Congressional Record
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD. PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE FORTY-FOURTH CONGRESS. SECOND SESSION. IN SENATE. servants, and brought them hither again to greet each other and to re sume their serious labors in this place. We thank Thee for th:tt great :MoNDAY, December 4, 1876. me:tsUre of mercy which Thou hast vouchsafed to our country during this centennial yen.r. We th:tnk Thee for the success of those wonder The first Monday of December being the day prescribed by the ful arrangements by which it has been commemorated. We thank Constitution of the United States for the annual meeting of Congress, Thee that in the miust of a momentous politic:tl contest so much of the second session of the Forty-fourth Congress commenced this day. right sense aud goou order has prevailed among tho people. And we The Senators assembled in the Senate Chamber at the Capitol, in the come to confess n,nd to deplore before Thee and before the nations city of Washington. wha,tever of evi1, in any quarter or upon any side, may have been in SE~ATORS PRESE~T. the viobtion or abuse of the great fra.nchise of freemen. And now The following Senators were present: From the State of- that we :tnd this whole nation are in the midst of this vital business, Maine-Hannibal Hamlin. wllich llas yet to be concluded, we humbly entreat Thee to remember l:\ew Hampshire-Aaron H. Cragin and Bainbridge Wadleigh. all t.hose who lla.ve any part to take in tho solemn juncture of our Vermont-George F. Edmunds and Justin S. Morrill. national affairs. Massachusetts-GeorgeS. Boutwell and Henry L. Dawes. We beseech Theetorememberaud bless Thy servant, the President Rhode Island-Henry B. Anthony and Ambrose E. Burnside. of the United States, and his C:tbinet; Thy servants, the officers and Connecticut-William H. Barnum and William W. Ea.ton. · members of the Congress now convened; thejudges andm:tgistratesof New YoJ'k-Roscoe Conkling and Francis Kernan. the land; the officers and men of the Army and Navy; and all those New Je1'sey-Frederick T. Frelinghuysen and Theodore F. Randolph. who have any rule or authority to bear over us. Pennsylvania-Simon Cameron and William A. Wallace. O, we beseech Thee, grant to these, Thy servants, special wisdom Delau:a1·e-Thomas F. Bayard and understanding, that they may be able to determine and to do that Ma1·yland-George R. Dennis and William Pinkney Whyte. which is right in accordance with Thy most gracious will and in fur Virginia-Robert E. Withers. therance of the welfare of all the people. 0, Thou Fatller of Light, North Ca1·olina-Augu.stus S. Mernmon and Matt. ·w. Ransom. may they see light in Thy light. 0, Thou Author of all Peace, suffer S01tth Carolina-John J. Pa.tter8on. us not for our sins to fall into confusion, but breathe peace and sta Georgia-Thomas M. Norwood. bility over all the land. And forasmuch as the members of this Con Florida-Simon B. Conover and Charles W. Jones. gress first came together under the shadows that yet lingered a.bout Alabama-George E. Spencer. these halls for the death of him who once presided here, and foras Mississippi-Blanche K. Bruce. much as they parted n,way in the anticipation of the same sad event Louisiana-J. R. \Vest. for him who presided yonder, a,nd whose memory yet claims our rev- Texas-Morgan C. Hamilton and Samuel B. Maxey. erent attention, we entreat Thee, 0 Lord, that these united voices, .A1·kansas-l'owell Clayton n,nd Stephen W. Dorsey. speaking from the grave, may give tender counsel to all the living; Missottri-Lewis V. Bogy and Francis M. Cockrell. and we beseech Thee that there may be a continual effort to understand Tennessee-l;Ienry Cooper n,nd David M. Key. and to know the way of right, and truth, and justice. Kent1wky-Thomas C. McCreery and John W. Stevenson. 0, Thou God of our fathers, keeping covenant and mercy for thou·· West Virginia-Heury G. Davis. sands of them th:tt love Thee and obey Thy law, forsake us not, wo Ohio-Allen G. Thurmn,u. beseech Thee, before the eyes of all the nations in such a time as this; Indiana-Joseph E. McDou:tld and Oliver P. Morton. but do Thou be graciously pleased to preside over us in all our affairs, fllinois-J ohn A. Logan. and do not, for any single instant, let go Thy care upon us. Through Michl!Jm~r-Isaac P. Christiancy and Thomas W. Ferry. Jesus Christ, our Lord. A.meu. Wisconsin-Angus Cameron. SWEARING IN OF SE~ATORS. Iou:a-William B. Allison and George G. Wright. Minnesota-William Windom. The PRESIDENT pro tempore presented the credentials of Jerome Kansas-James M. Harvey and John J. Ingalls. D. Chaffee, elected by the Legislature of the State of Colorado a Nebmska-Phineas \V. Hitchcock and Algernon S. Paddock. Senator from that State; which were read. · California-Newton Boot.h aud A:tron A. Sargent. He al~o presented the credentials of Henry 1\I. Teller, elected by Oregon-John H. Mitchell. the Legislature of the State of Colorado a Senator fi·om that State; The PRESIDENT pro tempore (THOMAS W.· FERRY, of Micbirran) which were read. cn,llcd the Senate to order at twelve o'clock m., there being a quo~um The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senators-elect who are present o{ Senators present. will please advance to the desk n,nd take the constitutional oath. PRAYER. Messrs. Chaffee and Teller advanced to the desk. · Tho PRESIDENT pro tempore. Tho Chair understands there are Rev. BYRON SUNl>ERLAXD, D. D., Chaplain to the Senate offered other Senators-elect present, who will please ad vance to tho desk to be the following prayer: ' . sworn at the same time. O, Thou, Almi~hty aod Everlasting God, in Whom we live, and move, Jn,mes G; Blaine (whose credentials of appointment by the gov and ha_ve our lremg-, we co~e here together this day to lift up to Thee ernor of Maine as Senator fr(}jn th:tt State to fill until the next mec>t. our umt.ed prayer m worshtp and adoration. We come to thank Thee ing of the Legislature the vacancy occasioned by tho resignation of for tho kindness of that providence which has gone over us and over Lot M. Morrill were presented at the last session) advu.ucetl. to tlle all the land during the mouths tha.t are past. We thank Thee that in desk. Thy goodness Thou hast preserved the lives of so many of these, Thy Tho oaths prescribed by law having been administered by the Presi- 2 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. DECEl\IBER 4, dent p1·o tempore to Messrs. BLAL~, CHAFFEE, and TELLER, they took ident. and Vice-President of the United States, and for RepreRentatives in Congt-eRS, the.ir seats in the Senate. and for the executive anrl judicial officers of such States, and for members of tho Le~slatures thereof, has been denied or l!l'Catly abrid!!ed: Therefore, 1th'. DAVIS presented the credentia.ls of Samuel Price, appointed . Resolved, That the Committee on Pri\ileges and EJections, when appointed, be by the governor of the State of 'Vest Viq~iuia a Senator from that antl it hereby is instructecl to inquire amlreport as soon as may be- State to fill, until the next meeting of the Legislature thereof, the va- l. Whether in any of the elections named in said amendment, in said States, in cancy caused by the death of Allen T. Caperton. · t.hfl yearf4 1875 t>r 1876, the rirrht of any portion of such inhabita.nts and citizens to vote as aforesaid bas been iu any wise denied or abrifl .~e d. The credentials were read; and, the oaths prescribed by law hav 2. To what extent such denial or abridgment has been carried. ing been administered to Mr. PRICE, he took his seat in the Senate. 3. llywhat meand such denhl or aurid~!rnent has been accomplished. 4. n.v whom has such denial or abridgment been effected. CLASSIFICATION OF COLORADO SE.a.~ATORS. 5. With what motives and for what purposes bas such denial or abridgment beell Mr. HITCHCOCK submitted the following resolut.ion and order; carried on. · 6. By what authority or pretenderlanthority has 11uch denial or abridgment been which were considered by unanimous consent, and agreed to: exercised. Resolved, That the Senate now proceed to ascertain the cla.~ses to which the Resolved further, That the said <',ommittee have powt'r to employ such number of Sen :\tors fl'Om the Sta.to of Colora{}o shall be Msigned., in conformity with the reso stenographers a.s shall be needful, and to send for persons and papers, and have lution of the 14th of May, 1789, and as the Conl'!titution reqnims- letn-e t{) sit during the sessions of the Senate, and to appoint subcommitteeH with OrdRud, That the Secreta.r.v put into t.he ballot~ box two paper:J of equal size, one full power to make the inquil'ies aforesaid, and report the same to the committee. of which shall be numbered two and the other shall boa. bl:mk. E .1 ch of the Sen Resvl11edj·urthe-r, That said committee, in ortlet· to the more speedy pt'dormance ators of the State of Colorado shall draw out one paper, and tile Senator who shall of its duties, have power to provide for the taking of affidavits on the subjects afore draw the paper numbered two shall be insertecl iu the class of Senators whose term said before any officer authorizec.l by the laws of the-United Sta.tes to take affidavits; of !'lt'rvice will expire the third day of March, 1879.