Newspaper Page Text
THE WEEKLY GONSTTfUTION. ATLANTA, GA- TUESDAY MARCH 9 1886
7
Proceedings of the Two Houses
Last Week.
With the President and His A;
visers—General News.
Cor, res. has pot to work st list. The c lu
rational bill fans i>ngsc«l tbe senate anil the
clarpril jeuslou bill has passed the honto.
Morrtaon’s tariff bill la shaped and ia being
discuratd in committee. Tbe president bos
locked boms with tbe republican senate and
bitter fight is promised. Tbe debates have
been lively, and Ur. Breekenridxe, of Ren*
tmky. treated tbo house, in closing his pension
speech, with the rarest eloquence of the yew.
Our reporu will be found full of interest.
Mr. Pugh, representing the minority of the
judiciary committee, presented
port. Tbe report stated that the pres
cut administration found ninety-five per
cent of tbe offices filled with republicans.
The democratic party bad been exiled from
power nearly a quarter of a centnry. Not
withstanding these facts ft">0 nominations sent
to tbe senate in -suspension' cases had been
allowed to remain before the varions commit*
tees without action or consideration. The
president had refused this demand, and in the
judgment of the minority of the judiciary
committee he bad' taken the proper stand,
The House.
Bills were passed providing for the erection
of an $80,000 public building at Ashville, N,
C., and a $200,000 building at Savannah, G*.
Tbe house committee on commerce agreed to
report tbo Iieagkn inter-state commerce bill
favorably. _____
The President Shows right,
AND DEFIES THE ItEPUBLIt'ANS fit THE SEN'
ATE—A RINQIXO DEFIANCE
Washington, March 1.—[Special.]—If any
doubt existed as to tbe president’s determiua
tien to disregard the demands of the republi'
can senators, It wss removed by bis :
todsy. Tbe messsge was entirely unexpected
It fell like a bombshell In tbe republican
camp. Mr. Edmunds thonght it necessary to
rally his forces at once in a speech arraigning
the president ns the first executive who had
over dared to direct the synatc as to its duty.
The message has had the effect of consolldat
ing the democratic senators to a firmer support,
If possible, of the president in this contest.
Whst the flntl outcome will bo noona pretends
to predict, but everybody is watching the
struggle with deep Interest. The republicans
are in bad temper, and the rejection of nil the
nominations where suspensions have been
made and papers refused, is almost a foregone
conclusion.
Washington, March 1.—The president’s
nerstge to the senate todsy, In retard to its de
mands for papers, was received when tbe senate
was In secret session. When It was laid before the
bedy, Mr. Harris proposed that It be read with
desed doors. Messrs. Kcnna and Van Wyck pro-
TIinXIUMOK IK Sl'BSTAKCn.
Tbe following Is Its substance:
To tbe Senate of tbe United States: Erer since
tbe beginning of the present session of tbe senate,
the different bends of deportments attached to tbo
executive branch of tbo government hare been
piled with varions requests end demands from
committees of tbe senate, from members of such
committees, and st last from the senate Itself, re
quiring tbe transmission of reasons for thesnspen-
ston of certain officials during tbe recta of that
body: or for papers touching the conduct of such
officials, or for all tbe papers end documents re
lating to such suspensions, or for all.Ure documents
and papers tiled In such departments In relation
to tbe management end conduct of the otfioers
held by inch suspended officials.
Dioess to sraan run itimiLr.
Though these suspensions am my executive sets,
based on considerations addressed to me alone,and
for which 1 am wholly responsible, I have bad no
Invitation from the senate to state We position
wblch I have Iclt constrained to assume In relation
to tbe same, or to Interpret for myself my sets sad
motives in the premises. In this condition of nfr
fairs, I have forborne addressing the senate upon
tbe subject lest I might be accused of thrusting my
self unbidden upon tbe attention of that body.
But the report of tbe commutes on Judiciary
of tbe rentte, lately presented and published,
which censures the attorney general bf the United
States for his refusal to transmit certain pepen re
lating to suspensions from office, and which also, If
I correctly Interpret It, evlnoei a misapprehension
of tbe position of tbe excouUve upon the ques
tion of rucb suspension, will, I hope, Justify this
communication.
AtRsm ran axaroxsimuTV.
Tbe letter of the attorney general In response to
tbe reroluiten of tbe senate la tbe particular case
mentioned In tbe committee's report, wat written
at my suggestion and by my direction. Thera
had been no official papers or documents fired In
bb department relating to tbe cue within the pe
riod specified In tbo reiolaUoa. The let
ter was Intended, by Us deserlpUon of
papers and documents remain tug In tbo emtady of
tbe department, to convey the Idee that they were
notofiirtatinndltwu assumed that the reeoln-
tlon called for Infocmatlon, papers and docu
ments of the same character, as were required by
the request! and demands which preceded It.
Everything that bad been written or done on be
half of tbe senate, from the beginning, pointed to
ell the lettcre end pepen of a private and unoffi
cial nature, as the objects of search,. If they won to
be found In tbo departments, and provided they
bad been preaented to tho executive with e view
to their consideration upon the question of »u>
pension from office. Against the trans
mission of such papers and docu
ments, i bavo interposed my advice
and direction, Tblehaa not been done, ns Urng-
gested In the committee's report, upon the assump
tion on mjr |*rt that the attorney general, aa any
other bend of e department, “la the servant or tbo
president, and it to give or withhold copies of doc
uments In his office according to thowfllof the
executive, end not otbens-Uo," but because I re
gard the papers and document! withheld, and
addressed to me, or Intended for my use and notion,
purely unofficial end private, not Infrequently
coeifidcutiel, and having reference to the perform
ances of a duty exeluelvely mine.
raiVATi and not runuc rams.
I consider them In no proper sense a* npon tbe
files of lire department, but aa deposited there for
my convenience, remaining stilt completely under
my couiiol. I suppose, if I desired to taka thorn
Into mv custody, T mlebt do so with enttre propri
ety, end If I saw fit to destroy them no oon could
complain.
cax srer-san wmiocr season*
It wfil not bo denied. I suppose, that the prist,
dent may impend n public officer in the entire ab
sence of any papers or documents to aid his official
Judgment and discretion, and I am quite pupated
to evow that ceres are not few in wblch suspensions
fkom office depended mote upon oral representa
tions made 10 me by eilirensof known good repute,
and by members of the bon-c of representatives
and reunion of the United States, than upon
any lettcre and documents ptesentol for
my examination. I ' have not foil
Justified In inspecting the veracity, integrity and
patriotlrm ef senatorv, or Ignoring tbelrrepresenta-
tions, became they were not In party atfililation
with the majority of their associates, and 1 recall
a few suspensions which bear the approval of indb
vldual members Identified politically with the
majority In the senate.
will axsisT IXCXOlcmfKXt.
While, therefore, I am constrained to deny the
right of tbe senate to tbe papers end documents de
scribed, so far aa the right to same ia baaed upon
the claim that they are In any view of tbe subject
official, I am also ted unequivocally to disp-.iejhe
right of the senate, by tbe aid of nay doormanta
whatever, or in any way rave through the Judicial
process of trial or Impeachment, to review or re
verse ILc eel of tbo executive, tn suspension, dub
h-g the recess uf the u-uan-. ol f—less I s li'n-tsl-.
) l-cili-ve the powruto r.move cr suspend su:
officials tavcilcd lu tbejpre 1-tent slot:* by t!
constitution, wblch, tn express term-, provides that
"tbo ssrcatlre power -bait be vested in aprcsldcnc
of the Untied Stales of America,” and that “ho
shall take cere that the laws be lellblhlly execu-
where rue senate belongs,.
Tlic senate belongs to (he legislative branch of
the government. When the constitution, by ex
press provision, superadded to.lte legislative duties
the right to advise end consent to appointments to
office, end to lit ee a court of impeachment, it con
ferred iqion that body all tbe control and regula
tion of executive action supposed to bo necessary
for the safety of tbe people; and thla express
and special grant of such extraordinary powen, not
in any way related to or growing out
of general senatorial duty, and In Itself n departure
from tbe general plan of our government, should
be held under tho familiar maxim of constructions
to exclude every other right of Interference with
executive function. In the first congress which
assembled after tbe adoption of tho constitution,
comprising many who aided In Its preparation,
legislative constructlou was given to that Instru
ment in which tbe Independence of tbe executive,
in the matter of removals from office was fully
snstained. I think it will be found that in the sub
sequent discussion of this question, there was gen
erally, if not at all time, a proposition pending to
in some way curtail the power lot the president by
legislation, which furnishes evidence that to limit
inch power it was supposed to be necessary to sup
plement the constitution by such legislation.
The first enactment of this description was
passed under stress of partisanship and political
bitterness which culminated in the president'
impeachment.
THE TENURE OF OFFICE ACT.
This statute, passed in 1867, when congress was
overwhelmingly and bitterly opposed politically to
tbe president, may be regarded as an indication
that even then it was thought necessary by a con
gress determined on tho subjugation of the execu
tive to the legislative will, to fUrnlsh itself a law
for that purpose, instead of attempting to reach tho
object intended by an Invocation of any pro-
tended constitutional right. The law which thus
found its way to our statute books, was
plain in its term*, and Its intent needed no avowal.
If valid and now In operation, It would Justify the
present course of tbe senate, and command the
obedience of the executive to its demands.
Two years after the law of 1807 was passed, and
within leu than five weeks after the inauguration
of a president In political accord with both branch
es oi congress, the sections of the act regulating
suspensions from office during the recess of tho
senate were entirely repealed, and in their place
were substituted provisions which, instead of limit
ing the causes of suspension to misconduct, crime,
disability, or disqualification, expressly permitted
such suspension by the president *1n his discre
tion," and completely abandoned the requirement
obliging him to report to tho senate “evidence and
reasons" for his action.
A SHARP QUESTION ASKED.
Cut why should provisions of the repealed law,
which required a specific cause for suspension and
report tothcrenato of “evidence and reasons," be
now, in effect, applied to the present executive,
Instead of the law afterwards passed and nnre-
pealed, which distinctly penults* suspensions by
the president “In his discretion." and carefully
emits the requirement that “evidence and reasons
for hit action in the case" shall be reported to the
senate. Tbe requests and demands which, by the
ec©re, have for nearly three months been presented
to tho different departments of the
government, whatever may bo their
form, bavo but one complexion.
They assume the right of the senate to sit In Judg
ment on the exercise of my exclusive discretion
tnd executive function, for which I am solely re
sponsible to the people, from whom I have so late
ly received the sacred trust of office. My oath to
support and defend the constitution; my duty to
the people who have chosen me toexcutetbe
powers or their great office, and not to relinquish
them, and my duty to the chief magistracy which
1 must preservo unimpaired in all its dignity and
vigor, compels me to seftme to comply with these
demands.
To tbe end that tho eorrloo may bo implored tho
icnato la invited to tbo lUUcat ictutiny of tbo per
sona submitted to them for pnblto office. In recog
nition of tbo constitutional power of that body to
advise and consent to their appointment. I shall
continue, as I bavo tbna for done, to famish, at
the request of tho confirming body, nil informa
tion 1 poateas touching tbe fitneaa of the nomi
nees placed before them for their
action, both when they sro proposed
fill vaenndet and to take tbo plaeee of suspended
officials. Upon retinal to confirm, I shall not as
sume tbe right to ask the reasons for tbe action of
tbe senate, nor qneeUooIts determination. lean,
not think that anything more la required to aeenre
worthy Incumbents in public office then s careful
and Independent discharge of oar respective duties
within their well defined UmIU.
AS TO CAXrAtON nXDoge.
It bee been claimed that tbe present executive,
having pledged himself not to remove officials ex
cept for cause, tbe tact of their suspension im
plies such misconduct on tbe part of tbo suspended
official as It Injure* bis character and reputation,
and therefore tbe senate should review tbo case
for bis vindication. I have sold that certain offi
cials should not, In my opinion, ha removed dur-
ng tho contlnnenc* of tho term for which they
were appointed, eddy for tho pnrposo of putting
In their place these In political imitation with tho
appointing power, end this declaration was Im
mediately followed by a description of official per-
tlnnrhlp which ought notto entitle thoeo In whom
it was exhibited to consideration. It la notappa-
rent bow an adherence to Urn course thus an
nounced carries with it tho consequences described.
If, in any degree, the suggestion Is
worthy of consideration, It la to
bo hoped that there may be a defense
ngatnit unjust suspension in Justice of the execu
tive. Every pledge which I have nude, by which
I have placed n limitation upon my exerctso ol ex
ecutive power, bee been faithfully, redeemed. Of
course, the pretense Is nd put forth that no mis
take! heve been committed, but not a suspension
been made except it appear-
to my satisfaction that the pub-
welfare would bo Improved there
by. Sleuy applications for suspensions hare been
denied,'and adherence to tho rnlo laid down
to govern my action as to sach suspensions has
canted much Irritation and Impatience on tho part
of tl.oeo who have Instated upon more change* In
offices.
assroNsiDLE re Tin non*.
The pledges I have made were made to the peo
ple, and to them I am rcpeosible for tho manner
In which they have been redeemed. I am not re
sponsible to the senate, and 1 am unwilling to sub
mit my actions and official conduct to them for
Judgment. There are no gronnda for an allegation
that foar of being brand false to my prefosstoiu in
fluences me In declining to submit to the demands
of the senate. I have not constantly refined to
suspend officials,and thus incurred tho displeasure
of political Mends, and yet wilfully broken faith
with the people for the Bake of being tatae to them,
“50 SURRENDER."
Neither the discontent of party friends, nor the
allnrmenta iconstantly offered of confirmations of
appointee. cundlUooed upon the avowal that the
suspensions have been made on party grounds
alone, nor the threat proposed In the resolution
now before the senate that no confirmation trill bo
mad* unless Ibe demands of that body bo compiled
with, are snfflelent to discharge or deter see firom
following In tbe way wblch 1 tm convinced Unde
torthe better government of the people.
[Signed) Gxovxn Cleveland.
The follewfoe gives proceeding! after tho
^Mrttttreta—Mr.fSedlRnt, I more that the
rnessnxe bo printed and lie on tho table.
Mr. Edmund*—On that I ask for the yen*
and nays. I do apt propose that It shall belaid
on the table just now if I can help it.
Mr. Harris.—I will move that the mesaago
he printed, If tho scnato will allow mo to
amend my motion,
Mr. Edmond*—I merely wish to «y a word.
. bad no doubt that tho senator
from Tennessee did not wish to eat off my re
mark. I limply wish to remark, In moving to
refer this communication to thei committee on
the first to parliament, In telling them what In
conducting their aflhire, they ought to do and
enght not to de, and I think I am ufe In say
ing tint It In the first time In the hlstorrof the
republican United Staten that any president of
thsUnitod State* has undertaken to Interfere
with the deliberations of either house of too-
the union, which the constitution demand*
him to sake from time to time.
I only with to add to what
I have now laid In thte statement
so that it shall go with this message—to far it.
the newspaper* will do mu the
honor to have it go, thrt
the president of Uio United Htstei
has (unintentionally no doubt) entirely mis
stated the question. The senate of the United
States, In its communications to tho heads of
departments—not his heads of departments,
but the heads of departments created by law-
directed them to transmit certain official p-v
pers.'nnd that te nil. The prealdent of the
United Statea undertakes to change the ques
tion Into the consideration by tho senate of his
reasons, or motive! for putting a civil officer,
salt might be called, “under arrest,’’ with
which the ienate has not nndertaken, in any
way, to make any question at nil.
I move that the message be referred to
the committee on judiciary.
Mr. Harrta—For reasons I may
not to refer to here, I have no desire for, nor
will I consent ton discussion of tho question
involved in this message at this time, I movo
that the message be printed and 11a npon the
table, according to the universal custom of
this body.
Tho Chair—Tho senator from Tennessee
(Mr. Harris) moven that the message be print
ed and lie npon the table.
Ur. Hnrrta'e motion was defeated by n party
vote—yeas 87, nan 38. Mr. Blddleberger,
however, Toting with tho democrat* in favor
of the motion.
8ome merriment wan created by Mr. Hoar
first Inadvertently voting “ves,” and Immedi
ately correcting himself. Mr. Vance told him
that “yes" was right. [Laughter],
Tho Educational Debate.
At one o’clock tho scnato took up the edu
cation bill, and Mr. Call addressed the eenate
In opposition to Mr. Allison's amendment.
He characterised it as a reflection on the
states and an abandonment of ono of tho
principle* of our government. Mr.
Call read from the educational statistic of sev
eral states and compared the figures of school
attendance In each with theslmllar figures re
lating to Florida, to show that Florida liad
proportionally as large a school attendance aa
the other states fora certain nnmbor of months
each year. Mr. Call said school taxes or Flor
ida were now applied to the aehoola without
distinction of color. If this money were dis
tributed on color, the prindplo of “no distinc
tion” would be violated.
Mr. 8aultbury opposed- tho bill, whether
with or without the Allison amendment.
There wee not only no constitutional authority
for It, he said, but not oven the slightest ne
cessity for It. The southern states wore am
ply able to educate nil their Illiterates. Tho
south had extraordinary resources. It has a
monopoly of tho eotton crop; an enormous to
bacco crop; n monopoly of the sngar crop
and the rlco crop. Their great mineral nou
mnnnfn'taringresdnrcea were rapidly devel
oping. Why, the difference lu the cost of
labor alono-bctwccn tho aonth and the north
wai enough to pay for all tbo education of all
the illiterates ortho south.
Mr. Blddleberger opposed the Alllsou
amendment. Itwonldgive three dollars to
tbe colored children for every one dollar go
ing to the white children. It would destroy
tho MU and would destroy tho public schools
of Virginia. Ho appealed to the republican
party to consider what harm it was doing to
the colored people, whom they were seeking
to help. It would absolutely destroy nil
cbanco of their education, an the white people
would destroy the school system through
which tho money wet to be paid oat.
Mr. Hampton laid be was n sincere friend of
the colored man and would lie very sorry to
sco tho Allison amendment udoptcd,as it would
do Ibe colored people more harm than almost
anything that could be duno. The white peo
ple of South Carolina, he said, paid 07 per ceut
ol the school fond of tho stele, leavlug only 3
per cent to he paid by the colored people, yet
tho constitution and laws of the state provided
that tho school fond should bo distributed
according to tho nnmbor of children attending
tho public schools.
Jin. INOALU onotrt ettsptciotis,
Mr. Ingalls flavored AUbon's amendment if
tho bill was to pass. Ho thought tho amend-
ment throw • necessary safeguard around tho
fond, and sold the money wu to be distributed
hy tbo secretary of the interior and tho law
officer of th« interior department. Each Mont
gomery, assistant attorney-general, was n man
notoriously opposed to tho pnbllo school sys
tem. Mr. Ingalls rend extracts from
pamphlet containing extract*
from Montgomery's epooehei an tho
•uhject. Ho said that Montgomery
had disputed tho correctness of some of the
quotations credited to him, but ho rend on*
wblch he arid Montgomery had not disputed.
Tho book was entiUod: “Drop* from the
Poisoned Fountain—Facts that ore Stronger
than Fiction: by Zack Montgomery, of the
California bar.’’ Mr. Innlta read from s
speech delivered by Mr. Montgomery before
t&c Oatholio Sunday-school teachers'
association of California In 1873, extracts which
Montgomery had grot included In the extracts
which he bad claimed misrepresented him.
Ipeaklng of the telegraph, railroad and news-
SBRlrmra.-
~ ' tanthm and heresy in suits forma'
) notion Ibst Protestants entertain about
tbegreat program muds In the nineteenth coum.-/
■ TnC 1 PTOiCm AM tDCOTJT Ol iBUtpCIWenC#,
makins up our minds for ouraelvca on motion of
religion, ore ft Ire, as well ts damnable, in the ex
treme."
"There Is no Mich thing ns personal freedom in
lislon and morality."
"The whole power lies with the eaeocssor of
St. l-eter, holy Flo None, and the holy etc of
Bqtn*."
Mr. Hour mid tho Allison amendment would
be an Invitation to tho states themselves to
make discrimination In ftvor of the white
children. The troth might an w*U bn told,
namely, that the senators were unwilling to
trust the authorities of tho states with the ad
ministration of tho fond.
Mr. Edmonds moved n substitute for Allison’s
amendment as follows
"And In each state so
tball bo separate schools f<or _
children, the money paid in such etat* or tarrtibry
shall be paid out for the support of each white end
colored scholars respectively In tho proportion that
white end colored children between tbe ages of
ten and twenty-one yean. In inch state or ter
ritory beer to etch other, IS shown by the census of
DHL The forego Ins provision shall not outset tho
application of the proper proportion of sold money
to tho support of *11 the common aehoola wherein
no distinction of race or color shall exist."
Attar a long debate, Mr. Blair expressed his
willingness to accept tbe Edmonds substitute]
and it was adopted.
The amendment offered hy Mr. Dolph was
rejected by n viva voce vote, and Mr. Plumb
began n speech. White Mr. Plumb wu iposh
ing Mr. BlddUberier rare to a point of order,
my log ho bad called for n division of tho vote,
and called for it in n tono that the president of
tho senate conld not fail to hear.
Mr. Blddleberger wu ruled out of order,
nod yielded under protest;
After Mr. Flnmb bad resumed his remarks,
Mr. Blddleberger again rose and renewed his
point of order. The rest of tha senate wu not
observing tho roles, Mr. Blddleberger said.
The senator from Kanau (Plumb) wu trying
to defeat tho bill, and wu allowed to mako
another speech when tbe division hod been
called for. The responsibility wu between
the senator from Kansu and the president of
“ ) had hoard It sold
senate was ns*
erally "eat upon.” Ho did not care for that,
however, since be knew hnwu right. “I am
straggling for the puuge of this bill,” he
said, "sad am going to eontlnns that straggle
under the roles of the senate, and yon can’t
take from that desk the book that ought to
control yon, and find within it a role that Jos-
Ultra yon r ruling a while ago,”
Tbs cbtlr again said:
"The senator from Virginia will pleau not
intempt the chair. The *“
j. M. man,
The Regulator and Controller of Low Prices,
WUl mall ramples of all etareer of Dry Goods, and
pay expressage no all orders above; 110.00. Yon
will save money and get better variety to select
prom hy writing ns about what yon want' and get
ting our samples. The largest stock In Atlanta and
the acknowledged lowest prices. Msndu White-
• “ street. Atlanta, Ga. Mutton tbl> paper.
did not call for a decision, Tho chslr says
l lr.dly hut dimly to tho senator from Virginia
that lie has net -ought to diicrimlnate against
him in the slightest degree. The senator te
mistaken in that. On the contrary, the chair
has often done the reverse, tnd appeals to tho
senator from Virginia to withdraw that Impu
tation that the chair had erer discriminated
against him, or sought to doprive him of hte
lights. The point or order is overruled."
Mr. Blddleberger.—If the chair will per-
ndt me, I do not mean to uy that the chair
bed discriminated against me. I meant to
say that (he chair Itself dll not comprehend
the rules. (Laughter.)
Mr. Hibson favored the bill. Having spoken
fully on (t at the last eeialon, ho uld ho'would
now make no argument, but a brief statement.
"While it hu been demonstrated,” Mr. Qibsou
uld, "that cougreu possesses power under the
constitution to make a grant of tho proceeds
sriiing from tho sale of public lands, or tbe
I nblic lends thomselves, however acquire!,
i nd may nuke a grant of public monoya from
the treirurv, however derived, in aid of cdu
cation In tho elates, I must confess it te t
power—like that to declare war—so liable to
abuse that I would not neort to It with i
pnipeso to establish an undevlatlng and ua
limited policy, and would exercise It only
under the stress and pressure of the most ur
gent, exceptional and extraordinary circum
stances. The jostlficatlonjfor Its exorcise nt
this limo grows out of the most calamitous
and stupendous transaction of onr century.
The war between the enlightened and powerful
commonwealths of America, and lasting, It ta
tine, only four years, yet marked hy a Toss of
property and life, and followed by n political
and social revolution without parallel in tho
history of civilised men.
Accepting tho altuation as it existed, tho
south put forth every exertion, every circutn-
spcctieo, every resource of patlonce, wisdom
and courage to meet the new conditions, to
reconcile herself to them M she could, and to
find some form of comuou ground ou which
nil her people might movo forward again in
harmonious relation and peaceful order to
self government and tho pursuit of happiness.
Mr. Logan moved his amendment, already
suggested, increasing the appropriation to the
total amount of $1311,000,000 In ton years, ap
portioned m a similar ratio to the present bill.
The amendment wss defeated alter a long de
bate. Mr. Logan then said : "To boo whothsr
onr educational frleuda mean what they aay,”
moved another amendment already suggested
by him, appropriating two mllllooa to aid In
building school houses lu communities of
bonier.
debate which consumed the remainder of the
day's session.
In Its coarse Mr. Van Wyck said, thn voting
of the colored man of tho south was nauseat
ing to the white peoplo. Would thoso white
people bo any better satisfied with tho ne
groes voting when they should heooma edu
cated f He appealed to tbo senator from
South Carolina (Hampton) for Information.
Mr. Hampton Mid bo, personally, was not
obnoxious to the criticism nude by Mr. Van
Wyck, for ho (Hampton) conld claim that he
was tho first man In the south alter tho war,
and he beliovcd the first man tn Amorica, that
proj-oted to glvo tho negro the right to vote,
and did that immediately after tho war.
Mr. Van Wyck was proud to hear that, but
asked: "Did the white meu of South Carolina
follow your example In that direcUonr Did
tbe peoplo of Misstaslppl follow your exampls?
Then was tbe mlsfortuno. There had beaa n
leader with tho right impute*, but tho follow
ers were rebellious, as of old.” [Laughter.]
Mr. Voorhees said tha senator from South
Carolina (Hampton) was too modest to say
wbat he (Voorhees) would say, that tho peoplo
of South Carolina had so far followed that dis
tinguished senator ns to mako him governor of
that state In a way that “stuck," and tha ne
groes had mode him such governor,
Mr. Logan’s amendment provides for$J,‘
000,000 to aid In the building of school houses
In localities where (tho population la sparso,
not more than one-half expense of building to
conio from tho fond and not more than $160
In any event. Thn amendmont offered by
Mr. Logan wu agreed to, providing that tho
“secretary of tho Interior ta charged with tho
proper administration of thta taw, through
the commissioner of education,” and thou two
officers ore authorised, with the approval of
the pieeldent, to mako all needfol rules aud
regulations, not inconsistent with tbs pro-
vlsiona of tho bill, te carry out thoso pro
visions.
Mr. Logan said hb oljact was to establish
a sort of board, Instead of leaving tha qneations
•rising under the bill entirely to the eecretary
of tho Interior. Other amendments were
agreed to, requiring from tbo state officers
yearly reports of tho tanehsrs’ salaries,
tbe number of school districts, the
relative number white and colored children,
substituting the census of I860 ns tbo basis of
tho apportionment, after that census shall
have been taken, providing that If any state
should decline or rellnqntah its quota of
money! under the bill, tbe omonnt so de
clined or relinquished should go to Increase
tbe quota.of tho states accepting: requiring
the secretary of tho Interior to Investigate
complaints of unjust discrimination In tho ap
plication of tha rands, and Including thn Dis
trict of Columbia In the bill.
Mr. Flnmb offered an amendment providing
that no state should bo entitled loony of thta
educational fond till It ahull have filed with
the secretary of tho Interior s sample of each
school hook In use tn It* common schools.
After considerable debate, Plumb's amendment
was rejected as s whole, bat on his renewing $
part of the amendment requiring that samples
of school books be filed In tha Interior depart
ment (without niuhlng the state's tills to the
mosey depend on snch filing), it was agreed
On motion of Mr. Ooorge tho section, letting
forth that the design of tho net was not to or-
tabllib an Independent school syotam In the
i tales, but only to extend aid to the state gov
ernments, was restored by unanimous vote.
• Tbo bill was then read s third time and
parsed. Yens 30, nays 11. A number nf pale*
were announced, owing tn tbo necessary ah-
sence of some senator*. Tbs vote In detail ta
•s follows:
Y*«s-Berry. Blackburn, Blair, Bowtn, Call, Col
quitt, Conor, Cullom, Dolph, Ku-tK Kvtrt-, (icorxo,
Gibson, lfoar, Jaekron, Jonas of Arkansan, Konns,
Loras, Maboue, .Mundenon, Miller of Now York,
.Mitchell or Oregon, Morrill, Palmar, Payne, Pugh,
6 yj?^k«ji^ M *.cra Au H^n^
Iugalls. JodhoI N
ron of Maryland.
Tho Lively Pension Debate,
Washington, March 3.—[Special.]—For the
rcpubllcani today'* debate on the pension
appropriation bill wu a continuance of yester
day’s ionic. Ben Butterworth, of Ohio, con
cluded hi* effort, and Mr. Norwood, of Geor
gia. was then recognised. No speech delivered
at this session has been llatened to by a larger
number of member! on both aide*. It was •
reply to llendenon’e recent onslaught on tho
democratic party and Uw aonth,and was In the
stylo moat effective sgainst such an Impas
sioned and reckless speech u that of Header-
"^Norwood was followed hy Brack-
enridge, of Kentucky, In n epeech of
rote eloquence and brood patriotism.
Though making a* one who had fonght for
the confederacy, he absolutely disarmed criti
cism both aa to the runner and nutter of what
ho raid. Ilia pathetic peroration elicited ap
plause from democrats end ropabUcus alike.
It touched the chorda of a lofty patriotism
which ta beyond tho comprehension of tha
•mall men-who have Injected bitterneae Into
this dltcnsalon.
Tin: DEBATE IE DETAIL.
Mr. Wilson of West Virginia, nude e stirring
feb in reply to one made four day* ago.by
vote upon thn increase of widow*’ pensions
tbe sontbero member* had on/arled again the
bloody shirt. He mid that this bsil been done
hy Hcndenon himself. In the Inference he
drew from hi* nnalyal* of that .vote, and by
If r. Bontelln recently, in criticising the south
ern people for raising a few modest monuments
in their friends who had died in defense of
thtlr opinion*.
i, iian-uiond, of Georgia, mid that It had
been a principle of the democratic party when
In power, that when a man became a public
officer he might think what ho pleased, say
what he pleased, and do what he pleased, hat
that his service! must be given to tho pnbllo
end not to hie party. The president of thn
United State* stood today Inviting the Amor-
lean people to como back to the old paths,
and “in them you shall find rut,” Deferring
to the question of widow’s pension*, he said
that that question had Men up a half
doren time* since tn* war, but It had never
hren proposed to Increase them nntll now.
Thta fact answered tho argument of the gen
tleman from Iowa tHendonon), when ho ar
raigned tho southern members for Toting
against the Increase. The stuff In -his
rpcccb that the constitntlonhnd been invoked
to protect that vote, did not neod reply. The
bitter gall against the men he took dally by
tbe hand aa his friends, did not need reply.
Tne spirit of the speech, not only In man
ner, hot In cold printed worjs,
carried with' It the condemnation
of argument, and needed no more reply than
when he consigned the confederates to hell
and then intensified hell by the promise to go
there with them. (Laughter and npptanse.)
Mr. Norwood, of Georgia, made a satirical
speech m reply to that delivered by Mr. Hen-
derton, of Iowa, some day« since, ridi
culing that gentleman's profession of friend
ship for the aonth, but expressing his
admiration for the manner in which ho had
claimed tbe old story, which wig as well known
to the conntry, u ‘The Boy Stood on the
Bnrnlug Deck!’ or “MatrllAd e Little Lamb.”
[Laughter.] The gentleman had made his
speech while union men and cx-confedcrates
had been marching abreast, without a single
straggle, to do Justice to tho snrvlvon of the
onion army.- Then the gentleman had stepped
forward, arrested the column, and smiling
npon tho confederates ns gently as Bratus had
smiled upon Oensar, when he had Invited him
to take n rest st the root of Pompsy’a colnmu,
had proceeded to address them In s porsnoslvo
strain, ending the speech with a declaration
that he would rather spend an eternity in
hell with them than an eternity In
heaven with northern copperheads.
Specking for himself, while he returned his
profonndest acknowledgements to tho gentle
man from Iowa for tho offer of hts society If
bs should be so unfortunate u to get on to
the wrong rend, and Join tha gentleman down
below, yet ho entered bb meet solemn and
vigorous protest against accepting hts delicate
companionship. For he was persuaded that
no engagement, however pressing, would pre
vent tho gentleman from arresting tho ool
trains and mounting a red-hot stump to Insist
that it should listen to him proclaim thn sntuo
old piece of political law.
Mr. Bnckenrtdgr. of Kentucky, guided thn
discussion sway, from the channels of politics,
Into wblch It had flowed, and brought It bask
to thn consideration of thn general qnestion
of the pensions system. He expressed him
self In favor of liberal [pensions, and thought
that It shonld always be tho policy of
the repnblio to ray generous pensions
hot there most ho the same economlee and
stetermnn-llke consideration, both ne to penons
and tbe amount. It wu not a matter of senti
ment which mast decide the rate, but n matter
of wise calculation.
Mr. Cabell, Virginia, deprecated thn slat*
wblch he uld liad been cut upon thesouthern
member* by thn gentleman from low*, (Ur.
Henderson.) Ho had boon s confederate, but
when bo surrendered he had surrendered In
yned filth, and renewed an honest devotion to
tbo anion of tbo states and t',o oonstitatlon
of the country, and whatever tbo gentleman
might uy, or whatever they might Intimate,
he wss truo and loyal today to the nnloa of
the statu and the constitution u tho man who
sat in tbo white bouse, or ns the man who in
an unmanly way made an Innuendo to tbo
contrary. Bu t ns long ns ho wu a representa
tive ho would vole ns he thought propor
and ns hts conscience dictated. Stand
ing behind the widow aomo gen
tleman nrullcd tho southern members
for their votn. Why not como In an honost
way, and uy that the south must boar tho ex
pense of tho pensions, and not como In an un
manly way and thrust continually lu 11s face,
and ray, "we are. your friends, and wo lovo
yon; but you caused this debt to bo put on tho
coni try and we mean to make you pay It.”
That waatho truo inwardnou of all this talk,
tnd It exhibited a want of manlinoss for mon
tojasuil others wbom|tboy supposed tojbe help-
leu, and onebla to uy anything In return
for the unkind, ungenerous and unmanly re
marks. The gentleman from Ohio, (Butter-
worth,) had gone out of Ills way to tell tho
southern) people how wleked they wore. Tho
K ntlemen who undortook to talk about affiilrs
the south gained their Information from n
mlsenblo set of vampires and vermin that had
fallen npon the south after tbo war, with more
blighting offset than tbo locuits and llco of
“ '. This stuff wu brought up from tho
by thou Jrrentures, who were so misera
ble that they bad been tjpswed out by tho north,
and settled ou the south. Ho wondered
what these creatures had been mods for,
unless God Almighty, In Uls wisdom
In order to show what miserable things ho
conld make, hod created tbo carpet baggor and
pat him down In tho southern states. Thn
gentlemen had talked about tho ballot-box
stuffing, end then demonstrated by hie own
speech that If there was corruption and vil
lainy and Iniquity shown In an election In any
country on God’s green earth, It wss In the
elate of Ohio and In tbo city of Cincinnati, of
which the gentleman was *o proud.
After short speeches by Meure. Springer,
Burrows, Hammond and other*. Henderson, of
Iowa, took tho floor, and again attacked tho
southern democrat*, uylnghobad no apologies
to make for anythlngJconUlned In hlslpravlous
speech. Some of hts former uttenaoes, wblch
had been most criticised and answered, ho now
repeated, and ho doaed the debate, ho said, a*
ho had began It, without ono rancorous feeling
In hta heart. In the conns of hte tpeoch, Hen
derson wss frequently Interrupted with tho
applause of hta party colleagues.
Mr. Townshend, who had charge of tbs bill,
took the floor, but expreawd El* desire of
yielding ton motion to adjourn, ubo might
with to mako some remarks on sb* bill tomor
row, hot the house would not listen to this
Ides, and cries of “vote, veto,” cams from nil
sides. Hr. Townshend, bowsvnr, stood hta
ground, and declared that tho ycu and nays
most he taken on thn bill.
Mr. Bsndall moved tbo previous question,
which was ordered. Tbe ayes and nays were
then taken and the bill was posted. Ayes 811,
nmysl. Hr. Bennett of North Carolina, east
the only dtsaentlng vote.
A Democratic Negro Appointed.
WAaniNGTuNMnrrkt.—[Special.]—^The dem
ocratic resldentaof Washington sr*greatly stir
red np over the appointment of Janos c. Mat
thews, colored, of Albany, ns recorder of deeds,
tbs best office In tho district, and worth over
ten thousand dollars a year. Fred Douglass
was appointed recorder of deeds by airfield,
and hta term has Just expired. Among tho
applicants for the position were John C. Nor
ris, ono of the oldest and most respected cltl-
sens of WMblngton, who, for forty years, hut
been president of the Jtcksoti democratic
club of tho District of Columbia, and Thomas
Jefferson Lnttrell, a leading merchant, and
one of the most liberal and active democrats in
tbe district. Tho president Ignored their
claim In ftvor of Matthews, whom he knew
In Albany, and who Is supposed to bs a demo
crat. Thta appointment follows oat tho line
Indicated by tne letter of Postmaster I tenoral
Vilas to Congressman Candler last summer,
that It wonhl bo tbo policy of tbo administra
tion to appoint democratic negroes to succoed
publican negro officials.
WASHINGTON, D. 0, March 5.—[flpsctal.]—
The appointment of Matthews ns successor of
Fred Douglass In the office of commissioner of
deeds; ta still all thn talk In Washington. At
tbe democratic national convention tha dele-
I ntes from thta District offered s resolution
i ccltrirg that tha appointment* In tbo territo
ries and tbo District of Colombia should be
moda from residents, and It wu adopted.
I’resIdcnbClevetand hu observed It In most of
hta territorial appointments. Hta disregard of
It In thta Instance hu elicited an almost unani
mous protest from tbe deraoerata In the Dls-
trir t. The objection to Matthews ta not
that he ta A negro, hot It ta n pro
test against tho Importation of • man
to fill one of the meet responsible
offices In the District. He wu not indorsed hy
a single dtmoent In Washington, while there
were prominent local democrats who had the
Indorsement of hundreds of tbeir follow Hu',
sens. Bald a prominent merchant tonic!;::
• “It is all right to honor colored demuc.-at*.
President Cleveland ought to havo given t- -t
friend Matthews something, hut ho sltoil-X
have made him postmaster at New York, or
marshal of Nor York, instead ofj/hre’ng h'/.t
upon ns who never uwhiui or heard o; him
nntll his name wu sent to the senate."
It ta currently reported that tbe president
will appoint ex-Scnator lllsncbe K. Braes to
succeed Dorman B. Eaton an republican in sin
ter or the etvn servlc* commission. Bruce is
one of the two colored men who have held
seals-talks United Stales senate. The othor
was Bevel!, of Mississippi, who nsed to allade
to hint self as Jefferson Davis’ auccemor.
Biuco in appointed register of tho treninry
ny Garfield, and his term expired several
months syo. He Is worth a hundred thousand
dollars and lives In stylo In Washington.
The Tariff Debate.
It Is rumored that there wu rather an una-
inol scene tn the ways and means cuntmitten
Jrsteroay. A delegation of working in mi had
a hrarlng before that body, and protested
against any charge In the tariff. Ono of them
aid to-Mr. Morrison that he wu apt to wax
warm In discussing tho tariff question, and
exclaimed:
“Either do one or twn things—let the tariff
alone or give ns free trade straight. Wo wont
stay here and starve, Mr, Morrison, hut we’ll
go to England and get a lick st yon on tho
other side of tho Atlantic.”
Another of tho delegation ta an employe of
the firm of Cooper, Hewitt ft Co.
lie told tho committee that the tariff
changes of 1883 had Injured that firm and Its
employee, especially the change made In tbo
dnty on wire rods. Mr. Hewitt admitted
that It had dona so, but said that he hod op
posed the change. Mr. llcwltt also admitted
frankly that he conld not get ten votes among
hta own eight hundred employes If bo were
to ran for congress In tbe district where hta
works were located. There Is much that ta
Mr. Bsndall uld today that he had no Idea
that-qjm Morrison hill, In Its present shape,
conld pass the bouse. He thinks that st leut
forty democrats would vote against the bill.
Mr. Bsndall says ho ta In favor of a Judicious
reduction of tbe tariff, but ho does not liellsve
the Morrison bill proposed such a reduction.
Mr. Bnndsll glvra no intimation u to whether
or not ho will offer a tariff bill.
Tho ways and means rommtttco heard cvp
dance on tho proposed reduction of twenty per
cent on charcoal Iron. Among tho wltassie*
wereDr. Frank King, of Van Bnren furnace,
Bbrnendoah county, Va., and A. L. Tyler, of
Anniston, Ala. Mr. fism Noble, of Anniston,
will bo here next Tuesday and will go before
the committee to protest ngslnit redaction of
the tariffon charcoal Iren. General Harry
Bingham, of Pennsylvania, told me
this afternoon that ho was certain
that tho Morrison hill could notpaas tbo house.
He said at least forty-seven democratic votes
were igslnat It in that body. The republi
cans an practically solid In their opposition to
it* »
Urccklnrlrfgt'M Peroration on tliePeutlon Dill
Mr. Cbtirauui, I believe tbit I represent in
tbe vote that 1 have cast and that I may here- ’
aftlr cast that noblo and beloved eonstitnency
which has entrusted me with its ranrr^enta-
tfon. In its boundaries there are no animosi
ties growing out of tbe war, nor baa thsro been
for years. Ifav I be pardoned, merely to illu«-
trite tbo condition or that district, for (inraonal
allusion? Of tliotwogrown men who are dearest
to me ono served four years in the confederate
army, ono four years in tho federal army;
&u< k]td at tho aamo breast, Instructed at tho
fame kuca, in car/y boyhood becoming mother*
Icaa, between the three thcro la onlvconfldenco
und affection. Thcro was a fourth, for whom
the mother gave her life, and who seorned te
grow up with tho sunny lovlngneM that made
that mother dear to all with whom rdie came
in contact. In the early flush of hh young
manhood ho laid hia life, a federal aoldier,
upon tho altar of his duty, and ho lies at tho
feet of m venerable mail whose earnest, int*n*o
and able devotion to the union of the slates in
well known among the people from whom I
came.
Standing hy thoao graved and looking two) 1 *
tho bine-grass sward, can be seen In courontrio
dirles tho headidonoa of tho Federal dead, and
not far off on the slope of a beautiful hillside,
under the shade of forest trw*. aUntl* the Ht.
Anthony’s cross, draped with tho furled ban
ner ot tlio broken-flag staff of a dead confeder
acy, guarding In its white purity tho graves of
those who xavo their lives for that flag. Scatter
ed all over tint beautiful cemetery are fathers
and sons and brothers who served in opposing
armies; and in tho adjoining city, and through
all tbe adjacent country, are thoso who lovod
thoec dead heroes, and live now In sweet ac
cord, forgetful of all that was harsh aud bit
ter, remembering with grateful piety only
that which was bravo and kindly and heroic.
Among those people it has been my happkiesii
io dwell—my hope to die and there to lie nntil
the rosurrectlon morn, so that when tho sun of
righteousness comes In tho east, ami 1
rise to meet its beams, tba lint aight npon
which my risen eyes may fall shall bo the faces
of those who, however divided wo may have
rman, with memories llkn these,
with ties like these, conscious of the rectitude
of tho motives which control the vote that 1
give, I shall meet with contempt all effort to
intimidate, all purpose te mUconrtme, apeak*
» acting, \citing, :•« an American ](»|>r«‘*en-
ve on the floor of tho American Congress,
officially the l ull peer of any other rcpi . emu-
live, come from where ho may, whatever ho
may have been. It Is our country, and I shall
keep In view with ceaseless care, her honor,
her prosperity, and her glory, awaiting with
calm confidence tho decision ortho tribunals to
which I am responsible, my own conscience
and the generous people whose commission I
bear. [Prolonged applaase.]
Washington Gossip.
Washington, March 2.—[Special.]—There
Is considerable complaint among congressmen
and others about the ‘‘stylo” of the present ad
ministration. The accusation is best express
ed in that homely old Georgia expression "put
ting on airs.”
President Cleveland Is directly from Lb • peo
ple. He has no "ancestry.” and this fact
commended him highly to that Ameri
can sentiment which despises aristocratic pre
tentions. The early successes in tho career of
this luckiest of our pnbllo men were achieved
by reason of hia popularity with tho muses
with whom he mingled everyday. Ho was
emphatically "ono of the boys.” *
A gentleman from Buffalo told roe tbe
other day that ten years ago there was not a
better local politician in that city than
Grover Cleveland. Ho was tho first to strip
his coat for his party and was ready to volun
teer for any of the rough and tnmblo work of
a campaign. He knew wbat is
called tho floating vote better
than anybody and mingled with it with a fa
miliarity and a freedom which gave fall play
to his btrong domineering disposition. “Tne
gave him his start and were bis .politic-
y guild until tho golden prize of the gu
bernatorial nomination dropped from the skiee
into his lap and he loomed from the
proportions or a city politician into the com
manding prominence of a national char.i-rter.
How.no sensible man conld expect the govern
or of Xew York to preserve the manners arol
a.vDelations of the sheriff of Erio county
orthe mayor of Buffalo.
Andrew Jackson, the typical democrat of
onr country, could discount the most accom
plished diplomat in Washington in the social
graces which he mastered after ho was past
middle life. Nobody ever heard of
Abraham Lincoln doing an awkward thing,
and I have seen Grant on more than one occa
sion preserve a poiso and eonanimttv amid
glittering social splendors which wonld have
made the scion of tho Yero de Veres green with
C *T?c old white house was never so brilliant aa
it has been during this administration. It en
dured a reign of social atnpidity and stinginess
under Hayes. Garfield occupied it only a few
months, and during that time it was more like
a political club bouse than tho foremost man
sion in the country. Arthur al way* entertained
elegantly; and democratic orators who In-
[ComiLQ.d OB fifth column, ninth par )
1 indistinct pruttHI