The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-08-08
FROM OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT
WASHINGTON, August Z, 1870
A CALL OF THE HoUsE-sCENEs OF NRRRI-
MENT, upRoAa AND OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES

CALL OF THE HoUsE-scENEs OF NERRI-
MENT, UPRoAB AND coNYUsIoN-DIoNIFIED
LEGISLATORS PLAYING sCHooLBoY.
For the first timo this the House enforced a
"Cal OF the House." 1t was done TO punish tho n-
clustering OF the republicans who declined to that
they might leave the House without quorum. Their
hllbuserng was intended to defeat proposition OF
the democrats to amend the rules allow the
investigating committees to report at any time. The
call being ordered tho Speaker commanded the closing
OF tho doors, which done once. and, the day
was intensely hot the hall soon became sunocatingy
hot Later on some relief afforded by open
Ing the large wooden doors and closing the
inner summer doors only. Otherwise the
chamber promised TO become biackhole Of
Calcutta The Sergeant alarms was furnished with
the list of abscntees and sailed into the commit
tee rooms, restaurants and Hobbies pursuit Of the
delinquents who comprised both political partex Tho
first batch OF captures included Mr. Charles Walker of
The Elmira district. democrat and Mr. Thornburgh,
OF Tennessee, radical republican. They wore ar
ragncd at the Bar, made their amid great up
roar and disorderly merrment and discharged
The farce continued with tho several succeeding
patches brought in by the Sergcant-at-Arms The
galleries crowded with persons OF both sexes.
who enjoyed tho fun hugely, although in instance
tho excuse OF q member was twisted by N word OF in
caused sudden cessation of the smiles tho Of
the ladies' and temporarily checked their apparent
terest in the proceedings. All classes of members
subjected TO the rid cue Of being presented at the
bar. The sergeant alarms memorable arragn-
ing the dignilcd elderly lawmakcr who has been in
Congress for many years we'll as tao younger less
ceremonious and risky. Congressional fedgllng. The
scene at times beggared description for its wdness OF
iun and tumut and disorder When one nervous
member, trembling he stood to render his excuse,
was. about to be discharged Mr. Cox, OF Now York,
moved 10 amend "wthout payment OF fccs" The
nervous gentleman, thinking he WAS to be mulcted
pccunarily boioro he got away was made still moro
nervous, especially somebody wanted TO know ON
what grounds Mr. Cox asked exemption for tho cuprit
''On what ground" answered Mr.. Cox quickly.
'Why, OF public grounds, of course"
The House had hardly got over its outburst at this
wtticsm, when Mr. Roberts, of Maryland, being asked
by dozens OF to speak louder invited to go
up the Clerks desk, whore he got even with his
tormentors by gesticulatng Tor five minutes In dumb
show. When ut last he got serious ami his voice at
the he proceeded to say :''I tho victim
Of circumstances" Whom Mr.. Kasson OF Iowa, cut
him short with the exclamation There that Is sulc-
lent know what is the matter" words of simi-
lar import. Tho shout OF laughter might have beon
hoard al the other end Of the
mo Scrg0ant-at.Arns nero espfoo MI Davy, o. Inc
Rochester district, doing the gallant to = couple Of
ladies' the gallery He taken into custody forth
with, dragged from the company Of his fair friends
taken down stairs aud thence the bar of the House
like his predecessors He excused of course, As
they all were. without penalty; but a. In this in
stance, 1t had been made apparent that Mr.. Davy had
really answered the roll CALL his colleague, Mr. Baker,
Of the Osweeo district moved facetiousy that, OF
justice to Mr.. Davy, tho SergeantatArms should
him to tho place rom which he had taken him
This proposition provoked another shout OF laughter
and directed every eye to the pair Of bushng and for
iorn damses in tho gallery, and tho fun went for
several hours until the democrats proposed and the
republicans accepted compromise the matter
DR. ,utc. when tho doors thrown open and the
members were released from their Turkish bath
THE RIVER AND HAhBoR NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
OF NEW YORK REPRESENTATIVES,
The River and Harbor bill agreed upon In con-
ference does not give satisfaction t. the New York
representatives Ia Congress, and Messrs Kcrnan in
the Senate, and Willis. tho House, will
endeavor have tho bill reconsidered
generous appropriations for tho improvements
Holl Gate and OF the Hudson and Harlem rivers Their
efforts will probably be vain, however, IS
easy for few members single handed to disturb the
work OF q Conference Committee.