Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-03-29
FORTE.SIITH CONGRESS.
SATURDAY, March 90.

1hE SENATE was not IN session To-Day.
HOUSE.-The Speaker said that, In view of a
discussion which took place yesterday In CON-
mittee OF whole, and which he had not had an
opportunity OF hearing, he desired TO give, in an
intelligent manner, and for the Information OF
the House, the history OF rule 147, which pro.
rules OF the succeeding Houses until otherwise
ordered. He had read by the clerk the debate
which had taken place at the time OF the adop-
Speaker Grow In the Thirty-seyenth Congress
TO the effect that he would construe the rules of
Ine pIecealng congress as continuing in force
ed TO say that he had been unable to And any
oecision OF any subsequent Speaker at variance
Mr. NILS sent to the clerks desk and had
read ruling OF Speaker Kerr, that the constt-
tuIonal right OF the House to adopt its own
rules could not be superseded ~ Wv"
The Speaker stated that that decision was
simply that the constitutional right OF The
House could not be superseded, and was un
e 1ouo.ealy correct, ont In the absence OF action
the concurrent rulings OF former Speakers ia
dfcated that there must be some rules to govern
the House, and with that view the 147th rule
had been adopted. He did not desire to be led
into any discussion or decision upon the subject
until occasion required.
In answer to remarks of Mr. Mcmahon and
MI Mr Reagan, the Speaker said that rule l47 evi-
dently meant that instead Of sending the House
IN lts nrst session upon broad sea OF parlii-
mentary law as constructed by various exam
pes II should De governed by the rules of the
After some further debate the House az 1a:.o
went Into committee OF whole (Mr Springer of
III In the chairo on the army appropriation
Mr. stephens obtained the floor. and proceed
cd TO speak in clear voice. He did not desire
70 say much outside OF the pending poin, OF Or
oeen raised was clearly germane to the bill All
laws, penal In their character, were to be con-
stIuea strictly, but laws, involving questions OF
were to be literally construed-nots strictly The
gentleman from Maine (Frye) had said that the
sectlon Old not, On its face, retrench expendi.
lures, ara that was Lot the question. The ques-
uon as would it probably retrench expendI-
lures" He thought it would, and not only pos
slbly or probably, but certainly. The past his
tory OF the country showed that enormous ex-
TeEditureS had attended the use of troops at
elections. He went on to argue that the acts of
1875 and 1901 only authorized the use of the
Troops 10 put down domestic insurrectiOn. The
LOT Ie Use oI troops for civil purposes
tholizing the use OF troops at the polls had
LeVer any existence until 1865. and tie dan
ger OF such law, would not, he presumed. be
denled Dy anybody. IL there was any man on
the noOr In favor OF peaceful elections and
orcer throughout the length and breadth OF the
land, he GStephens) proposed to be equally
law and order. He had witnessed the solder
at the polls, and had seen no good of 1t. The
country had got along three quarters of cen
sentiment OF the people was as much against
their presence there now as it had ever besns
The future harmony, order, and prosperity OF
hereafter adher1ng to the principles and pre-
cepts OF the fathers OF the republic.
congress had right to raise armies and to de-
signate the purposes for which they should be
used, ard the Presidents right to control and
direct their movements was clearly an execa-
tive one, with which Congress had no power to
But II could say that the
1t had right (Which do not think the Execu
tive would deny) to say that the military should
devoted to protecting the frontier. Let the
navy 6e afloat on the sea, protecting the coun-
trys flag and commerce. Let each be In the
10 %Rsn %on n which in the
common country. Let them perform their
duties, and leG the civil administration OF the
country COUNT go on In its own channel. Let mem
bers or Congress be returned as heretofore and
II any man was defrauded OF his rights then LED
the high court OF the country-tne House of
representatives. M s. decide that question, and not
Mr. Reed argued against the section, both as
to its substance and as to its being in order
under % the the rule The rule demanded two things:
geimane TO the bill; and second, that it shall
Ieduce expenditure. He argued that it did not.
on ITS lace, retrench expenditures, and that IL
was the duty OF the chair dn the interest OF
parliamentary law to cOnstrue the rule with
the same stTictness that Speaker Kerr construed
1t. he also argued that the amendment was
AOo SCIl1huCs OCCaunC tuc Ulu was an army an
preparation bill, and, even II the proposition TO
restrain army of1cers was germane, the propo-
sttton to restrain persons In the civil and naval
service was not germane
The Chair made q decision overruling the
point OF order and holding that the section was
germane and would retrench expenditures.
An appeal was taken and the decision WAS
sustained 125 to 1O7
The general discussion was then opened by
MT. Garfield, who made very strong speech
against the policy OF the democratic party in
Congress, declaring it to be utterly revolution-
ary and tending to the subversion of the gov.
efnment. The speech was very effective and
created great excitement