The Indianapolis daily herald., 1865-11-01
The Clerk OF the House


Wendell Phillips some months ago. mace his
pFoeAmauOh tnh tne iale OF the nahon vas 10
the hsndsof The clerk of the last House OF Rep
reentau'es' "ho' oy law noias over nhtt zoe
new OongIet elece speaker, ana Nuose olty
g Is - prepare an Official list OF msmoers MI
fhiilips aoHc1 tnst m thc hrmness OF TOE Clerk
IN excluding from the roll the names of mem
ecrs from recons'ructed States. vas vested the
only hope OF National salvation. This VAS the
rock or sandstone upon vhics be reposed. aud
he expressed q melancholy apprehen non that ne
Clerk might not be man OF soldiiy.
Mt. kdwasd hePherson, the CLERK OF the
House, would have been singular person II be
had manifested eay considerable oppos'ton TO
TINS and kindred enorfs 70 magnify his once. on'
be would have commended himself 10 The Judl.
eious II be had been careful not 10 show dis
position 70 sssist in t9e Psocess OIL tue exaggerA
uon OF nis CONSEQUENCE. We and in the nes
| ork Evening fost, !" ashington letter, da'eo
Oetooer - containing tne following
The CLERK OF the last Congress. by law,
holds over tll the new Congress elects 3
speaker, anu u u nis duty 10 procure an ofhcla
list OF members lie calls the roll when the
| house meets, and when the e.ectlon OF speaker
takes place he uses tins roll Great power u
conferred upon the Clerk, but IL could not b'
other"se. Mt McPherson has informed hi'
trends without reservation. that he Will no
place upon 'he oihcial list OF members any per
son claiming 20 be elected from state That ha'
been 10 rebellion agains. The Government IL
90 Inherently would be to decide himself, one o
most important questions before Congress; Tor Il
leI IN eighty Southern members AT the outet Z
vote UPON the soolec OF their Own recognition
would end the controversy IN their favor at once.
hat members OF Congress elected in State
tnat were involved IN the rebellion will pressn
themselves IN The Hall OF the House OF Repre-
sehtauVes' on the hrst Monday OF Decemoe
next u certain. hnoeklng o. tne door, Is
ngufe oil speech Ihere Is no military or othe
gusru al the door 10 inspect the passes OF me n
oers, and pronounce upon their validity. Horace
Maynard and Colonel Stokes, OF tennessee, VII
not encounter any more diniculty IN walking mt
the Hall, than Hon. ben AMIN Egges;oh an'
General II. Hayes, OF Ohio.
tennessee we may suppose may DC counted
State that has been IN rebellion against the Gov
eminent MIR hcPherson hss-it the Post''
tcofresponueht ls well informed, ana we nave n'
oouot ne ls-told his trends without reservation
4 tnst ne Will not place the names OF Maynard
stokes, ana others oil the tennessee delegati0l
tine application OF this example to all tue re
constructed states - clear upon his oihci4i roll
Iefnaps a motion VIII be MADE directing that h'
Snaii ii cali al tue states and the names oi tnei
Representatives, anu perhaps ne VIII refuse 10 u'
so. Can he imagine that The decision o! thu
moHentous question rests Win him alone!
An instructive precedent VIII readily DE cite
oy readers OF congressional history. On the =
OF december 1889, AZ tue opening OF the wen
sixth congress, Hugh Uarlsnu, Clerk OF tn'
| twenty MIN congress, refused to call the name
OF tne mem9ers Irom New Jersey because Ia
seats oi all tue members OF tnat stare were con
tested for tnree 1ays there was al excited an
wiz oeoa'e' 'he mouse oeing ooth disoFganlze,
anu oisofuetiy. oh the ioutth oay, the Ciefi
was oirected 20 caii the roll again, and com
/ mencihe WIN Name nan proceeded according Il
tue geographical SITUATION oil the States. as lar a
new Jersey ana was about to say that he wonl'
no' can ,he names OF members OF that state
nneh 1ohn quincy Adams. who had not had any
.nlng 10 say Aooa. tne controversy up TO tha
n'o'ne"'' suuueny 'ook ,ae moor ana sad' :"
rise 10 interrupt the olerk
iuS'ahty mere was profound silence IN TAT
nan, anu MI ADAMS sau:
We degrade and disgrace our constituents
anu tne country because the Cierk 'i the House
.ne uheie oierh whom We employ, anu whose ex
a..enee depends upon our Will nsurPs the thron'
aHu '.' "a, VI. ner'eSe"'a'',es anu vice ge'ehi
o' tue "noie American people, al Iehance, an'
noius Us IN contempt. ana wnst Is TINS CieF'
% you's ue W suspenu .! MS mere heSal''
Tue functions OF Government, ana put an end &
.h's congress ne refuses TO call the ron, tn