Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1866-04-18
PASSAGE or THE FRANCHISE BILL IN
TIE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
Overthrow OF the Rebel Uaucns.--T
House UndeFWeigh .---Tile Boilers
Brought to Grief.
Not Good hooking and Can't Come IN. !,

mouse !" UnQeFWelgh "---The BellerS
Brought TO Grief.
Not Good Looking and Can't Come In =
The proceedings il the lower branch Of the Leo
stature yesterday morning were deeply interesting
An the members in the city, except two who were
absent by reasen of sickness, were in their seats
early IN the morning The boilers were also on
hand IN ful force, evidently good deal denoraliz-
ed but eagerly waiting for signal from the Speaker
to throw the House into confusion. Their leader.
Mr.. Poston, of Shelby, was on hand, quiet and de-
corous, and not yet being recognized as member,
occasionally leaving his desk to give the cue to some
friend who had the privilege not enjoyed by him
self OF making motions and presenting resolutions
considerable number of persons stood in the lobby
watching the proceedings with much interest al
though it was not expected by outsiders that QUO
rum would be obtained for some DAYS. or perhaps
weeks to come. So hopeful, indeed were the friends
OF the boilers that they would be able TO walk
rough-shod over the heads Of the Union members.
according to the programme marked out bv their
Monday evening caucus that the Banner of yes.er-
day, fairly chuckled out with delight in making the
following announcement
"The House of Representatives evidently has the
lock-jaw. There is no lack Of speech making but
perfect stand still In every other respect. Wesup
pose they will get underweigh about the Fourth of
July
1t turned out that the House got 4undsr,,sigJs
what the devil does that mean p and that the bolt
ers proved to be entirely too light to affect the scales
of justice, and therefore may be classea as ,adsr
,geight
Mr.. Arnelr presented the credentials of Mr.. st.
Clair, the member elect from Dyer and Lauderdale.
and moved their reference to the COMMITTEES on
Elections, which was done. Mr.. Thornburg Chair
man OF the Committee, announced that he was ready
to report on the cases of several of the members
alo nd IIro1J has .,r1l $40, ! l. n
this there general call for the report by the
Union members. The Speaker said that he had con
scientiousy entertained the belief that the House
could not receive the report unless quorum was
present, but as he exceedingly anxious to place
no obstacle in the way of transaeting public bust
ness, he would put the motion on the reception of
the report, with great reluctance. The ayes and
noes were called for and the vote stood: AYES, So
noes none the Speaker voting in the Affirmative
At this iuncture of affairs the brows of the boilers
began to blacken, and their countenances fell as
rapidly as mercury on frosty morning. Same paced
the hall ike hungry animals in menagerie, and
others in mute anguish looked steadfastly at the ven
cradle Speaker and wondered whether be was actu-
ally in earnest when he said that he was anxious to
place no hindrance In the transaction of public bus
mess. Was it for this they had spoken thirteen
hours against time and squandered near 800 600 of
public money? Was it for this they had broken up
the Legislature? Was it for this thew had held a
".
sued their ukase to the Speaker? And now the
Speaker had the audacity to lift his gold speck5 to
his forehead and blandly inform the House that he
wished to facilitate the transaction Of business the
very thing of all others that they didn't want him to
do. As Desdemona said
&C most lame and impotent conclusion :"
Mr. Smith, of Hardeman, next moved that The
four members whose cases had been acted on BY the
committee favorably be brought in and sworn in
namely, Messrs. Porter, Morris, Shepherd and
Num-. The speaker said that he could not put the
motion to the House, as there was not quorum
present.
Mr.. Smith said that if such was the decision Of
the Speaker, in fragrant violation of all parliamen-
tary law and usage it became his painful duty to
assert the rights of the House. and to request the
clerk TO put his motion to that body. The Speaker
protested with exceeding fervor that before God he
did not mean nor desire to be despotic nor arbitra
ry. If he knew his own heart it was his single pur
pose to do his duty if he knew it. and not to be ty
rannical nor refractory He would eheerfully swear
in the new members reported on if all the others
would present themselves. Messrs. Mum, Porter,
Shepherd and Morris were then sworn in. Mr.. Ar
nell said that the members just sworn in completed
quorum, and moved that the House now proceed
to its regular business.
The CONSERVATION of the boilers at this stage Of
the proceedings was evidently the increase. The
leaders smelt rat and looked sorely disguised as
they surveyed the scene The small fry saw that
something out of joint, but didn't know precise
ly what Like Dickens hero, they were all in a
rnuddle.''
Mr.. Warren, the courteous member from McNary
now offered q petition signed by Poston, Bledsoe
Wynne, Thomas Martin, Walker, Steele, 0verstreet
Nicks, N. Porter, Faulkner, ordway and Lewis
members elect demanding admission to seats in the
House, from which eleven Of them withdrew few
weeks since. Mr. Garner promptly moved that the
petition be referred to the Committee Elections,
which was carried unanimously. This was q MUIR
derous shot at the Anti-Francbise members, and
caused another elongation Of faces on that side Of
the House. They looked at each other, and said by
their chances, "Why dosen't the Speaker obey the
orders of our caucus? We must try him by drum
head court martial But the Speaker sat as quiet
and sedate as Jupiter upon the summit of Olympus.
We verify believe that if the caucus folks had their
way, they would have dragged him from his pride
of place into his cosy little room on the right and
put him through penitential process, similar to
that which SanchO Panza was hidden TO perform for
the disenehantment Of Dulcinea. They dared not
attempt violence however, for the hurley form OF
Maxwell lowered the left of the chair and Raul
stons polished hickory cudgel glistened on the right /
and Mullins keen dark eye flashed along the front |
TO see that there foul play in that quarter
The truth OF history demands that we should not !
omit to notice the old plaster of paris eagle which
stood with outspreed wings and open beak in the /
rear OF the chair much as to say all right, Mr.
Speaker"
The Speaker then said chat he would announce
several additional names 70 the Committee on Flee
lions, to Gil the vacancies which existed
Mr.. Arnell at first objected, on the ground Chat
.he committee already contained fifteen members,
while the in Congress had only nine, but after
wards withdrew bis objection, and the Speaker filed
he vacancies.
Reports FROM the other committees were then
,aled for. Hood, late member from Hamilton, arose
md proposed to present report, as Chairman of
he Committee on Enrolled Bills. after having
acted prominent part in the boilers little rebellion
md permitted the boilers manifesto to travel the
State with his name affixed to it. uncontradicted, he
low denies having signed It, or having resigned his
eat Mr.. Mullins objected, as be did not recog-
nize him a member of this body, There was
mother person here who had credentials from Ham
lton county as her representative elect and that
question must be settled before the House could re-
,eive reports from the late member from Hamilton
The report was then withdrawn. The call for re-
,orts being ended, Mr.. Raulston said that he would
low move to take up the unfinished business Of the
House, on which list the Franchise Bill stood first
Let the House dispose Of that question promptly,
nd get all of its trouble out OF the way, so that all
business might be attended to tremendously and fra
ernaly The Clerk thereupon read the bill and
lie ayes and noes were taken upon the third and
asst reading of the ~. The battle, however had
lready been fought and won, so that the curiosity
oh 1s -,