Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-01-30
FORTY-THIRD CONGRESS.
SATURDAY, January 80.
THE SENATE is NOT in session to-

HOUSE OF REPRS SEENTATIVES-
Before the journal was read the Speaker laid
before the House n communication from the
Commissioners of the District of Columbia
respecting
THF INTEREST ON THE SOS DISTRICT BONDS
due February 1st, for the payment OF which
no provision. has yet been made.
Mr.. Wilson (Ind. made a brief statement
Of the emergency existing and had real the
Senate bill appropriating SlS2,5oO for the
purpose.
ness OF to-day, showing n determination on
the part OF the democrats TO prevent business
proceeding in direction that would allow
Lotice OF motion u amend the rules to be
given to-day.
The discussion became warm. and objec-
uonS were made by various members to a
number OF propositions; when
Mr.. Holman (Ind.) inSitted upon his Obiac-
ton which he had made when the subject
was first brought up, and the reading of the
journal was prOceeued with.
When the record of the first vote was
reached, Mr.. Randall (Pa.) made the point of
order that the Clerk had omitted the reading
OF the names of the members voting and ab-
sent.
This point of order at once led TO
GOOD DEAL OF CONFUSION
Mr.. Hale (Me.) wanted TO know If the gen
tlelnan was going to insist upon the reading
of the names OH the sixty-odd roll calls.
Mr.. Randall said he intended to do so. He
would be frank, and say his object was To
prevent notice of a motion to amend the
rules being given to-day. He was aware
lIldI III cOulu De introduced on Monday tho
call OF states, and reported from the Commit
Tee on Rules on Tuesday. He would not.
however, insist upon ii if the House could
go on with general legislation.
Mr.. Hale said it was not for his (Mr. R's)
side To dictate what was general legislation.
Mr Hawley (Ill) said it would not take
till Monday noon to read the Journal
Mr.. Randall said that he would, when the
Journals was read, move TO adjourn to Mon
day and Tuesday.
Mr.. Garfield (OhIOl said there were two
things that should settle this point The
printed or written rules of the House and the
lInmemOrlaI usage and custom which was
the unwritten rules of the House. Ii the
point was well taken, then where ne intro
duced and the House passed a long apprO-
prlatlon bill, any one member could demand
lis reading as part of the journal. for it was
a part of the proceedings Of the House.
Mr.. Wilson QOwa) said the bill was not
printed as part of the journal.
Mr.. Garfield said that made no difference
If this ruling prevailed any member could
insist upon its being made n part of the
journal.
The Speaker said he would remind the gen
tleman that provision for a more perfect re-
cord of the bills passed had been made else
where.
Mr.. Cessna (Pa.) asked as parliamentary
question whether, suppose the journ al had
been read and member ask leave to give
notice OF a motion 10 amend the rules, would
not ore objection prevent il.
The Speaker declined TO rule upon a hypo-
thetical case.
Mr.. Randall said the gentleman
COULD NOT GET IN HIS NOTICE TO-DAY.
They would prevent ii by dilatOry motions.
Mr.. Garfield.-That is to say that no busi-
ness shall be done except by the will OF the
minority.
Mr.. Cox IN. " read from the constitution:
Each House shall keep journal of its pro
ceedlngs, except such part as requires secre-
cy, and the yeas and nays upon demand of
one-fifth of the members present shall be en-
tered on the journal" That, he said, defined
what the journal was. He then read from
the Digest that the Speaker should cans > fhe
journal of the preceding day to be read
Mr.. Cox said that the Committee on Rules
mad session yesterday. OF course he could
not tell what the committee did. An amend
ment 10 the rules could be introduced on
Monday and reported on Tuesday.
Mr.. wilson (lowa) thought ii dangerous TO
pass over the reading of the journal. The
country should know who voted and how
and Monday.
Mr.. Maynard (Tenn.) said there was danger
In the establishment of a precedent. 1t might
or might not accomplish a present purpose
but was 1t safe and prudent to establish a
precedent that one member could demand
the reading OF all the yeas and nays of the
preceding day.
Mr.. Bromberg (Ala.) asked what it m ,aat
where the digest said member could, when
his name was incorrectly recorded correct il
read.
Mr. Butler (Mass.) said they had done all
they could 10 overcome the rule. They had
now got to
A CONSTITUTIONAL PRIVILEGE
Inc constitution requires the yeas and nays
TO be put upon the journal, and the rule re-
qulred the journal to be read. Under the
rules any gentleman had right TO have the
names read, except on Mondays, when they
had the power to suspend the rules 1t was
better TO sustain the law, and if the other
side chose to use the law to ObStruct the puc-
lie business, the responsibility rested upon
that side, not his.
Mr.. Eldredge (Wis.) defended the minority
as exercising high constitutional right.
Mr.. Butler (MaSs.) asked if it would be in
order while the journal was being read.
The Speaker said such motion would be
in order, but not if made for adilatory pur-
pose.
Mr.. Parker (MO.)-Who is to Judge whether
1t IS made for srch purpose?
The Speaker.-The chair is the judge OF
that.
Mr.. Hale (Me.) said it was not denied what
the ruling of the chair must be, nor was IL
denied on this side that notice OF an amend
ment TO the rules would be given when op-
portunity was presented.
The Speaker stated the point of order and
said II was raised after the prolonged session
and with the long list of roll calls bringingit
before the House under peculiar circum-
stances. One of the most important rights a
member had was TO see that his name was
correctly recorded. An error might affect
him for the rest of his life. 1t would be eN-
treme ruling that the reading of any portion
of the journal should be excluded that was
made part of the journal by the constitution
He thought the names must be read.