THE MORGAN RAID APPROPRIATION BILL.
Mr. DAVIS, of Floyd, moved to take up the consideration of the Senate amendments (just reported by message,) to the Morgan Raid Appropriation bill [H. R. 119], which motion was agreed to.
Mr. DAVIS then moved that the Senate amendments be concurred in by the House.
Mr. COTTON moved, ineffectually, to lay the motion on the table-yeas 42, nays 47-Mr. DUNN explaining his affirmative vote, stating expressly that he is in favor of the allowance of these Morgan raid claims.
Mr. DAVIS, of Floyd, now demanded the previous question on the adoption of his motion, but the House refused to second the demand-affirmative 40, negative 45. Whereupon Mr. DAVIS demanded a recount, which resulted-affirmative 42 negative 47. So there was not a second.
Mr. DUNN moved that this bill be made the special order for Friday at 2 o'clock. He had from the beginning been in favor of paying these claims, but he was opposed to hurrying the bill. He moved to postpone, because there were members here interested, and because he would increase the weight of the responsibility of members proposing to resign on account of the pendency of another measure. He himself himself would vote for the bill; and it had been repeatedly endorsed by this Republican Legislature.
Mr. WILLSON deprecated the pretense of friendship to this bill which would admit of a motion to postpone it to an hour beyond which Democrats were pledged not to remain here. The success of the motion would defeat the bill, and he called upon its friends to vote it down.
Mr. COFFROTH voted for this bill indifferently-not being interested, beyond the promptings of the feeling of its intrinsic justice. As to whether Democrats would stay here and give a quorum next Friday to pass the Fifteenth Amendment, he said not only would no Democratic member stay here, but no Democratic dog would stay to give that quorum, for forty Morgan raid bills. He said also, (not by way of threat), that such a course as this motion proposes, notwithstanding the Morgan raid or other appropriation bills, might reduce the House below a quorum before the close of this day.
Mr. WILDMAN considered this bill as having been put into better shape by the Senate amendments, but, as a friend of the bill, he hoped these amendments would not be passed under the pressure of the previous question.
Mr. OVERMYER proposed to amend Mr. Dunn's motion so as to make the postponement of the consideration of these Senate amendments to this afternoon & o'clock.
Mr. STEWART, of Ohio, said the motion of Mr. Dunn was a tack to get rid of the bill, to which Mr. Dunn interposed an page: 217[View Page 217] indignant denial. Still, to postpone the bill was a dodge to defeat it. Such, at least, would be the effect of the success of he motion. Let us come out, then, at once, and either pay these claimants, or shut out all their hopes from this quarter.
Mr. RUDDELL. The imputation of dodging could be applied with more propriety to those who are dodging the Fifteenth Amendment. He would not remove the burden of responsibility from these dodging members. He moved to amend Mr. Dunn's motion so as to postpone the bill till Friday, 3 o'clock.
Mr. DUNN accepted the modification.
Mr. RUDDELL then demanded the previous question, and there was a second, and the main question was ordered yeas 48, nays 42 Mr. Pierce, of Porter, explaining his negative vote the passage of this bill was not more desirable to any man's constituents than was the ratification of the Constitutional Amendment to his. Mr. Pierce, of Vigo, voted aye, for consistency in his support of this measure, because to postpone it till Friday would be as good a defeat, as to postpone till the first of July. Mr. Miles voted aye, with the distinct understanding that he should vote against the bill.
Mr. Overmyer's motion to make the bill the special order for two o'clock, was then adopted.
On motion of Mr. FULLER, the Senate amendments to his Sheriff's Mileage bill [H. R. 51] were taken up and concurred in.
Mr. WILDMAN (by consent) from the Committee on Elections, returned and recommended the passage of the bill [S. 166].
Mr. CHITTENDEN, from the Committee on Corporations, returned the bill [S. 323] to amend the charter of the University of Notre Dame Du Lac, at South Bend, recommending its passage.
Mr. SABIN, returned the claim of Nicholas Russell, recommending that at it be not allowed. The report was concurred in.
He also returned the claims of certain parties for illegal confinement in the State prison South, without recommendation; Which was laid on the table.
Mr. OVERMEYER, from the Committee on the organization of Courts, returned the bill, [S. 347,] for Criminal Courts for the counties of LaPorte and St. Joseph, recommending its passage.
