Year: 1879

House of Representatives but know very
well that | am not forbidden to speak of thai
which is not done in the House of Repre-
sentatiyes. l am quite free to speak of the
things that are not done there, and there.
fore am free to declare that neither this
military bill nor the legislative, executive
and Judicial appropriation bill ever emanated
from any committee of the House of Repre-.
sentaives at all they are not the work OF
any committee of the House of Representa-
tives, and. although the present House OF
Representatives is almost evenly balanced in
party division. there has been allowed no
solitary suggestion to come from the minori-
~ OF that House in regard to the shaping OF
these bills. Where do they come from
We are not left to infer; we are not even


left to the Yankee privilege of guessing. be-
cause we know. The Senator from Ken
tucky Mr.. Beck obligingly told us-I have
his exact words here-''that the honorable
Senator from Ohio Mr. Thurmanl was the
chairman of a committee appointed by the
democratic party TO see how it was best to
present all these questions before us" There
fore when ! discuss these two bills together |
am violating no parliamentary law, am dis
cussing the offspring and the creation of the
democratic caucus of which the Senator from
Ohio, whom do not see in his seat, is the
chairman.
Mr. Wi,hers-I would ask the Senator if
this bill was presented to the Senate bv the
democratic caucus?


Mr. Blaine-No, sir.


Mr. Withcrs-I would also ask if it was
not reported by the grand Committee of the
Whole, the highest committee of all com
mittees to the House of Representatives by
a majority?


Mr.. Blaine-Now you are asking me to
tell what the House did. Iwould not do that
because that is against parliamentary law


Laughter.


Mr.. Withers-Tt is probably against policy.


Mr.. Blaine-No, against parliamentary
law. will not discuss what the House is
doing at ALL The Senator cannot lead me
into that. When he speaks about its being
before committee here, that is true.


Mr.. Withers-I wanted merely to say that
do not regard it as an improper suggestion.
and in view of the broad declaration made
by the Senator from Maine both as to this
bill and the other bill. ofwhich the Senate has
no knowledge, but which see he proposes
to debatc--I cannot blame him for it; can
not find any objection particularly that he
should drag in another bill in order to hang
speech upon it; ] have no objection to
that. But in view of the declaration that il
was not reported by any committee, simply
wished to call attention to the fact that it was
reported by the Committee on Appropria-
tons


Mr.. Blaine-The Senator asked me if it
was not referred to committee in this
branch. Does the Senator wish me to an
swer that question whether this bill am dis
cussing before the Senate now was before the
Committee on Appropriations?


Mr.. Withers-The Senator can consult his
own pleasure in regard to the matter.


MIR. Blaine. l suppose the Senator asked
me what was done. | will not speak of what
took place in the Committee on Appropria-
tons, but think the Senate can infer what took
place there from what took place in the Sen
ate Chamber last Friday. when in solid pha-
lanx the other side would not allow even a
grammatical mistake to be corrected; and
will repeat that up to this time no com
mittec Of either branch of Congress has ex-
ercised the slightest discretion whatever upon
this bill or been permitted to do it in either
branch of Congress.


Mr.. Withers. | entirely dissent from the
statement OF course it is not proper for
either the Senator or to disclose what passed
in the committee-room but deny utterly the
accuracy of the statement.


Mr.. Blaine. This bill came from the dem
ocratlc caucus committee. 1t went to the
House of Representatives. What took place
there | will not speak of. 1t came here: il
went into the Committee on Appropriations
Of this body. What took place there will
not speak of; but know it came back here
without doting an or crossing at If there
is any inference to be made


Mr.. Davis of West Virginia | ask the
Senator whether he was not a subcommittee
to consider the Army bill, the very bill which
he now has on hand.


Mr.. Blaine. | was member of that sub
committee. The honorable Senator did me
the honor to appoint me upon it; that is true
and believe there is no impropriety in nv
speaking of what subcommittee did. We
sat on that bill and we were never permitted
to make any change in it whatever. not the
slightest in the world


Mr.. Davis of West Virginia. Will the
Senator tell me why he was not permitted?


Mr.. Blaine. You ask me the secrets of the
democratic prisOn-house, why was not per-
mitted? do not know. That is for YOU to
tell. | want you to tell me why l was not
permitted.


Mr.. withers. Because you did not have
enough support.


Mr.. Blaine. Because was out-voted.


Mr.. Withers. That is the whole thing


Mr.. Blaine. Two to one.


Mr.. Withers. The Senator said no oppor.
tunity was offered for any modification or
amendment. 1t was from that statement |
dlssented; and wish to call hi. attention
to the fact that the broad way in which he has
stated it cannot be sustained by the facts with
his own wledge.


Mr. Blaine. Now really get at the point
made by the Senator.


Mr.. Withers. The majority only exercised
that control over the bill which they have al
ways had the right to do.


Mr.. Blaine. The Senator has told so much
now that he really forces me to tell more. and
that more is that whenI offered several amend
ments to the bill in the subcommittee thew
said I'VE really agree to these, and five permit
the bill 10 he altered at all we will let these
in, but we do not intend to let this bill he
touched That was what was said in our
committee. They did not object to several
suggestions made in regard to amendments
to the bill. but they simply sat and voted me
down. That is the reason why could not
amend it.


Now, Mr.. President. say you cannot pos
sibly debate one of these bills without debat-
ing the other, because when you come 10 read
this new section 20O2 in the military bill it is to
prevent any civil officer Of the United States