New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-04-24
TIE PERFORMANCE IN THE HOUSE

THE PERFORMANCE IN THE HOUSE.
,orp on FIVE HOURS OF CLAMOR, oRAToRY IN
DrAfB SHOW. AND sHRHK5 OF LAUGHTER
ley TELEGRAPH To THE IHBUNE1
w,sH1xGTov. Amil 23.-There was circus III
the House OF representatives to-day ana as III Vi
the performers were in excellent condition. the GU
tertginment WAS frst-class in every paI'cu"I'
Mr. $ S. Cox, of New-YOrk, was the rlhg-
master and general manager, and the skill
with which he presented the successive
attractions of the show won him much deserved
applause The House has been impatient TOT hol'-
dav performance for week, and several rather
severe disappontments lately made to-day's recre-
at,on doubly welcome. Some amusement was an
ticinated Yesterday over the Blair memorial from
the MARYLAND Legislature, but it was referred WIN
ont word of discussion, and the pieasure-seekers
were disappointed. The prelude OF to-days great
performance was PLAYED Just before the ADJOURN
meut last evening. so that no time was lost TINS
,norninq in getting Immediately down to the busl-
ness or amusement OF the day.
Seriously Mr. Cox was more than hall rght III ihe
fight be made against the River and Har5or Bill IN
soe respects il is the most remarkable measure of
the kind that has been brought into Congress LOT
wears 1t has some mcritsas well as many dement's
The committee which prepared it has shown bet
fer appreciation of the needs of commerce In gem
ersl than any OF its immediate predecessors; and II
il is admitted that the principle OF appTOpnaung
any money for the improvement of rivers ana mar
bors is sound land nobody denies III, then some Tea
1ures of this bill. which provides larger rel
alive appropriations than some OF ITS prede-
cessors fer works of great National Importance
such as the improvements around New-lolE on the
Mississippi ETC. cannot be fairly criticised. The
committee has in fact treated these great National
works somewhat IN proportion to their importance
o., i only will a
for appropriations Of this National character when
the money is to be expended in his district or when
if none Of the works happen to be there some money
in addition eau be obtained for his district II.
therefore the important works only were provided
for in the River and Harbor Bill, majority Of the
House would object to it on constitutional OF some
other grounds.
The Committee on Commerce, it will be seen from
this brief explanation, was absolutely Obliged TO
attach to its measure great number OF these httle
bobs to make it float. In a few cases, appropria-
lions were actually made but IN most cases surveys
were ordered which may be used as the foundation
for appropratiOns in the future. Ii some OF tne
latter that gave the committee to-day the most
trouble.
Eor instance surveys were ordered Of the Kiskimi-
netas and COnemaugh Rivers, in Pennsylvania.
Mr. Ellis in referring to them SAID that they were
rivers with unmentionable names" This brought
TO his feet in great excitement, General Harry
White in whose district are these " trout streams
las they were called by Mr.. Wright,
and with great earncsness that gentleman defended
the rivers of his district from such unjust asper-
siOns
But he had more troublesome opponents than Mr..
Ellis to meet on this point. Two venerable Repre-
sentatives from Pennsylvania Mr. Wright and Mr..
Bridges had never heard of the rivers in question,
and said so.
Then General White explained how they are tribu-
taries of the Allegheny River, which unites with the
MonOngahela and makes the OHIO.
In the midst of the greatest confusion caused by
the shouts applause, and laughter of the members
at the blows the two Pennsylvania members
White and Wright were dealing at each other
the latter called out, " How wide are your trout
streams I"
How wide are they 2" said General White, walk
ing into the area in front Of the Speakers table
with his arms extended like those Of a carpenter
who is carrying the measure Of a doorway. At this
point the noise was so great that his answer was
completely drowned and it appeared as though be
was measuring with his hands the width Of the
river The scene was so funny that it took at least
five minutes for the Speaker TO restore order
Kentucky member says that one Of the rivers
in his State mentioned in the bill can only he
improved by grading and matchmaking
it. The House has not been more disordeTly during
a whole days session for a long time.
The row to-day over the protest presented by
Mr. Cox last evening in behalf Of himself and about
thirty other Representatives who voted against the
River and Harbor Bill. This, he conteDded, was a
question of privilege. A point Of order was raised
against its reception last night and this point of
order all the discussion, which occupied the whole
of to-day's session, arose. Speaker Randall ruled
that IN speaking to such poiut OF order any mem
her had the right to introduce a paper a part of
his remarks This enabled Mr.. Cox TO get his protest
into The Record; but during the reading of IL
eral attempts were made 10 choke him of by call
ing for the taking down Of words contained in
the protest as disrespectful 10 the House and Its
members. All Of these points were Oyer1uled, and
finally the debate, nOminaily ON point of order
drifted into discussion of the merits of the bill
itself Thus 1t was that the House adopted plan
which is not within the exercise Of wise criminal
jurisdiction, namely, having hanged its man by the
passage OF the bill yesterday, il tried him to-day
Speaker Rsndalls action in giving such wide lati-
tude TO the debate to-day has been severely crit
cssd. He had two objects in view first desire to
allow some discussion on the River and harbor Bill
and thus perhaps, throw obstacles in the way of its
acceptance by the Senate in its present form ard
secondly TO vindcate the right of the House to dis
Cuss before 10 votes questions OF privilege The
Speaker. il will be by referring 10 the regular
report, did not finally rule upon il himself, but sub
mitted the question 10 the House, which decided
that Mr.. COX's protest was not IN any sense ques
ton OF privilege. Mr.. Cox and those who acted
with him accomplished their object however. Their
protest and their speeches upon II have gone into
the report and will be discussed by the newspapers
from one end Of the country 10 the other To have
spread the protest upon the journal, which nobody
except clerks of the House and members of Con-
gress who use il sort OF index, ever reads,
would have been OF no especial advantage.
GLOyERs REVELATIONS.
THE NATURE OF THE DEMOCRATIC FRAUDS IN