Rensselaer Republican, Volume 26, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 February 1894 — FIFTY-THIRD CONGRESS. [ARTICLE]

FIFTY-THIRD CONGRESS.

In the Senate, Monday, the Federal "Elections bill was discussed. Senator Chandler concluded the speeeh that he has been delivering in installments for the/ past two weeks against repeal and was followed by Senator Palmer, who argued that the law having failed of its purpose, and being generally obnoxious, should he repealed. An animated controversy of the franchise qualifications of the State constitutions of Mississippi and Massachusetts took place between Senators Frye and Hoar on one side and Senators Gray and Bate on the other. Mr. Palmer then resumed his speech, in which he said that the party which favored tho overthrow of the tint ve government of Hawaii by the white p ipulation, who number less than 2.00 1 of the 90,C 0 inhabitants of the Islands, but own 74 per cent, of the wealth, in this country assumed to bo tho e-pectal guardians of the rights of the colored race. After the conclusion of the debate tho usual short executive session was held and at4:to t heSunate a- ljourned. In the House, M >n lay, the d-bite on the Hawaiian question was resumed. A lively exchange of personalities resulted between Mr. Boutelle and s-veral numbers, who- charged Mr. Boutelle with using ungentlemaiily and unparliamentary language. Mr. Patterson held that the sugar interests were baci{ ng the proposed annexation movement. Mr. Boutelle resumed His speech iu the course of which he said: The honor of the American name is being dragged in the dust by Grover Cleveland, Walter Q. Gresham. James U. Biount and Minister Willis. I have no words to express my cont 'mpt for the policy of treachery, duplicity and false pretence. ¥tm, on ttie other side, cannot' condone this outrage, you cannot make this heroic. (Applause.) Proceeding, he characterized Mr. Gresham as a “disappointed and apo-tate S -cretary of State, who. in conjunction with the President, sought not Only to uproot and overturn an American government, but to degrade the American navy by putting it under the control of a Georgian politician in order to get some one who would haul dow n tlie American flag.” (Applause.) He concluded with a glowing eulogy of the American flag, reciting a few verses, a sort of apo-trophe to thestars and stripes, written by a native of Hawaii. Ho was liberally applauded when be took his seat. Tliedebate was continued by Mr. Block, who said that the eloquent words of Mr. Bouteile, so far as they appealed to American honor and American patriotism, awakened the liveliest commendation in li s heart, hut after all this was now an old storv. li was no longer a grave question. Tho government of Hawaii was now linaiiy established. There was no attempt to invade ft. At 5:15 the House took a recess till 8 p m At the night session the debate was continued till adjournment at a late hour. „ - » In the Senate. Tuesday, in the election bill debate, Frye defended the character of John I. Davenport, stating that ho admired and believed in him. Senator Turpie stated that tins men appointed as deputy marshals in Indiana, by Davenport, had lost an eye, or an arm, or a finger in attempting to burglarize houses, force iwiMows, or tamper with steel traps. Senator Harris opposed the federal elect.on law. Senator Daniel denied that there had ever been any wholesale election frauds in Virginia. At 4:30 the Senate went into executive session and five minutes later adjourned. -: rrr The Hawaiian debate was concluded in the House, Tuesday. At 3:30 the Democrats found themselves without a quorum and passed a resolution revoking leaves of absence and adjimrno I. The majority (McCreary) roso ution is as follows: Resolved, 1. That it is the sense of this House that the action of the-United States minister in employing United States naval forces and illegally aiding -4ft-overthrowing the constitutional government of the Hawaiian islands, in January, 1893, and setting up in its place a provisional government, not republican in form, aiid in opposition to the will of a majority of tho people, was contrary to the ■ traditions of our Republic and tho spirit of our Constitution, and should be and is cond 'mned. 2. That we heartily approve the principle announced by the President of the United Stales, that interference with t ie domestic affairs of an independent nation fscont ra ry tath os pint of A merman ins 11 - tut oils. It is further the sense of this House that tho annexation of tho Havvaiir an islands to our country, or the assumpr t on of a protectorate over them by our Government, is uncalled for and inexpedient: that tlie people of that country should have absolute freedom and independence in pursuing their own line of policy, and that foreign intervention in the political affairs of the islands will not ho regarded with indifference by tho Government of the United States. When tho Senate convened, Wednesday, the federal elections repeal Dili was taken up, and Senator Hoar took the floor in opposition to thetneastire. He said that the history of the elections in this country since 1805. now on file, in the archives of the Capitol, show tho blackest history of crime since tlie world was created. Senator Gray, in reply to Mr. Lloar. held that the present election laws aggravated the evilsof whichtheSenator from Massachusetts complained. Senator Cameron stated that, as Secretary of War. ho had interfered in certain elections in 1870, which resulted in the defeat of Mr. Ti den. Senator Allison opposed repeal. After a desultory dobato Senator Bate took the floor in support of repeal, an 1 made an exhaustive argument. Senator Chandler then presented an amendment providing for the repeal of only so much of the existing laws as called for deputy marshals, which was dofeated—27 to 40. Senator Chan Her then presented the same amendment in a modified form, which was also defeated — 27 to 33. AtC p. m. tho vote on the final passage of the repeal bill was tak< n and it was adopted—yeas" 39, nays 28, The bill repealing the present election laws is, therefore, ready for the President’s signature. At 6:15 the Senate adjourned. In the Home, Wednesday, Mr. McCreary called up his Hawaiian resolution, Mr. Reed pursued the filibustering tactics inaugurated on* Tuesday. The roll was calleionthe adoption of the McCreary resolution. The Republicans sat silent in j their seats. If the resolution were to bo I passed they wore resolvoi that tho Democrats should produce their own quorum. A vote was had after an animated discus- . sion of parliamentary rules and the I Speaker announced the result. 174 to 3 no quorum. In the meantime enough Democrats appeared to makeup aquoruru . and on the second roil call tho resolution j was carried—l7otos7—Republicans voCn ; nay. Immediately on the announcement of the vote Mr. Bland called up his bill d.reeling the ‘Secretary of th« Treasury to coin tho silver seigniorage in, the treasury, and moved that the House go into committee of the whole for its consideration. Points of order occupied the attention of the members until 7 o’clock when the House adjourned. In the Senate, Tbnrßday, Senator Perkins presented memorials of the San

Francisco Chamber of Commerce pray in - for the annexation of Hawaii, the layln. of a cable from the United States to Hawaii and for the completion of the Nicaragua canal under Government contract. Senator Wxlcott presented a resolution providing for the submission of a const!tutional amendment prohibiting the States from denying suffrage to any person on account of sex. A memorial of the wool growers again t the Wilson bill was presented hy S uator Sherman, who stated that the finance committee had refused the wool growers a hearing, and requested that tlie memorial be pr.tiled. It was so ordered. Senator Wolcott presented. without reading, several amendments to tins Wilson tariff bill. A letter from the S 'cretarv of tlie Treasury was laid before the Senate in r p y to the resolution of Senator Peffer. adopted some days ago, calling for tin n i nes of tho bt n t-hidders. amounts of bonds i-sied and rates of interest. The resolution of Senator Stewart denying the right of the S cretarv of tlie Treasury to issue bonds was the subject of an extended debate. At 2 o'cloc k the in a tter was nnd isj >o<ed of and it was by unanimous consent that the res olution went over and retained Its place on the calendar. After a consideration of mlscel anoons hnslimss the Senate adjonrned till Monday . In the House* Thursday, the deadlock on Mr. Bland’s silver seignoirago bill was broken after four hours of continuous filibtist< ring when, hy a vote of 17ti to 4. the House carried Mr. -Rtand’s motion of going Into comm tteeof the whole for consideration of hs bill. Ttie Eastern DemocratsandJthe gmat mjss of tho Republicans made a determined opimsition. but Mr. Bland was at last victorious. On tho final vote 20 Republicans and all the Populists voted witii him. while 22 Democrats who were present joined with the remainder of tlie Republicans in refusing!*) vote. Upon tlie announcement Mr. Geissenhalner moved to adjourn, but tlie Speaker declined to entertain the motion on the ground that Mr. Bland’s motion carried the House into committee of the whole on the seigniorage bill. Mr. Hatch took the chair aiid Mr. Bland took the floor in advocacy of tlie bill. He entered at once upon an explanation of tlie provisions of tlie bill, but without concluding liis speech Mr. Bland yielded to a motion that the t o nnjittec rise, an arrangement having been ma le that the filibuster wa> to cease. With this understanding on Mr. B!and r s motion so much of the resolution passed last night as directed the Sergeant-at-arms to am st absentees was revoked. A bill from the joint committee on expenditures in the departments to make unifimn tlie methods of accounting | in the departments was taken up and 1 passed on motion of Mr. Dockery, and then, at 4:50, the House adjourned.