Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-03-05
Speaker BIaine's Closing Address

AT II o'clock yesterday, in declaring the
House of Representatives of the 43rd Congress
adjourned sine die, Speaker Blaine said
GENTLEMEN: | close with this hour six
years service as Speaker of the House OF Rep
resentaives-a period surpassed in length by
but two of my predecessors, and equaed by on
y two others. The rapid mutations Of per-
sonal and political fortune 10 this country have
limited the great ma ority of those who have
occupied this chair to shorter terms OF Office
1t would be the gravest lnsensibllity to the
honors and responsibilities OF life not to be
deeply touched by so signal mark ofpubllc es
TEEN as that which | have thrice received at
the hands OF my political associates. | desire
10 this last moment to renew to them, one and
all, my thanks and my gratitude
10 those from whom differ in my party re-
ations-tho minority OF this House, tender
my ack nowled gmcnts for the generous courtesy
with which they have treated NE. BY one Of
those sudden and decisive changes which dis
tiueuish popular institutions, and which con-
spicuious, mark free people, that minority
is transformed 10 the eUsuiug Congress TO the
governing power of the House. However it
might possibly have been under other crcum-
stances, that event necessarily renders these
words my farewell to the chair.
The Spcakership of the American House of
Representatives is post of honor, of dignity,
of power, Of responsibility. Its duties are at
once complex aud continuous they are both
onerous and delicate F; they are performed In
the broad light of day, under the eye OF the
whole people, subject at all times to the clos
est observation, aud always attended with the
sharpcst criticism | think DO other official is
held to such Instant and such rigid accouuta-
biity, Parliamentary rulings in their very ia.
turc are percmp Undergraduates absolute in au-
thority and instantaneous in effect They can
not always be enforced 10 such a way as to win
applause or secure popularity but am sure
that 90 man of any party who is worthy to fill
this chair will ever see i dividing line between
duty and policy.
Thanking you once more, and thanking you
most cordially, for the honorable testimonial
you have placed on record to my credit, | per
form my only remaining duty in declaring that
the Forty-third Congress has reached its con-
stituiona limit, and that the House Of Repre-
sentativCs stands adjourned without day.
With his last word the hammer fell, and
Speaker BIaluc left the chair, and took a scat
at the Clerk desk
Then followed a scene seldom before witness
ed in the hall of the House Of Representatives.
All over the floor and 10 the space n front OF
the seats, which were densely racked, as we'll
as the galleries, there was the widest enhus.
iasm With waving of handkerchicts by the la
dies and clapping Of hands by everybody, the
two sides seeming to vie with each other as to
which should De the hearticst in its applause
MIR. Blaine sat in his seat at the Clerks desk
apparently much moved by the demonstration,
but declined to accept the implied Invitation to
further address the assemblage.