, 1877-03-05
THE HOUSE.

TIE HOUSE.
1r3 LAST SESSIONS
61ectaf Dt1pafch to The Tribune
WASHINGTON, %. e., March 4.-The last niel,
session OF the House of Representatives bega.
at o'clock on Saturday evening with full
chairs and crowded galleries. The audience wa
not distinguished one, as Washington audi
ences go, but it was very attentive one, ant
sat through the early hours of the night will
extraordinary patience considering the uninter
esting character of most OF the proceedings
The unfortunate people whose misfortune it has
been to do so much standing around in the tri
angular Spaces behind the members desk in the
last month were also out in full force, and
among them were at least hundred un1edged
Representatives who will occupy seats in the
next Congress, and who have come to Wash
lugton to sight the inauguration and .sget the
hang of things'' in advance
| ONE OF THE MOST REMARKABLE THINGS
about the session that has just closed, and,
indeed, OF the whole Congress, has been the
almost total failure to perfect, or even to pro-
pose. important measures OF legislation. The
first, being Presidential session, was not ex-
pccted to be prolific Of anything but political
schemes. The unprecedented mania for inycs-
|
priation bills, occupied so much of the time OF
| the Committees, as we'll as of the House, and
| the inexperience of majority of the members,
| made that session more barren Of tangible re-
suits even than such sessions generally are,
| and left
VERY LITTLE BUSINESS
| In shape to be taken up and disposed Of this
winter. But, no matter what shape the work Of
Congress might have been in, the excitement Of
the Presidential controversy would have pre-
vented it from receiving attention during the
late session. It was not strange, therefore, that
| on the last night Of the Congress, very few but
| private bills Except those making appropria~
tions for the current expenses OF the Govern
ment) remained to be acted upon.
FIXING THINGS.
Early in the evening the biennial proposition
to amend the rules in order to gain some polit-
zeal advantage in the next Congress was brought
forward. Four years ago it was the Republic
ans who desired SO, to amend the rules as
to place 1t in the power Of less than
tWo-thirds to suspend and pass politica! meas
ures under whip and spur, and without deba1e
The Republicans there saw their large majority,
by the aid OF which they had been able to carry
all their political measures IN spite Of the pro-
tests OF the Democrats aud the rules enacted
for the protection OF the minority, and they
very naturally desired to secure new lease OF
that power. The Democrats were then thrown
into state of the greatest excitement, and,
under the lead Of the late James Brooks, de-
featel the proposed amendment.
THIS TINE
1t was the Democrats who desired to make pro-
vision for anticipated trouble in tue next Con-
gress. Tue amendment was reported by Sayler,
and provided that, pending the election of
Speaker Of the House, and when the Clerk Of
the last House Is acting presiding officer, the
Scr@cant-at-Arms shall be in attendance, and,
under the direction of the Clerk, shall preserve
order. The Republicans were very suspicious
that the. Democrats intended to get some unfair
advantage OF them BY this change OF the rules
during the time when the contest for the Speak
ership is going on, anl opposed it with much
determination.
THE AMENDMENT WAS CARRIED
in spite OF the refusal OF the Republicans to
vote, their object being to break the quorum
While thc rules of the last House were not
binding upon the next, unless accepted by it,
the adoption OF new one now. puts 1t in the
power of the meaere Democratic majority
which will gather in the House at the beginning
Of the next session to accept this new rule,
large force OF Deputy Scrgeants-at-Arms In the |
House Of Representatives On the first day Of |
the next session Of Congress under the |
direction Of the Clerk, to be used in his dis |
erction for the preservation OF order. In view
of the fact that the parties will be very evenly
balanced in the next House Of Representatives,
and that the Republicans, in spite Of small
Democratic majority, still hope to elect their
candidate for the Speakership, this amendment
To the rules may have very important in
duencc on that contest.
THE PRESSURE OF PRIVATE BILLS
Tor recognition was greater than usual, even for |
he last night Of q session, and the number Of |
>hcul passed during the closing twenty -four
hours was greater than during the whole of the
rinter BEFORE Nobody knew wt1at was ia these |
bills Many Of them had never been reported
y tho Committee, and generally they had to be
accepted, j! at all, on the assurances OF their
movers that they were proper bills to pass. On
he whole, Speaker Randall preserved very
,ood order. He could not prevent fifty or one
hundred men from constantly gathering in the
Irea Immediately in front Of the presiding Of
icer, aud, with upturned fnces and extended
rms, demanding recognition at the top Of their
'oices, but he repeatedly drove them to their
eats and suspended the business OF the House
Until they took them. During the whole time
HOLMAN
arejy left his seat, and his uufailing objection |
Fas heard to every measure which he did not
Those objections had q CAST value, !
every one OF them. They put & veto on jobs
Fithout number, and saved thousands, per-
taps millions, OF dollars to the Treasury. Now |
nd then some bill would receive the requisite
wo-thirds vote By which the rules could be sus-