Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-03-05
THE FOR Y-sECOEO CONGRESS-
Organization Of the House Two Hundred
and TwBHty two Members Sworn Ia
Full Representation, Two Hua-
drsd and Forty-three.
New Hampshire, Connecticut and California
Not Represented.
Tbs TsEhssses sad Mississippi Members
Sworn lH-YO's Of the Third District
Of Arkansas ReieCtsF.
The Republicans Elect 0fictrs for the
House by a Vote Of One Hundred
and Twenty six TO klssty-three.

WASHINGTON, March AT few
minutes after II o'clock, when the
FOrty-first Congress had been adj
adjourned, and after a short pause,
Mcpherson, the Clerk of the House,
summoned the new House to order,
and proceeded to call the names of
members by States. New Hampshire,
Connecticut and California were un-
representative elections in these
States not having been held. In re-
gard to North Carolina, the Clerk
stated that he had. been requested by
Rogers, from the Fourth District, not
to call his name, and, therefore, did
not do so.
In regard to Mississippi, the Clerk
stated that while the credentials were
of a peculiar form, owing to the fact
that the elections were held under the
reconstruction acts, itappeared to him
they were substantially correct. He,
therefore, accepted them.
In regard to Tennessee, the Clerk
stated that the credentials presented
by members of the FOrty-hrst Con-
gress were both vague and
evasive, and the changes made were
so WOrded, and special, as to create
the belief that they were perhaps
made to produce uncertainty. He had
been in doubt as to his duty con-
cerning them, but had finally con-
cluded to give them, this time, the
benefit of The doubt and accept them.
The point which had been urged by
some was that the election was not
held on the day fixed by the laws
- INgaHnr IrrnA
the construction Of the Constitution,
and several of the laws of the State,
and he had concluded not to rule
on it.
AS to the Third district of Arkan-
sas, the. Clerk stated that the certifi-
cate presented on its face evidence
that it has not been issued within the
time specified by law, nor for two
months thereafter. This, and other
circumstances, were so suspicious that
he felt compelled to reject it. He had
made these explanations, because he
had observed his like action on a
previous occasion, when unexplained,
had been misunderstood.
The roll having been completed, the
Clerk announced that % members
had answered to their names, a full
representation being 243.
The House then proceeded to the
election of officers.
The first ballot resulted: Blaine, of
Maine, 126; Morgan, of Ohio, SO. Mr..
Blaine was, therefore, declared elected
Speaker.
He was conducted to the chair, when
he called the House to order, made an
.ss,Nr Id 4 fan
of Office, which was administered by
Mr.. Dawes, senior member in con-
tinuOus service.
When the Speaker proceeded to adj
minister the oath to meRlbers, two
of the members from the Southern
States took modified oath.
Mr.. Maynard objected to swearing
in Mr.. Waddell, of North Carolina, as
being disqualified from holding office.
Mr.. Kerr objected to swearing in
the Tennessee members on the ground
Of the election law of Tennessee being
repealed, and that they were elected
without the sanction of law. lie pre-
sented protest from the citizens Of
Tennessee, and explained that the
Tennessee Legislature had by one
sweeping measure repealed all the
acts of the previous Legislature in
Guiding the election law.
On motion of Mr.. Bingham, of
Ohio, the Tennessee members were
sworn in and their credentials referred
to the Committee on Elections. Three
of the members took the test-oath Of
1852, and the remaining five the mod
iied oath of 1868.
Mr.. Kerr objected to the swearing
in Of the members from Mississippi,
and stated as his reasons that the at
tempt to elect members for two Con-
gresses was made for the purpose Of
preventing and forestalling legiti-
mate and fair election by the people
for representation in the FOrty-secOnd
Congress.
AIr. Bingham moved that the Mis-.
sissippi Representatives be sworn in
and their credentials referred to the
| Committee on Credentials, This COM
pleted the organization Of the House.
Mr.. Dawes offered a resolution de-
elaring the following persons officers