The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-04-25
Let Congressman Attend to their Duty.


Let Congressman Attend TO their Duty.
The House of Representatives has taken
action which will deprive District Attorney
GARvIN Of the important aid of the Hon.
NOAH DAVIS during the remainder of the
MCFARLAND trial Mr.. DAVIS Is required to
appear at the bar of the House at one o'clock
today, in the custody of the Sergeantat-
Arms, to say what excuse he has TO offer for
being absent from the sessions Of the House
without leave, and TO submit to such order
rs the House may deem proper to make in
the premises This requisition s pcremp-
tory, and the Sergeant-at-Arms has tele-
graphed to Mr.. DAVIS that he must be in
Washington by noon without fail. More
than thirty other members are in the same
situation.
This determination Of the House grew out
of its proceedings on Friday night last.
There was an evening session to consider the
Tariff bill but at the first division it was
found that there was no quorum present.
On call Of the House the number of absen-
tees proved to be more than hundred. The
Sergeant-at-Arms was sent out TO arrest
those who could he found in Washington.
Several whom he brought in were excused !;
but eighteen were fined ten dollars each, and
paid it on the spot Mr.. MoRRELL of Penn
sylvania was excused, because he had OBJ
tanned leave of absence, beginning the
next day, to 60 TO his daugh-
ters wedding, and had merely antci-
pated it q little by starting that evening
The same lcniency, however. was not shown
to Mr.. B. +. BUTLER of Massachusetts,, who
had got leave CT absence, as 1t was said, to
attend to a Ia, suit, and had gone the same
evening before tho leave began. The House
refused to tolerate any such conduct in Mr..
BUTLER, and persisted in ordering him back
ss once without regard to his leave Of al
sence.
The name of the Hon. JOHN MoRRIssEY
Of New York was called, but il seems that
he has an indefinite leave of absence on &C
count Of i'll health. His friend the Hon
JOHN Fox Is absent, however, without
leave, and will have to return in arrest.
When the name of the Hon. &. s. Cox was
called, he was excused for sickness, because
che had been M with the Ohio people all
the previous night !" but q SIMILAR apology
was not accepted for the Hon. JOHN A.
SMITH, who was said to be at that moment
engaged in entertaining our friends from
Ohio who are in Washington on visit"
The House seemed to have more consdera-
tion for the effects of such entertainment
than for the entertainment itself; Cox was
relieved from his fine, hut SMITH will have
to appear at one o'clock today and settle.
In the case of the Hon. WILLIAM n.
SWEENEY the following proceedings were
had on Friday night:
The Sergeantat-Arms then appeared at the bar
and announced that, pursuant 10 the order OF th e
House, lie lad In custody Al The bar Mr.. WILLIAh
N swkEsEr OF Kentucky. ~, o
The Speaker pro teDsI0re-hr SWEENEY. you
have been p, absent I59m e session OF this House
Mr., swEEsEY-I do net know that have any ex.
euse that would be valid one. Was not feeling
still was not 70 unwell but might have been here
MI. BEoK-l move that M colleague, Mr. swEE
MY, be excused for having been absent Tonight.
know he is modest man, and probably does moi
Ike to state tie real reason Tor his absence lie has
been married man Tor seventeen years, and re
ee.yed desuatch to-day informing him that nis vie
has Just become the mother OF his first. girl-0aby
ILaugiierl He has been treating lis friends
literally since the receipt Of that JOYFUL news Gnc
therefore Is low IN funds. move that he be eX
cused
Tie motion to excuse agreed to.
The House adjourned at an advanced hour
on Friday night, without having disposed o
the subject, and in the session of Saturday II
was resumed A resolution was adopted ter
minating on Monday next, May Q, every in
definite leave Of absence like that of Mr.
hoRRIssEY and in compliance with the
order OF the House adopted the evening be
fore, the Speakers warrant was issued to the
Sergeant alarms, directing him to arrest
Mcssrs. AMEs, AXyELI, BIGGs, CoyoDE
Conn of North Carolina, CowLEs, DAVIS o
New York, FERRY, GARFIELD, HALDEMAN
HELM, JENCKEs, KNOTT LYNCH, Fox
MORGAN, NBGIEY, REEVES, RooTs, SnEGDon
of New York. SLoCUM, SMITH of Ohio, SMITI
Of Tennessee, STOKES, SITADER, TAFFE, VAl
Horn. WARD, WILKINSON, and WOOD, anC
bring them to the bar of the House at ON
o'clock to-day.
On Saturday Mr. HOOPER of Massachu
sets renewed the effort to get Gen, BuTIEI
excused. The House still refused 10 ex
ouse him. until Mr.. DAWES came h
the rescue, stating that Gen. BuTLEl
Ind gone on account OF illness in hi
family, and moving that he be excuse,
on the payment OF ten dollars fine and L
this the House agreed. So that the dought
General will not be compelled to appear a
the bar today.
This action Of the House against absentee
Ism is Just and reasonable, and will have
wholesome effect, Gentlemen are elected +
Congress TO devote themselves TO the publ
AnHinesA and they have no right 10 be nj