The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1876-12-14
-FORrYFOURTH CONGRESS.

In the Senate, December 4, seats on the
Republican side were assigned to Blaine, of
Maine, and to Chaffee and Teller, the new
Colorado members; and on the Democratic
side to Price, the new Senator from West
Virginia, Jones, OF Florida, and Randolph,
of New Jersey. The new members were
sworn in. A committee was appointed to
to the President that the Senate
was ready for business, and the Senate ad-
journed till one o'clock p. m |. On reassem-
bling, among other business, Mr.. ingalls,
submitted a Joint resolution recommending
a convention, to be held in Columbus, Ohio,
on May next, to revise the Constitution Of the
United States, which was ordered printed.
In the House, after roll-call, Holman n
Banks arose and addressed the Clerk. Mr..
Banks said he held in his hand the certifi.
cate of the member of Congress from
Colorado. Mr.. Holman said it was not in
order, and that nothing could be done until
after the House was fully organized. Mr..
Banks said the right of a member to vote
was a question Of the highest privilege, and
that the election of Speaker was of Sec
ondary importance. Mr.. Cox said no per-
son could administer the oath but the
Speaker. Mr.. Banks said any member could
administer the oath, and he therefore asked
that the certificate of the member from
Colorado be received, and the Oldest mem.
4 DER VI Lu6 uOu5C duullulstcE Tue OdlDs SCN-
eral Democrats objected, and considerable
confusion ensued. After a great deal of
talk on both sides of the House, Mr.. Frye
arose and presented the credentials of Mr..
Blaine's successor, and ask that he be
sworn in. Clerk Adams ruled that the reso.
luton offered by Mr.. Holman, that the
House proceed to the election of a Speaker
takes precedence of the motion offered by
Mr.. Banks and Mr.. Frye. Mr.. Banks
took an appeal from this decis-
ion, and Mr.. Cox moved to
lay the appeal on the table. The ayes and
nays were demanded. Ordered by the
House. The House, by a strict party vote
laid Mr.. Banks's appeal OF the table. The
resolution offered by Mr., Holman was theT
passed. Mr.. Cox nominated s. j. Randall
as Speaker, and McCreery, of Iowa, nOmi
mated James A. Garfield. The former wa!
elected. Randall had 161 votes; Garfield
81; Williams, of Wisconsin, /; G. F. Hear
l, and Morrison l. The Speaker was con
Quoted to the chair by Messrs. Cox anC
McCreery.
In the House, December 5, most of the da,
was consumed in correcting a mistake upoI
the record. Saturday, the 10th inst, was ap
pointed as the day upon which speeches il
commemoration of the services and char
acter of the late Speaker Kerr are to b.
made. Committees to investigate the re
) cent election in Louisiana and Florida wer
appointed, and the House adjourned.
In the Senate Mr.. Morton offered his amend
ment to the Constitution which provides 70
the election of the President and Vice
President by a popular vote. The resolu
ton of Mr.. Edmunds, for appointing a com
' mittee to investigate the elections'held il
the States of Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi
Georgia, Alabama, and South Carolina, il
the years IA, rs, and '76, was, after consid
cradle opposition from the Democratic side
passed.
, In the Senate, December 6, standin
} committees were announced, and tire
additional members were appointed. Nj
Withers, of Virginia, offered a resolutio
requesting the President to "inform tn
1 Senate, if not incompatible with public il
terest, whether troops of the United State
were stationed at the city of Petersburg, j
the State of Virginia, on the 9TH Of Noven
Der, 1876, the day of the general election
, if SO, under what authority and for wha
. purpose" After considerable debate tn
3 resolution was adopted, A message fror
the President, inclosing the report Q
Senator Sherman and other members Q
the New Orleans Commission, was referre
= to the Committee on Printing. Mr.. Edmund
: moved to take up a joint resolution pre-
I posing an amendment to the Constitutio
in relation to counting the electoral vott
/ Mr.. Merrimon, objected, and read tn
T~wenty-irst Joint Rule, requiring that bill
resolutions, etc., not acted upon at the clos
, of the first session of a Congress, shall b
taken up and acted upon at the beginnin
j of the second session, as if no adjournmer
had taken place. He raised a point {
4 order that the Joint Rules were in force, an
that the unfinished business from the la
, session should be taken up. The Chai
d overruled the point of order, and decide
that the Joint Rules were not in force. NJ
Merrimon appealed from the decision of tn
Chair, and proceeded to address the Senat,
but soon yielded for a motion to adjourn
, and the Senate adjourned."..ln the Hous'
the bill repeating SO much of th
for a pivot draw in any bridge on II