The New York herald., 1877-02-11

II tho House took now q recess tii
Monday {. could lake one from Monday uli Tuesday.
had expired and defeat the performance or
the constitutional duty OF the House. He trusted tnas
the Chair would not make decision which would IN
volvs the House IN this trouble.
Alter further discussion by Msssrs Jones tKy.),
snylcr tohio) Haroridge (Gal Hoar tMass:, and Cox
IN. ~, the point OF order was ovcrruled ny tho
Speaker He held that the clause In the nitn section
OF the Electoral act, which rs, that whio tho TWO
houses shall be IN JON, meeting no debate shall be
allowed, eic, and which had been referred 70 by Mr.
Hoskins, had no pertncncy the question. The por-
Of tho which had pcr,inency TO u were,
irs part ol tho fourth Section which provides that
" there be objection o the report OF the commission
zach Senator and Representative may speak ten
minutes and that after such debate snail have lasted
two hours II shall be tho duty of each House TO put
the main question without further debate He thought
that under that directory clause could not DO
taken at any other time than present II tho de-
bate had been entered upon motion TO take recess
bearing on the subject was that part OF the Nth Sec
toa which reads :-"A6u recess shall DO taken
less question shall have arisen in reference to the
counting OF such votes OF otherwise under this act in
which case II shall be competent for either house. act
ing separately In the manner herenbeore provided, 10
direct 4 recess OF such house not beyond next
day, sundays excepted, at ten O'Clock in the ioro-
noon" II was fact, the Speaker continued, tbat this
the first time when question has arisen, and It
having now arisen ior the irst time the Chair thinks
that Il IL consistent Tor tho House to take
until Monday, At ten A. ~ u us judgment SO directs
Mr.. HALE-rhen the Chair overrucs the point OF
0rderf
The srEAxrR-The Chair ovcrrulss tho point Of
order.
Nj. HALE-I respectfully appeal from the decision.
Mr. Cox--l move to lay the appeal on the table.
Cnrrcd--l56 10 20
The question was then taken on tho motion for re-
cess IN Monday at ten A. M and II was CARRIED
yeas 1853, nays los.
4 MESSAGE FROM THE SENATE.
During tho vote message was received from the
Senate that II had ovcrruled the objection the dec
sion Of tho commission IN tho o. Florida, and
ready to meet the house in joint coDventon and the
speaker animated that hc would havc tho Senate
formed that the House had tnxcn IA recess.
rtlr trnv
Tho same rule which applied 10 admissions TO the
galleries on tho day OF the hrst meeting OF the JOINT
admitted except tickets They were however, filed
and with much select class 0t spectators than
usual anu u was not until the close ot the discussion
OF me point OF order taking recess that the
crowds began 10 dspcrsc. As soon AS The voting by
ycas aud nays commenced the galleries began bc
empted.
PEN PICTURES OF THE COMMISSION.
THE OPENING SCENES DEscRIBED-THE TRIpU-
NAL AND IT'S ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS OF
DETAILS or AN EPOCH IN THE HISTORY or
THE REPUBLIC
WAsHlxGroN, Feb 10, 1871
The dome OF the capitol had never sheltered q
proceeding momentous that which, beginning
with this week, ended FIRST part this afternoon.
Hardly had the tones OF Mr. Conklirg's speech n tho
Senate died away when tho tribunal for which he APP
pcaled assembled faced by army oil genius talent
grace aud female beauty, wit and learning, the repro
scntatives OF every science and Of every ART. The
place. ns Macaulay said Of the great hall OF william
Rufus was worthy of such trial II not, indeed,
ancient. II mad never 'rcsoundcd with acciama-
tons At the Inauguration Of thirty kings" did any
military or other pomp surround IT, The avenues ap
preaching II we're neither lined with grcnaders nor
kept clear by cavalry. There was ermine gold,
save the watch chains and rings worn by some OF the
counsel; no marshals and no heralds
But hero Is chamber that to Americans con nected
with associations which will perish Of mons minds
only with the history Of the first hundred years
Republic the old Senate chamber, abandoned when
Here webster's sonorous periods and tho voice OF
Harry Of the West used to ring. Here Calhoun thun-
dcred. Here BENTON, sire OF that renowned .Jesse'
who perpotuatcs his nobility OF soul, held a whole
Senate somewhat In awe. Upon consoles between pi-
lasters the marble vssagcs Jay, Rutledge Ellsworth
Marshall and other Chief Justices look upon their
august successors on the Bench and In The gallery
she spectres OF thc departed danes aud virgins
OF earlier period had, until this occasion, nevor
been dispersed by living orms The gallery had beon
cosed;nnoccupied, for years
THE PRESIDING JUDGE.
This historic scene now to bo made more ro-
markabe. Upon the bench, against q back ground or
Iodc columns OF brecca, sat the commission
appointed to decide the greatest question submitted in
modern times TO select tribunal Justice Clifford
presided In tho central chair usually occupied by Chief
Justice Waite. sitting in company with thor peers OF
the Senate and tho House, the judges dispensed with
their robes, but with not the least jot OF their dignity
WE'RE SEATED
On either side OF the Presiding Justice were seated
Justices Miller and Strong and Justices Field and
Bradley. To the left OF Justice Bradley were Repre-
sentaves Payne, Hunton and Abbott, and the tabIe
beyond Garfield and Hoar. To the right Of Justice
Strong were Senators Edmunds, Morton and Freling
huysen, and at table corresponding TO that occupied
at the opposite side Senators Bayard and Thurman
There small need to attempt 10 hcighten In tho
minds Of readers familiar with these names the ap-
parent majesty oI a tribunal so composed.
THE TWO FIELDS
Justice Clifford, since the death OF the venerable
Judge Nelson, Is the senior Judge Of the Supreme
Court His poriy frame fills broad chair aud adds
to the weight OF prompt ana hrm but extremely
courteous manner He had no difficulty IN preserving
constant dccorum and order In un assemblage whcro
bos.orous elements norfered what one OF tho
counsel called ''thc sacred traditions of the cham
ber." Justice Miller oven more pondcrousy pro
portioued. boamed through his eyeglasses with
eyes slightly moro tranquil than those behind the
spectacles OF Judge Field. That member of ono Of
the most notable OF American families. winch includes
the eminent New York lawyer who pleads part Of Mr.
TiIdcn's cause before the commission brought from
California do,shomie which, united with high
spirit and poised mind ornaments the dignity OF his
high station. In his home, within sight OF the Capt.
toI, he and his brother quarercd together 1t
was from the window thcrc that DAVID Dudley Field
"watchcd." as he said in his brief speech In the House
tho other day. he flag that 1oated the long night
debate the senate, until at dawn furcd, and
he knew that the victory was won." Tho Two arc
at homo Ike boys together Ono OF tho striking
features OF the scene bcloro tho commission was the
argument OF the lawyer to his brother tho Bench
yet Il Is doubtful whether the two nave exchanged
than passing word outside the court room upon
any but some personal or passing matter connected
with the commission
JUDGE STRONG.
T.anA xf