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Forty-fourth Congress

Forty-fourth Congress image
Parent Issue
Day
22
Month
December
Year
1876
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Mr. Sherman sid he could not alle w the statement of the gentlemen who ropresented the Democratie party in Louiainna to be priuted with a public document without makitig a brief reply. lie was sorry the signcra of the paper presented by the Senator from Missouri (Bogy), known au the report of the Democratie committee, did not consider the question of intimidation. ' Their wnole paper coneiated in an array of teohniealitiou to defcat the luw of Louisiana. The Democratie committee in their paper alleged that undor the law of Lonisiana thoro was no provisión for the eloctiou of Prc-sidential electors If that.was so no ono in that State bad ever fouud it out. Mr. Sberman then read from tbo law of Louwiiinn, and aaid it was mtmifost that the Democratie committee had taken a very narrow view of tlio law. If tbeir eonstruotion of the law was tme. there was no provisión of law in I Louiaian afor the election ot any ofneer in that State. He denied that the law of 1872 ropealed the Election law of 1870, as claimed by the Demócrata, and argued that the law of 1872 merely changed the modo of conducting eleetioii. Upon this point the Democratie committee had wasted a bout a column of their report. The iiext objection raiaed by the committee was that tho vaoancy on tho board was net filled by the appointiuent of a Domocrat. He argued tbat the queation of fllhng the vacaucy was one of propnety, but such vacaucy did not affect the legal statu of the board. He would not 8fiy wheihor the vacancy should lmvo been filled or not. Had ho been a member of the Returning Board he would havo been in favor of appjinting any Democrat who could be found willing to serve on the board. The Democratie committee also found fault bccauee the whole clorical force of the Kotuming Board waa liepuUicau. He knew of no law ri quiriug the board to employ Democratie cierks. Tho House of Eepioaentatives had tur. ed out every clerk and employé of hui (Sherman's) politica! faith, but tho Republicana did not complatti. Mr. Sherman thon reftrred to the charge that the aindavits of Supervisors of Election in Louisiana as to intimidation were not made witlnu twenty-f our houra af ter the election, aa the laws of the State required He quoted at length from the report' made by the Ropublicau committee, of which he waa a member, and cliiimed tbat the affidavits were properly made by the Supervisors. Ho argned that the Democratie committoe did not impench tho faunen of the mode of conducting the count by the Rsturuing Board. In seveuteen pariahe thero waa intimidation, and, as to the extent of it, the gentlemen of the Democi alie coinm'.tte dared not commit themselves. He (Bhtrman) waa wilhng to stand, not only before the Seuate, but before the people of the United Staten, and maintain that there was intimidation in Louisiana to an extent whioh changed the result of the whole election. Thero was murder, riof,"whipping and violence by organizad rifle clubs of the Democratie party. The membera of the Sonato, as Senators and men, ought to keep tin ir miada cool and delibérate. to decide the queetione now pending - the electorai vote of turee or four States in dispute. As to South Carolina, he believed that it was conceded by all that the electoral vote waa for Hayes and Wheeler. Mesara. Randolph and Withera denied that there was auj such eonceesion. Mr Sherman (resuming) said tbe vote of F.orida and Louisiana was in disputo. As to Oregon, he did not think that case would riae to the dignity of a dispute. He balieved the Democratie candidato himself would scorn to hold the office of Preaident in pursuance of tiK'h a fraud. Mr. Thurmsn argued that the document which it was propoaod to print preaented but one aide of the case, when botü sidea should be before the Senate. Another picture would be presented. Ho was sutpriscd at the remarks of bia colleague (Sherman), and wua dieposod to answor aome of them now, but the matter would be before the Senats again. The people of the coantry would seo that thre was another word ending in " ion " besides intimidation. Thore was suoh a word as exaggeration. He argued that thore should be time to examine both sides of this matter. Mr. Tliurman said, the President, iu sending a committee to Louiaiaua, had iictod outside his oihcial duiy, and the committeo sent by him had no official authority. In eonding his committee to New Orleana the President sekcteil the Senator from Ohio and three gentlemen who are mombers of the House of Kepresentatives ; therefore, there was a champion in the Senate to present the President' aide of tho case, and, he supposed, three champion iu the House. Of those Senators on the Democratio sido of the chamber who went to New Orlcans not one of them atteuded the sossiontt of the Returning Board. Mr. Sherman said there were Senators and Representativos iu Now Orleans belonging to both parties. Mr. Thurman said th6re was no question but there were Democrate in Louisiana, and there had been inore Demócrata than Republicana in that Stai e foi soa e years past. He aigued that it was the duty of tue Returning Board to fill the vacancy existiug in that board, but U ws uot fiiled bei'auee the board intendml that no Democratie eyo should sea, or Democrdt.c ear hear, its proceeimgs when it came to the t'mal iesue. The fiction of tho Retoruing Board, bo iLtouBc-lypürtiaan and unfair, must now be bolstered by his colleague. Tao AmericAn people would not take the assortion of any man, no matter how high ho might b, that this thiug ! was fair. They would demand all tho facts. He next referied to tho affidavits of Supervi-orti of Election as to intinudütion, and aigued that thay wero not made within the time preacribed by law, but were made after the eloction, iu New Orleans, to count out Tiltien and couut in Huyes, to count out Nichoils aud couBt in Packard. Mr Morton said the great qneslion beforo the Louiaiana Returning Board was that of intimiriatiOD, murder, and violence. The country wauted to hear about theee crimce. It wanted to hear from the Democritic coromittee which visited New Otleans iu regard to thi infimidation. Tho report of that committee touched thegreat questionof intimidation with a cinglo paragraph not as long as hia finger. Mr. Bayard asked what Qovernor of any State except Louihiana would havo anistod in preparing a compilatiou which showcd not ouly the miserable condition of bis people, but his own criminal nogligenoo in not protecting them. He argued that the effect of the dooument now before the Sonate wonld bo to conaign to ovorlasting infamy the false men in control of that State who had never performed the first duty of honest government in mippreesing thr crimes they now parade. He did not wiBh to Bhnt out the truth. Lat it come out, and it would show tho results of Congressional interforonce with local Stato Government. Mr. Shei man argnod thit the authoritiea of Lonismna had dono sil thoy could to pu..ish crimínale-, but a criminal could not be arrestad outoide a pariuh where the crime was committed nnlces the prooeediugs in tho.parich ghonld have been commoECad against such orirainal. ín somo pariehcs it was impossible to hold a court. Tho truth wa, the young men of the South were determined that negroeB ahould uot exerciee right gmranteed to tbem by the conBtitution. A fow wbito mea could ride roughBhod over a number of nogroes. Mr. 13 yard aid tilo Sonator from Ohio (Sherman) must be iu error in Having that a criminal in Louitiana could not bo arrested outside of a parinh wliere tliocrinip wkh committed. lf mich a state ef facto did oxist, who was rcsponsible? What party had been in power in that ? Mr. }?ayard then quotod at longth from reports of investigatiou inlo Moutl'orn affair, and aiiid he ncver heard of a singlo caso where a man was aseaulted in the South for giying tcHtimony before a Congressioual committee. Mr. Sherman said tnero would be ppace iu LouiHiana bnt for the unlawful actb of the Democratie clubs in that St&'.o. If thieviolence and intimida! ion should be Bucceasfnl iu electing a President now, the name violouco wonld soon extend all 0V6r the United ütateH. ond our Govertment would be at an end. Ho did not want to seO a war of ráeos, but it would oome unlesa the negroes in the South wore given the righte guaranteed tliem by the constitulion. Ho defended the actiun of Gov. Kollogg, of Louiaiana, andeaid ho was uot able to put down these diaorders. but did all in hin power to do so. The roal trouble wae an attempt to organizo a party on the color-liue, and rnnku a man PrOBidont of the United StateB who wbb not the choico of a majority of the American pooplc. He bolioved tho ihrhcs of the pcoule North and SontU wero daily oing forward to the concluaion that these 3rimen of the rlrlocluba of the Bouth muet not be pormitted. Jlr. Morton Baid he dosired to congratúlate the cause f humanity and Juëtice upon the evidenoe of progrees exhibited in tho benate to-day, and tht w the fact tliat tho exietecco of violonco and enormities in tb e Houth wad no longer denied in the Seiiate. Ho .argued that tho crimoH in that hpoüoii had not been punished because intirmdation went into the courte. Atiftfteeinatiou awaited both Judgo and jurors. Tuis rufnanism would bestoppod when a great party no longer exercised it. Mr. Thurman hhh! of couree there had been violation of law in the Bouth, but ho denied that the Southern people were a set of anéaseme. Ho argued that the Demócrata had denouoood crime in the South, when crime cxiHtüd. These chargea of intimidation ware exaggerated, but thoy would not ceaae so long as tho vote of a wholo State could be ovorthrown by thom. Hi oolloaguo (Rhorman) Hiwko about the color-line. He (Thnrman; waa prepared to provo that the responmbility of the eatabliehing of a color-line reated with the Iiopublican party. When the right of suffrage wan conferred upon the negro it waa opoly avowed in the Senate that the Republican party noeded the votea of 800,000 negroes. The troï'ible wau, the Kcpublioan party did uot get them. Ho then roferred to the uae of the army ín the BtatoB, and said if tho elections were to be canïcd by the army of tho United States it wa the worst kind of intimidation, and thore would be an end to republican iustitntions. The worUÏ had iU Ctcsar and ita Bonaparte, who overthrew repubiican govornments, but a republican govornment had never beon ovorthrown by tuis kind of intimidation, whioh his colleague (Sherman) and the Senator f rom Indiana (Morton) oomplained of. Regular Pruoeedfngs. Tukwday, Dec. 12.- Senate.- Boyy preaented the memorial of himself and Senators Stoveuson mul McDoualo", embraclng tho report of tho Democratie comuiittoe whieh witnessed tho oouut by the Retnrning Board in Loulaiana. Ordered prlnted. ... Bavard a reeolution. dlrectiug the Attorney General to inforiu the Senate as to the nuir.bor of Deputy United Staten Marsnals enipioyed on etection day, waa afreed to, with the amendment subnuitied by Kt i inmuta requeBting the Attorney General alaoto conimunicate to tho Benato a full statement as to the necoBfüty for their employment, the objoct thcroof, the nature of their duties, etc .... Tho Senate discusscd thf. reBolution c.f Mitchtll, providing for au invertí gation in regard to 1 1 u appointment of Cronin aa a Preaidential elector in Or agón Kd&mids' contitutional amendmont provlding for the countiug of the electoral vote by the Supremc Courtof tho United States waB discuaned, ameudcd. and laid over. .. .Merrimon introduced a bilí to amend ectlou 146 of the lïeviaed Statutos of the Uuited ötated in regard to vacanciB in the offices of President and Vice President. The bill provides that the Secretary of State, or, In ease of hiB deatli, the Secretary of the Treasury, shall fmcceed to the Presidency in the event of the death. romo val, or restgnation of both President and Vice President. Boue - Tho Hotiso was the BoenO of a ajiirited and interestiiig diecusion in regard to the exist ence of the joint rules of the two housea. McBsrs. Garfleld, McOrary, Hoar, and Kapeon maintained that the rules no lflïigftr oxifited, and Messrs. Springer, Reagan, and Speaker IUudall took tho oppo?ïtft Bide of the caee Mr. (tluir Inirodueed & coustitutional iiiiLcmlitii-iit forbidding tho manufacture and sale of distillod liquors as a beverage, after tïie year 19' 0. llcfernui Mr. Holman, Êhairaian of the Committee on Appropriatious, roported Uua Poatoffice Apuropriation The bill recommends the appropnation of $32,983,126 ïho Speaker laid bef ore the House the rc-Bignation of Smith Kly, Jr., a Represent atíve f rom the State of ïïew York. Laid on the tablc. . . .The Fortificatlon bill was rtported. Tt appropriates $2,60ü,(XK). .. The appointed as the committee to Inquire ae to whether frauda have been practiccd in the election in New York, Brooklyn, Jersey City and Philadelphia, Mesers. Cox (New York), Rice (Ohio), Waddell, McDougall, and Welle (Miseiseippi). Wednesdat, Doe. 13- Senate. - Numeror.a petitions of religious and temperanoe organizatious throughout the country wero presented, praying Congrcea to take steps to prohlbit the ïuanufacturc and sale oí alwholic llquor aa a beverago in the DiBirict of Coluinbia and the Territories of the United States The Seuate discuRc-d the roBolutlon oi M. Mitchell providing for an inquiry into the appointment of Oregou electora.... Air. Kdmuods conetitutional amendmeut for settling the Prcsidential question by conferring upon the Supremo Couri power to count the electoral vote wan defeated by 31 nays to H ycas. Thirteen Republicaus and one Deniocrat voted iu the afilrmative. Hoxtae, - The proceedicgs in the Hoise were "flat, stale and improötable," nearly tho entire day beinf consume d. in diacusHing what is known aa Bland's Silver bill. The roeasure w5 flnally passed- 167 yeas to 53 naya; TnuRfíDAY, Deo. 14. - Senate. - The reBolntion to print extra copies of the President's Message and the accompanying documenta, in regard to the lato election in Louiaiana, was Ukon up. Mr. Thurman moved to innend, so as to havo priuted with the. Message and doenments the nieinorial of Bogy, Steveneon and McDonald, embraciug tho report of tho Democratie committee which witncftsed the count in New Orleans. A later diBcuseionfollowed.Mr.Sherman defended his report vigorouely, wbilo Mr. Thurman aesailed it aaviorouely, and claimed that it grosely exaggerated the facts. The debate became general íu character, notocly involviTigTjouieiana, but Florida and South Carolina. Mr. Randolph eaid, in regard to tho Iatter. that the DtniocratB did not concede that it hftd been carried by Hyea, but that the Demócrata, on a recount of the votos, oxpected to show that thelr national and Stato. tickets had a olear majority of all the votes cast. The rrt-d] 'itioiiH aftcr being amended bo as toinclude the reiort of tho Democratie committee which ■ witnepscd tho coimt iu New Orleans, was then agroed to... Tho Chair laid beforn the Senate a Message f rom the President in nnswer to a rosolution of tho Senate of the 6th inst. in regard to troops being sfationed at Petersburg, Va,, ou election day, Ordered printedand to líe on the table AItjo,"a conim unica Uon from the Attorney General in ánewcr to the Senate reeolution of the 12th infit, in regard to the empJoynent of Deputy Marshals on cloction dav. Tlie Attoruey Oexieral saj'B the information called for i 8 not in his posseasiou, and can only bo obtained from the Marshals of tho Ualted otates, who have tbc power to appoint deputies, but he will eeek to iiroeure inf orina t-ion at as early a day aa practicable. Ordered printed and to lie on tho table. Hoiute.- Mr. Knott, the Chairmanof theJudiciary Committee, reporte a resolution as a substituto for Mr. McCrary's resolutiou about counting tho electoral votes. It providee for a committee of tievec, to act in coujuncticn with any Hüuilar committee that may bo appoititod by the finnato, to report without delay a meaaure best oalculated to accomplïKh the dcaired end ; also another comniittee of neven to report what are the privileges, powers andclutics of the House in counting the electoral votes TheresolxUion was adopte d under tho operatton of tho provious question without debate or diviBÍou The Senate aruenGments to the Postroute bill of last eeapion for the re-etitabliöhment of the fftut-mail sí-rvíce and of the f ranking privilege wero rejectcd on the gronnd that t&ey should not have beeu engrafted on such a bill. Fiuday, Doe. 15.- i&nate.- Mr. Windom, from the Committee on Appropriatione, reportcd, without amendment, the House bilí to próvido forthepaymont of tlie doctoral ra ossen pers. PaRKfid Tho rcsolution providing for the appointnient of a coinmittee to investig-ite the Oregon electoral a flair was taken up, and Mr. Tkurruan addressed the Öenaie at length in defense of the actlon of Oov. Grover. Thé qnefetion was furthcr dfecuused by MtBarB. Mitcaell and Wallaee....A reslution fixlng the compensation of witnesfles fiiunniontíd beforo tlie Sonate or any of lts committocs at $3 per day, and 5 couts per rail o each way for travclins expenses, was paescd, with an amendment providing that witlii'G&'S rceiding weet of tho HOtli meridian be paid. 7 nenia a m'lo each waj' wtieu tho place of their exnnii;::iiiouBhaU bccastof tho Miseiwtippi rlvor . .- Mr. Edm&Dds cal led up thfl ruepBagc from tho House nmuiunciuiü the passage of the reBolntion providing for the appointnient of a conamittee to act with a cemmittae of the tíenate to devise pomo method of coui.Uug Ihe electoral vote, and wubmittcd a rceoluiion referring tho mcsHagc of thn House to a select committee to bo coraposod of Beren Senatorn, with power to prepare and report without uonecQSB&ry delay buuIi mcawurc as will eocure a lawful otMint of the electoral voto and the best dispoaition of all questions couuected therpwith, and that Baid comiufttec havo power to confer with the committcfl of tho üoune of ReproRontatives Adjournod to Monday, Dec. 18. llouHC- The bill to pay the oxpcDFicof the investicating committeos, reduciug theamountfor the Senate from $50.000 to $30,000, and increaBiDg that for the House from $21,000 to $50,000, gave rlse to 8ome political disenpsior, conducted on tho Eepubliciin ei&Q by Mr. Halo (Mc), and on the Democratie ide by Mcbsib. Holman andOox..., Tho Poatoffico Appropriatiou bilí was diBCussed in conlmittee of the whole. Satükday, Dec. 16. - Senate. - Not in seseion. Mouct - Mr. Schleicher's ainoudxuent to the Postónico Appropriation bill, increasiug tho appropriatlon for the traDs i.ortation of mails on tbe htiir" routes and eteamboats, waa agreed to - ayos, 90 ; nays, 6(J. The bill waa thon paaaed without división . . . .The Speaker laid before tho House the telegram received by him from Mr. Morrlson, the Chairman of tbo Louieiana select committee, and that to Mr. Morrifion from Mr. Orton, the President of the Westorn Union lekgraph Coiüpany, refuaing to produce the origínala of the teicgrapbic diftpatchos. Tho dispatchee ha ving been read, Mr. Wood (N. Y.) offered a resolution to the effect that tho communicatiou be referrod to tbe Judiciary Committee, with inslructioiiH to report at the earlicst practicable moment what üction Ihe House ahould take in the proniiiies. The matter went over without action Kulogies wcre delivered upon tho latft öpeaker Kf.rr by a nuunbcr of mti rabera, at the conclusión of which resoLutions were offered and unanimously adopted exprospivo of the )rofound aorrow of the House, directiiig tho Spealtcr'a chir to bc hè6t ii i-.i .; in mouruicg during tho remaiuder of thlB seHttloii of Congrest?, and the khu il badge of moiirning to be worn by mexubon and ofücera of the House, Monpay, Dec. 18.- Senate.- Mr. Etlmunds' reaolution refrrring the mensage of the House of Representativos in regard to deviBing meaus to count and declaro the electoral vote to a aelect corilïjüttcr of fievon Sonator?, to act with the committee appcinted by the House, waa agreed to by a unanimous vote, without discusBion, aud tho Chair was authorized to appoint tlio special committee.... Mr. Wright introduced a bill to establish a court for the trial of contested clections in the olïices of President and Yice President of the United States, and at hie roqtieet it was ordered print Ad and to lie on the tabla Mr. Wrigfct rulled up tho Message of the President, aeiit to tlio Ki'uutc at laat Hesfiiou, vctoing tho. biJl redudnR the PrcHidont's nalary from $Mt0'0 to j5,( uu pera&nnm, aud the question boing, " Shall tDf bill pasa notwithatanding tho objectioua of the President thereto?" a diactinaion followetl, and tbo Senate rcfUKed to xmñ the bill over Vbe v. ti by a vote of yeaa, 25; nays, J9 - not twothlrdfl 'vuting ín the aftirmative Mr. K.y (Teuu.) deiivored a loiifrthy pcech on tho l're-Hiden tial iuetitioii. Huune.-yiv. Knott iutroduced a bill röRulating prüceedings in tho electoral count lor President aud Vico President. Roferred to the Eoleot committco on the BubjtiCt The resolution oí inquiry into octiou oí Judge Boud, iu South Carolina, failed 'or want of a, two-thirds vote Bills wero introduced : To prouiote the education of the blind ; o facilítate tho negotiation of IuHk of lading, etc. ; conoerning expatriation and cbange of allegiance ; to CBtablish the frauking privilege ; ;o reduce and reorganiKO the navy ; to proinote the ifllciency of tlie marine hospital service ; for a Connulaeioncr on tho loenst plague.... Mr. Fryo offered a resolution for theappointment of a committee of flix to inqitlre into the manner iu which the election was conducted for ïnembers of CoiiíírpHB last Novcmbor in tho Sixth District of Míbsíb ïippi and Fourth Ditrict of Alábanla, and whether m bih-ïi district tbere waa any iotiuiidation of caudidates or voierm. The House ref uaed to second the previous question, and the resolution went over. .... Mr. b oio offered a resolution for tho protoctlon of citizenB in tho exerclse of the right of sufl'rage. The resolutiou giving rise to dclate, it went over under tho rulo. .. .Mr. Banniug moved to euupend the nile, and adopt a resolution calling for Gon. Sheridan'e report on the remo val of Gov. Welle, of Louiiaua... . A reHolutioninetructiug the Judiciary CoDomittec to report an amendment to the coustitution forbldding the payment of war claims to disloyal ppraone waa adoptad- 150 to 63.

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