New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-02-03
NEW ORLEANS REPUBLICAN, THURSDAY FEBRUARY g. 1876.
Tho House Clerks Reforms.

It will be remembered that only q few
days ago the House of Representatives got
itself into q wild tangle Of debate upon the
amnesty resolutions. from which it seemed
Kerr was manifestly unequal to the situs.
ton. and there was no ons on the Democra-
tic side OF the House whose knowledge OF
parliamentary law was sufficient to extri-
cate him. Unfamiliar with the rules of the
House and with parliamentary law and
usage. and without experience in the chair,
Mr.. Kerr fell an eaey prey to the lively and
dexterous Blaine, who had the whole
routine ct his fingers ends, and could
dance around him with all manner OF
motions and propositions until the
poor Speaker hardly knew whether he
was afoot or on horseback. There was one
point in the proceedings at which the
Speaker made q ruling which obviously did
not please Mr.. Blaine or his side of the
House. The discussion, or rather wrangle-
for by this time it had degenerated into
wrangle-was very manifestly producing
bitter and angry feeling. 1t was apparent
from the indications on the Republican side
that the decision of the Chair would not be
submitted to without an appeal being taken,
and the confusion increased. But Speaker
Kerr was wise enough to do an improper
thing; he simply added to his ruling the
rather supplementary announcement that
he was sustained in his decision by Mr..
Barclay, the journal clerk of the House.
That authority was at once recognized; the
gentlemen on the Republican side who
were getting ready to spring to thelr
feet with an appeal to the House
word, and even the OK Speaker himself
offered no further opposition to the ruling.
And that was the way it happened that the
authority Of Mr.. Barclay upon parliament
airy law was publicly recognized on the
Journal of the House, as it had long been by
the House itself and by successive Speak
ers. Mr. Blaine himself had too long de-
pended upon him for advice upon difficult
questions to dispute the correctness OF his
decision. Twenty seven years service as
journal clerk had made him more familiar
with the rules and precedents of the House
than any member or Speaker could be; his
knowledge and experience were invaluable.
1t is quite certain that no office under the
government has been more capably filled,
and that there is none in which any change
would 30 surely be mistake.
But yesterday Mr.. Barclay, anticipating
removal by the new CLERK, Mr. Adams, OF
Kentucky, offered his resignation. He was
led to this step by the removal of two Of
his subordinater, who he had been assured
| bv the friends uf the clerk would be re
| tanned. In his letter Of resignation he says
the acton in their cases is 50 suggestive q
what will be done in his own, that he pre-
| fers to select his own time and anticipate
removal by resignation. This makes on
more place for some good Democrat who ha
worked for the party. and possibly for som.
patriot from Kentucky. The clean sweep
makes progress. The library has been re
formed, the congressional restaurant revo
lutonized, and one BY one the old clerks ar
showed aside to make room for ignoramuse
whose qualifications are summed up in To-
statement that they are 'good Democrats;
and perhaps it is quite as we'll that tn
country should take one good look at thi
party having taste Of power. There the
are with their noses in the trough. :"
hav. had come pretty bad exhibitions q
Washington, but nothing yet quite SO oa
as this. May the good Lord deliver
from any such spectacle on larger SCALE
Ne,r York Tribune.