.. Foster Of Ohio, of the conference COM
mittee, said if the restrictive provision of the
bill was disposed of the committee could easily
agree on the other questions. He did not stand
here to speak for anybody but he wished to
ask the gentlemen of the South if it was wiss
at this time, when all indications pointed to q
change in the regime of the administration, to
force upon the Senate such provision. The
question presented itself whether by pressing
such question they would force an extra ses.
sion.


MI. Atkins asked Mr.. Foster if he favored
the policy of withdrawing troops from South
Carolina and Louisiana and letting the people
OF those states regulate their affairs in theil
own way.


Mr.. Foster-I believe in the doctrine an.
nounced here the other day, that the FLAG
should float over states, not provinces.


Mr.. Banks agreed with Mr.. Atkins that the
pledges from men in or out of Office amounted
to nothing, but he wished to call attention to
the fact that the constitution made the Presi
dent commander-in-chiefo of the army, and this
9Th section of the bill would be of no more ac-
count if the President thought the use of
troops necessary than the whisking of hand
organ. 1t 1t were necessary to preserve the
public peace the army could be used, and any
President would willingly hold himself respon-
sible.


Mr. Garfield of Ohio said the constitution
made it the sworn duty of the President to pre-
serve the peace, and it was of no consequence
to say he should not be allowed the use of the
army 1t would dishonor any administration
to shaekle it with such provision. He contin-
ued to say that ever since the war both sections
of the country have been filled with distrust,
and now in the last hours of Congress the
Democratic party would put that Congress in a
place where evil-minded men in the North
would say that the men who once had been in
rebellion were determined to shackle the Pres
ident and the army and prevent them from
keeping the peace. He asked the gentlemen
whether that was prudent and magnanimous
course.


Mr.. Field of New York said the present
question was one of principle. The supreme
moment had arrived when the House could
show whether or not it would exercise its con-
stitutional right. Was this the time to give
way when the Republican party was about to
place falsehood in the forehead of the nation ?
No, decidedly no. The Constitution said that
the United States should guarantee to every
state a Republican form of government and
protect it against domestic violence. Did the
gentleman believe that the President was the
person to do that? Did the gentleman from
Massachusetts (BaEks) believe the President
had the right to march an army into Massa-
chusetts and declare it did not have Republi-
Cdu SOfeIumtut. 4udG pOWeE OuSQC TO Dc
taken away from him. The people had seen an
army used to elect President. There was
not a man so blind as not to see that but tor
the use of troops in South Carolina and Lousi-
ana the President would not have been elected
who was to take the oath of office in few
hours He appealed to the Democrats to vote
down once for all the monstrous doctrine that
the President could use an army as he pleased.


At this time the sun, which had been obscur-
ed, shone into the hall, and amidst the jeers
and laughter on the Republican side, he con-
tinued as follows: take that as a good omen.
Let us stand firm. If the Senate chooses to say
that you shall not have an army bill unless you
give the President power to keep Chamberlain
and Packard in power, then let them take that
responsibility if they dare. Applause on the
Democratic side.)


Mr.. Atkins-I wish to say to the gentleman
from Ohio (Garfeld) that the Southern mem
bers on this floor are the peers of the gentle
man in patriotism Mr.. Banks, we don't deny
that and when he refers to the idea of rebel
lion, think he intends to declare there is lurk-
ing in the hearts of members on this floor
want of fealty in the government.


Mr Garfield denied any such intention.


Atkins-I am glad the gentleman makes the
disclaimer, because want to say that am for
the flag, l am for the Uni0n, am for the Con-
stitntiOn. Is the gentleman for the Constitu-
ton?