The Portland daily press., 1876-06-10
ONCE MORE.
Stormy Scenes in the House.
The House Refuses TO Order the G omniit.
fec 30 lay the Testimony i'm the Case of
MIR. Blaine before That BOdy-The
Caldwell Telegram, Etc.

WASHINGTON, d. c., June 9.-In the House
today, which was assigned for the conSldera-
ton of private bills, Mr.. Hunton of Virginia
mooved TO lay on the table Mr. Blaine's mo-
ton to reconsider the vote for printing OF the
testimony taken before the Judiciary Commit
tee.
Mr.. Page of California suggested that the mo
ton be withheld till the gentleman from Maine
should be present and Mr.. Blaine at that mo.
ment entered the hall in hot haste with the
declaration of there [ am"
Mr.. Bucknor of Missouri raised the question
of consideration, claiming that private husin ess
being before House under rules it was not in
order to interpose other business. Mr. Blain G
asked Mr.. Hunton whether he insisted on his
motion to lay on table Hunton replied thai
he did.
Blaine-And you decline to accept nay
amendment?
Hunton-T have told you before what I was
willing to do about that
Blaine-Then fell back upon the assurance
of Speaker yesterday that he (Blaine) would
not be deprived of the opportunity of calling uI
his motion to reconsider.
The Speaker pro tene-The only assurance
given by Chair was that which has beenr cad
from the record and that was in accordance with
the rules.
Randall reminded to Blaine that he entering
his motion to reconsider the other day, he
(Blaine) had taken advantage of Hunton' S
omission to make the usual motion to reconsid-
er and lay on table.
Bane-Now did [ take advantage of it?
went and asked clerk about it.
Randall know exactly that.
Blaine-Well, what advantage did take?
Randall-You took advantage of Hunton's
omission to make the usual motion l admit
that you could do that.
Bane-Was that any more advantage than
acting under any rule of House?
Randall-One moment. Having taken that
advantage L submit that the motion of the gen.
tleman from Virginia is entirely within the
practice and entirely within due courtesy also
in taking advantage today of the gentleman
from Maine in moving to lay his motion on the
table. Now as to the Caldwell telegram, un-
derstand the gentleman from Virginia to be
willing to let the telegram go into the proceed
ings for what it is worth,
Blaine-It could not go for more Laugh
ter.)
Randall do not yet understand that the
gentleman from Virginia objects to the tele.
gram going in.
Blaine-But I called the attention of the
gentleman from Pennsylvania to the fact tn at
neither the chairman of the Judiciary Commit
tee nor the chairman of the subcommittee has
ever yet intimated or given TO the House an
advice of that telegram,
Raddall-Will the gentleman from Maine
ask the House now that the telegram be en-
bodied in the proceedings of the committee?
Blaine-Yes, am after that very thing and
want the official telegram the gentleman
from Kentucky (Knott) after keeping in his
pocket five days Indignant calls to order from
the Democratic side, seconded by loud ham
mering of the Speaker gayeD gave, as 1 nm
derstand to the Associated Press, but has never
given it to the House.
Glover of Missouri and other Democratic
members rose to the question of order, but Mr.
Blaine held bis position and midst great up.
roar and confusion asserted that the members
fbn Ilnr nCt.I IS Ell, III
of order.
The Speaker pro tenn. required the gentle
man from Maine and other members who were
standing to take seats and added that the gen.
tleman from Maine was out of order and no
one knew it better than himself.
The Speaker remarked that when he gave
the House assurance yesterday that he would
recognize the gentleman from Maine to call up
his motion to reconsider he did not mean to
preclude nor could he preclude any other mem
Der from moving at the proper time to lay the
motion to reconsider on the table, How, he
asked, could he take the gentleman from Vir-
ginia off the floor?
Baine-The gentleman from Virginia can
very easily make his motion otherwise.
Hunton-I called for the regular order.
Wilson of Iowa rose and was informed by
the Speaker that the pending motion was not
debatable. He said, however, be only desired
to raise the question of consideration on this
business for he did not believe the majority OF
the House would shut off the gentleman from
Maine from hearing.
Speaker-The objection comes too late.
Wilson-How so?
Speaker-Because the motion to lay on the
table is pending.
Southard-I desire one word in explanation
OF what took place yesterday. The gentleman
from Maine insisted yesterday on calling I'D his
motion to reconsider, and one of the reasons
alleged by him why he should have that right
was that he would lose it if he did not.
Blaine-And the chair assured me otherwise.
Speaker-The chair did not assure you other
wise. The gentleman states what the record
does not show.
Southard-He has lost the floor and las no
right to claim it today.
Kasson renewed the point of order made by
Buckner, that under the rules of the House
only private business was in order today, and,
therefore, it was not in order to call up this
matter of general business.
The Speaker Oyerruled the point of order
= Blaine (fercely)-On what ground?
Speaker-The chair is not bound to give its
reason.
Blaine-I never heard Speaker refuse to
give his reason for a decision.
Speaker-The gentleman is out Of order now
Btalne-Have you any reason?
Speaker-The gentleman has no right to make
colloQuy with the chair.
Soon after this the question came TO a vote.
the yeas and nays being ordered. The Repub-
iicans did not vote and no quorum appeared to
be present Pending the declaring of the vote,
another scene occurred because the Speaker pro
tenn (Cox) after the roll call allowed Springer
to rise to parliamentary inquiry.
Mr.. Blaine demanded that the vote be an
nounced as it had been read by the Clerk, but
the Speaker said he had not received it. and
directed Mr. Blaine to take his seat, which he
said he would do when others did. The vote
was then announced, yeas 121 rays 23-the
votes on both sides, with three or fonr excep-
tiens, being given by Democrats.
MT. Page moved to adjourn, and Mr.. Spring
er moved a call of the House.
Another scene occurred here, and Mr. Blaine
raised the point of order and had the rule read,
winch declares that it is not in order on private
Dill day to call up motion to reconsider pub
lie bill on that Cay except after a vote of the
majority to postpone private business He de.
clared that the consideration of the pending
motion was in violation of the rule.
Inc Chalr called Mr.. Blaine to order for in
terrupting it when making a decision.
Brown OF Kentucky-I wish simply to know
ii this is the American Congress?
Blaine-That is what want to know too.
Brown-Or whether we are the pupils of the
scooolmaster from Maine? (Laughter.)
Blaine without needing the Speakers gaveD
1t is the most surprising American Congress
that ever assembled. daughter and applause
Mr. Morrison asked the unanimous consent
to offer the following resolution:
ResoLCed, That all evidence taken BY the Ju-
uiCiaiy SolHmltlto uuuer tn6 authority OF the
resolution of Luttrell and Tarbox be printed.
and that the despatch signed Josiah Caldwell
be also printed as part of the record in the
case, and said committee shall examine apy
witnesses who may be called, who may have
said Caldwell made the same over contradicto-
ry statements as that contained in said des-
patch and the evidence of such witnesses shall
also be printed with the other evidence taken
by said committee.
Hoar-I object.
A long debate followed on the resolution. Mr..
Garfield and others maintaining that it was
not just to take heresay evidence on the ques-
ton of previous statements of Caldwell and
that 1T should be admitted as was the telegram
respecting Gen. Schenck. There being an OBJ
lection the resolution was not received
The question was again taken and this time
the Republicans did not withhold their votes.
The motion to lay on table was carried, yeas
126, nays o.
Morrison then asked leave to offer his reso-
lutien. but Mr.. Hurlbut of Illinois objected.
THE CONVENTION.