Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-02-03
EVENING STAR.
CONGRESNIONAL
Conclusion Of Yesterdays Proceedings.

IL,
| To provide for the reduction OF salaries and
| gave notice that he would urge its passage ar
| the earliest opportunity.
| Ihcdiscu>Sion on the bill for the lease of the
I seneca Indian lands WAS continued az much
| length. and after being amended il was
| Ia>Scd-ayes ~ noes i6.
/ The Senate then. after an executive session
| al 5oUTned.
| HuUSE.-After our report closei-
Iebate OF one hour on the new proposed
! rule was In orSicr.
| Mr. Beck (KyD said h would not have
| asked the attention OF the House ON. this
| question, but for the fact OF the assumption
| That this revolutionary measure was neceS-
| saTy because The democrats had made flctlouS
| opposition 20 all business. He denied that
! teeE had done 50. On the contrary they had
| h,lp To put business forward. They hal not
| even asked for general debate on any aporo-
| pTiatIon bill. When the army bill cam up
| u was objected 10. because certain infprmt-
| tlon mad not been sent in which the House
| should have. The gentleman who hal charv,
| OF the bill Mr.. Wheelerl recognized the JUS
| tee OF the demand and abandoned the bill for
| TIE time being Last Tuesday a bill in rala-
| ton 10 the Free1man's Bank was reported
| nom the Banking and Currency COMMITTEES
| - The Monday previous Mr.. Batter had
| attempted Ia pass "A revolutionary measure
| through the House. He was defeat "A because
| elShteen OF his republican colleagues Vo;ei
| against his proposition. On TUESDAY nignt
| there was a republican caucus. and on
| Wednesday Mr.. Butler called up a motion u
| reconsider vote on the recOmmitmr mt of
| blll which hal been laying on the table Tor
over year. This proposition was dung upon
! the House, and the democrats resisted 10 sue
| cessfully under the rules of the House His
| side OF the House was ready n any NOM mt
| 10 proceed To the legitimate business OF the
| House, but when a firehraai was thrown i'm
| they prepared To resist il with all ther
| power.
| Mr. Butler (MaSS.l said that no legislature
| had such rules aS those that governed this
| House. Where did il come from: Il was a
1 relic of the old slave power. Laughter on
| The democratic Side.l II was made 10 prevent
discussion and 10 prevent any legislation not
| ia accordance with what that power demand
| ell and desired. The cOrrelatiNe OF the rule
| was found in the democratic conventions
| which adopted the two-thiri rule for the like
| purpose of protecting the slave power. TIL
| rule reported by the committees would ba a
! good one II this were the first Monday Of De
| cemE2r. 1875. But a rule should be male now
| 10 meet the present emergency. There are
| but few days of the session left. Nine APP
| preparation bills are yet TO be acted on. ana
| There has been no report from the Ways and
Means Committee OH the question of the rev
| enue. There is no time 10 be waste. and this
| rule practically permits filibuStering for one
| day; and on what plea? Why, that the right
| should be recognized. They did not want
| discussion. Last week he (Mr ButleT) hal
offered debate as long as the opposition
| wanted ii on the civil rights bill, bat all
| they would do was To MAKE dilatOTy motions.
| They would not even permit To be read the
| resolutions of the democratic convention
| which declared in favor OF equal rights 70 all.
| Laughter in the galleries.
| Mr.. Niblack (Ind.) here made a point of
H lildI Butter was al lrE>Slfl8 the = IL
| lerieS, and that the rules required he should
| address the Chair.
Mr.. Butler turned around and took a posi-
ton at the Clerk s desk. amid the cheers AMI
| applause of the galleries.
| Mr.. Cox IN. y said he had been rebulleI
| by the Speaker on the ground that he hal
| made a motion for dramatic effect. Another
| dramatic effect had just been attempted by
| the gentleman from Massachusetts, and
! whether il was farce or a tragedy ne de-
| sired 10 say that that gentleman had no
| DOlltlcal moral right To call in a.
| the action of the members ofthis House, and
| TO say that revolutionary measure was
| necessary TO secure the power TO the MAORI
| ~. 1.-The Mr.. Cox was guilty or intending
| dramatic effect, what was the gentleman
| from Massachusetts guilty of when he went
| 10 me clerks desk and addresSet the laZza-
| roni in the gallery?
The Speaker reminded the gentleman that
| under the rules any member could speak
| either from his seat or from the Clerks
| desk.
Mr.. Cox said he did not deny the right in
| the case, but only spoke of the dramatic ef-
| feet, and said il was not for the gentleman
| from Massachusetts to say that the demo-
| Gratis desired To Obtruct business. The rules
| were made originally for the purpose OF pro-
| tecting the minority, and To save the money
| of the country; and yet, for the sake of "A tenn
| porary advantage, the majority proposes TO
break down all the safeguards against the
| quackerieS of legislation as il comes up from
| time To time. In all the struggles that have
| been made in the Committee on Rules n
stood up against every innovation He had
| fore, amenable TO any cenSure for a change
| tie would not complain now, however, for
the day OF democratic jubilee had come. Aud
| you, Mr.. Speaker, addressing Mr.. Blaine
| would rot be here TO see that jubilee if you
had not been elected in the spring. ILaugh-
teri Put that down TO dramatic effect. IRE
Mr.. Lamar (Miss) said the rule which it
| was now proposed to repeal was adopted orig
! inally by "A clear majority, in cool moments,
and was TO give the minority the right To
| protect themselves. 1t has had not only the
sanction ofthe slave power, but for the past
| twelve years II has held TO be good by the
| anti-slave power. IL was a proper inStru-
| ment put into the hands of the minority for
their protection. II was a check upon legis-
| lation, and he hoped thatwhen the democrats
came into power they would reinstate this
time-honored rule. Applause on the demo-
Speaker Blaine calling Mr.. Tyner, of Ind.
to the chair said he did not think Mr.. Lamar
correctly stated the history OF the rule or the
proceedings under ii. The use of this rule
for fillibustering never took place until 1854;
and while he did not wish to infiict a sting
| upon any one, he desired to say that the
origin of fllibustering was on the Kansas
and Nebraska bill, and resulted i'm the adOp-
| ton of what is known in his history as a
| parliamentary fraud. Applause by the re-
| publicans.l In the Committee of the Whole
the enacting clause OF the bill had been
| stricken out, and when il came To the House
| the bill was considered in spite of that, and
ii was finally passed, the roll being called 1876
| times.
Mr. Cox said that in 1854 that was con-
| Sidered legitimate means OF legislation.
| The rules were subsequently amended.
| Mr. Blaine said he would not have referred
| to this matter but for the remarks OF Mr.. La
| mar. He then proceeded 10 argue against
| the proposition submitted by General But
| ler Its practical effect would be TO force
| down the Threats of the minority any meas
ure without debate, explanation or amend
ment, even by majority of one. He would
| not consent to report a rule for the majority
which he was not willing 10 live under in a
| minority.
| After furtherdebate, the rule reported from
| the committee was adopted by party vote,
| except Mr.. Butler (Mass.) voted in the mega
| tive-yeas III, nays IS.
| Mr.. Randall then rose and said that upon
| full consideration he felt it his duty To insist
| upon being relieved from further service
| upon the Committee on Rules, and lac was
| excused.
| Mr.. Cox also asked To be excused.
| The Speaker then laid before the House a
| message from the President vetoing a bill to
| relieve Alexander Burch OF the charge of de-
| sertion. accompanying the message was a
| letter from the Secretary OF War, protes ting
| against the bill becoming law, on account
! of the effect IL would have in encouraging
| desertions from the army.l
On motion of Mr.. Butler, Mass the rules
| were suspended and $1,000 appropriated
from the contingent fund TO pay the expenses
L of the Louisiana Investigating committee.