The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-02-22
NEWS FROM WASHINGTON.
.fumors OF the House OF Hepresen.
sAiiseS.

session with a farce. Speaker Colfax and
wife had their reception that evening, and
Mr.. Boutwell, was chairman pro tenn. After
progressing awhile with business it was dis
covered that there was rot quorum pre-
sent; whercupon the following humorous
proceedings ensued:
A call of the House was ordered. After
the doors wcrc closed, and the names Of the
sbsentees were being called for excuses, the
usual excuses were made-some serious and
many ocular. The scene seemed to afford
amusement to members, and to the nume-
rous spectators in the gallery.
Mr.. ELDRlDGE moved to excuse Mr..
CoLrAX, as the cares of state we're weigh
ing too heavy on him but
The SPEAKER pro tenn. decided that it
was not the rule to call the name of the
SPEAKER.
Many members having been excused on
the plea of ill-health,
MIR. ELDRIDGE moved that ell further
proceedings under the call be dispensed
With, as the excuses made showed an alarm
ing state Of bad health among members.
lie was afraid it would prevent large at
tendance IT the inauguration. Rejected.
Mr.. BUTLER, of Massachusetts,, desired
TO make an appeal to the House, and was
proceeding to say that public business of
great Importance was pressing.
lie Was interrupted by Mr.. ELDRIDGE,
who objected, and insisted that the call
should be proceeded with. He added that
the gentleman from Massachusetts did a
great deal Of talking, while members on
ci3a M ~
saying anything.
A motion to excuse Mr.. MORRIssEY hay
ing been made,
Mr.. ELDRIDGE objected, and said that
Mr.. MoERISSEY had been very little in at
tendance this session. He hoped the Ser
geant-at-Arns would be sent for him but
he thought he had better send two men for
him, as the Sergeant could hardly
take him alone. Laughter
Mr.. MAYNARD moved to excuse Mr..
MULLINS.
SEVERAL MEMBERS: Oh, no we can't do
without Mr. MULLINS.
Mr.. SC0FIELD: A "pint of order " OF
that. Laughter.
After some further time spent In calling
ab:entecs and receiving excuses,
Mr.. ELDRIDGE moved that all the sick
members of the House be referred to the Com
mittee on Reconstruction for restoration.
Mr.. BURR objected, saying that that would
kill off the last man Of them. Laughter.
Mr.. SHANKS suggested that the bust
ness should be allowed to go on without the
amusements. lie thought the gentleman
from Wisconsin had got in quite enough of
his Jokes.
The call for absentees being completed,
Mr.. KELSEY moved that the Sergeant
alarms be directed to bring a. the alb
Eentees.
Mr.. FERRISS moved to adopt the proper
form-to direct the Sergeant at-Arms to
take into custody and bring before the bar
Of the House oil the absentees.
Mr.. KELSEY accepted the modification,
and the motion was agreed to.
4 member suggested that some members
who had answered on the present call, and
had then taken their hats and coats and
walked off, should be called again.
Mr.. SCUENCK said that that was worse
than the original offence.
Mr. ELDRlDGE suggested that it Was
still worse offence for members to escape
out of the hall by jumping out Of the win
dows, and intimated that the gentleman
from Ohio had once done that thing.
Mr.. SCHENCK: That ig not true; not
word Of it. Nothing Of the kind ever &C.
Cured, so far as am concerned. The gem
tlcmau from Wisconsin is as fanciful as he
is witty. lie can coin fact as well as .
Joke.
The roll Of those who had answered was
again called, and it appeared that Mr..
ASHLEY, Of Ohio, was the only member who
had answered on The first call Who was not
now present.
NJ. ELDRIDGE moved that Mr.. ASHLEY
he excused on account Of his eminent ser
vices in the impeachment Of the President.
Rejected.
The name of Mr.. ASHLEY was then in
serted in the warrant issued TO the Ser
gcant-at-3rms.
Various motions were made, the object OF
which vas that the proceedings under the
call should rot be dispensed with by ad-
iournment, but the rules and the digest ap-
pears TO stand in the way Of any arrange
ment The attempt at Acknowledgement oc-
cupied nearly al hour, and puzzled the
minds Of the best parliamentarians OF the
House. In the midst OF the muddlc the
Sergeari-at-Arm5 appeared on the scene
with two members in custody-Messrs. BA-
EER, Of Illinois, and ASHLEY, OF Ohio-and
presented them at the bar Of the House.
Mr.. BAKER, being first called on, said
he did not suppose he really had any ex-
Cuse 10 offer.
lie was, however, excused.
Mr.. ASHLEY, being next called on, said
he had simply walked down TO his commit
tec-room to write letters (the House being
too noisyl, and had left word to be called Il
there vas a vote by yeas and nays.
MIR. PETERS: i move that he be I'M
peached. Loud laughter.l
Mr.. ASHLEY was excused on the pay
ment of costs.
Messrs. BALDWIN and TAFFE were next
presented. The first was excused on his
representing that it was unsate to his health
to attend night sessions, and the latter be-
cause ne had been attending the SPEAKERS
reception.
Messrs. Mccormick and BANKS were next
presented, and were excused on their state
ments that they had been attending the
SPEAKER's reception.
Another hour was spent in tedious, weary
waiting for the production of absentees. 1t
was after midnight when the last man was
produced, and then the House adjourned.
THE ALABAMA CLAIMs.-A special meet
ing Of the Senate Foreign Affairs Commit
tee having been called on Thursday, for the
purpose of taking final action on the Ala
bama treaty, every member was present.
Senator Sumner opened discussion on the
subiac,. in which he declared his unquali-