The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-02-01
The Long Session.

The session of forty-six hours in the ma
tional House of Representatives was nota
BILE event in the parliamentary history of the
country. But few such contests of endur-
ance have ever been had in this branch OF
congress, and none for many years. In the
Senate they have been more frequent, as the
''previous question: is not permitted in that
body for the limitation of debate, and
a long session is practically talking match
against time on the part of the opposition.
In the House, a minority may block legislative
action by dilatory motions-such as motions
to adjourn, motions for fixing time for ad-
journment etc.-on which the yeas and nays
may be called, the time consumed on each
motion being about an hour and half. The
caucus programme of the Republicans for a
suspension of the rules was defeated by the
adverse vote of thirteen Republicans. The
action of this thirteen meets with very gener-
al commendation from all parts of the coun-
try as it is generally believed that the
policy of overruling the minority in this par
ticular fashion is short-sighted one and an
unwise precedent to be established by party
about to 60 into minority in the House. As
the.Chicago Tribune justly observes ''the eau
Gus action was ill. advised and its defeat in the
open House will be subject of very general
congratulation among good Republicans"
The suspension proposed, 200, would let in
not only the Civil Rights Bill, which was the
pretext for the action, but also an unsavory
list of jobs which are eagerly watching their
opportunity to take the advantage of the
presence of a quantity of purchasable mem
bers who retire, chiefly southward, to private
life on The fourth of March next. After that
time, also, Gen. Benjamin Franklin Butler,
the captain of the corruption hosts, must
| conduct his assault upon the public treasury
from outside, at disadvantage which he and
his employers fully appreciate. To be sure,
the caucus plan had the support of many of
the best and purest men in the House, bit it
afforded a possibility to the corruptionists
and jobbers to bring forward their schemes,
| so that all this element was earnest for the
suspension, and this view of the situation was
doubtless potent in influencing the thirteen
| in opposing the action of their party friends.
| That their independent course was highly
| creditabe to them and highly serviceable to
the country and the party is almost univer-
| sally conceded by the press of all shades OF
| opinion; and Maine may be congratulated on
furnishing two of the thirteen recacitrants-
| Messrs. Hale and Burleigh. The state is also
honored by the conduct of Speaker Blaine,
who manifested throughout these trying
scenes steadiness, readiness, ability and i'm
partiality which has compelled the warm
praises of his political opponents, and leaves
no room for complaintl and cavil from his
| party friends.
The action of the Democrats in taking adj
vantage of technicalites to prevent a vote on
the Civil Rights bill merits the sternest con-
demnation from the country. They have, fol
strictly partisan purposes, stopped the whole
course of legislation on the most important
business questions at the risk of creating the
necessity of special session to pass the ap-
preparation bills. The magnanimity of the
| Republicans who refused to take away theiI
right of action under the rules, and the inn
partiality of the Speaker in maintaining their
rights with rigorous strictness against his own
party do not at all mitigate the blame which
should attach 10 their factious conduct. They
| have shown a narrow-minded partisanship in
the matter which indicates very shors life
to their power if they shall behave as badly
in majority as they do in minority.