Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-12-02

message bO-uay on dccOtiilb Oh blt blliic W
be consumed in swearing in members and
organizing the House. He therefore
moved that the Senate adjourn until u
O'Clock tomorrow, which was adopted.
HOUSE.
The House was called to order by Mr..
Mcpherson, Clerk, who called the roll Of
members by States. The galleries were
crowded and most of the seats in the hall
were occupied. When
Louisiana
was reached, the Clerk stated there were
but two unchallanged certificates received
from that State, those Of Messrs. Donall
and Morey, from the Third and Fifth dis
tricts, As to the other three districts, and
the member for the State at large, there
had been two conflicting sets Of papers re-
ceiyed, both issuing from competent au-
thority. One set was signed by Gov. War
mouth, and the other by acting Gov.
Pinchback. The Clerk had, therefore, de-
clined to enroll any of them.
As to the Ninth district, of Indiana, the
papers returned by the Governor could not
be accepted by the Clerk, as they were not
in accordance with the law, and, therefore,
there was no person enrolled for that dis
trict.
Forthe four seats from Arkansas there had
been but two certificates presented, those
OF Messrs. Snyder and Hines. In regard
to the State of
West Virginia.
there was a peculiar complication arising
from the uncertainty as to the proper time
for holding the election. There had been
two elections held on two different days
and different persons elected from two dis
tricts. In the other district the same per-
son had been elected on both occasions and
therefore the clerk had enrolled that per-
son, Mr.. Hereford, but had not enrolled any
of the Others.
The roll having been called, it appeared
that 27S members of the 292 entitled to
seats answered their names. The House
then proceeded to the
Election Of Speaker.
Mr.. Maynard nominated Mr.. James j..
Blaine. Mr. Niblacl nominated Mr.. Fer
nando Wood. Mr.. Holman nominated Mr..
S. S. Cox, [whol said he was not candi-
date for the position.
Telers having been appointed by the
clerk, a vote was taken with the following
result: Blaine, 100; Fernando Wood, II;
S. S. Cox, 2; Clymer, of Pennsylvania, 1;
Alex II. Stevens, /. Mr.. Blaine was there
fore declared duly elected Speaker Of the
House of Representatives for the Forty
Third Congress. MessrS. Maynard and
Wood conducted Mr.. Blaine to the chair of
the Speaker. On taking the chair Mr..
Blaine said:
BIaine's Speech.
Gentlemen of the House of Representa-
tives-The vote this moment announced by
the Clerk is such an expression OF your
confidence as calls for my sincereSt thanks.
| To be chosen Speaker of the American
| House of Representatives is always an
honorable distinction. To be chOsena third
| time enhances the honor more than three
| fold. To be chosen by the largest body
that ever assembled in the capital imposes
| a burden of responsibility which only your
| indulgent kindness could embolden me to
assume. The first occupant, OF this chair
presided over a house of SiXty-tive members
| representing population far below the
present aggregate of the State Of New
| York. At that time in the whole United
| States there were not fifty thousand ciyiliz-
! ed inhabitants to be found one hundred
| miles distant from the flow of the Atlantic
| tide. To-day, gentlemen, large majority
| of YOU come from beyond that limit and
represent districts then peOpled only by the
| Indian and the adventurous frontier men.
! The national government is not yet as old
as many of us citizens, bat in this briet
| span of time, less than one lengthed life, it
has under Gods good providence extended
! its power until acOntinent is the field OF its
empire and attestS the majesty of its law
with the growth Ofnew States and the re-
sulting changes in the centres Of pOpula-
ton. new interests are developed rival to
the old. but by no means hOStile-diVerse,
but not antagonistic nay, rather are al
| these interests in harmony, and the true
science of Just government is to give tC
each its full and fair play, expressing none
| by undue eXaction, favOring none by undue
| privilege. 1t is this great lesson which ON
daily experience is teaching us, binding Il:
together more closely. making our mutual
dependence more manifest and causing us
to feel, whether we live i'll the North or il
the South, in the East or in the West, tina
we have indeed but one country, one con
stitution, one destiny.
Mr.. Dawes, the senior member Of The
House. administered the oath of office t
the Speaker, who thereupOn proceeded +
swear in the members.
About fifty members from the Southern
States who could not take the oath OF Ottic'
which is known as
1.-The Eron-CIad,''
took the modified oath. Prominent anon
them was Mr.. Stephens, of Georgia.
An Omnibus Election.
The next business in order being the eleC
ton of Clerk, Mr.. Maynard offered resc
luton covering all the elective offices OF tn
House and nominated MCPHERSON; Sci
geant-at-Arms, Y. G.. Ordway; Keeper, o.
Burton; Postmaster, H. j. Sherwood, {
Mich; Chaplain, Rev. j. G. Butler.
Mr.. NibIack moved to amend by insert
ing instead of the foregoing the tollowln
names: George c. Widdeberg, Peter Rupl
Chas. w. Comes, A. J. Starting and Re-
S. II. Mahon.
The amendment was rejected and I'll
original resolution adopted and the office
f sworn in.
An Awkward Precedent.
The Delegates from the Territories wei
then called and sworn in with the eXceptlo
of Geo. o. Cannon, of Utah, in referen'
to whom Mr.. Merriam offered resOlutlC
reciting that Cannon had taken an oath il
consistent with citizenship and with h
obligations as delegate, and has been al
continues to be guilty of practices in viol
/ ton and defiance of the laws, and reteTiI
to the Committee on Elections the questiC
= of Cannon's right to seat.
Mr.. Cox opposed the resolution as len
ing to establish avery dangerous preceden
+ Here was prima facie case with the re
e ular certificate from the Governor of Uta
He moved that the delegate be sworn in.
The resolution was further opposed
the same ground by Mr.. Butler and G.
+ Hoar and Messrs. Potter and Maynard al
!, then, on motion of Mr.. Niblack, the res
! luton was laid on the table, and the GA
Il of Office administered to Mr.. Cannon.
A message was sent to notify the Sena
Il that the House was duly organized al
. ready to proceed to business.
4 committee was appointed, in come
: ton with like committee in the Senat
to inform the President that Congress W
in session and ready toreceive any comm
Il nication he might desire to make.
The House then proceeded to the dra
, ing of seats.
An Alternate Certificate.
The certificate for the 9th Indiana distri
/ Shanks and Neff being the opposing clail
o arts, was referred to the Committee
a Elections with instructions to report at
: early dav. The certificate is an aftermath