The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-12-08

very existence OF our form OF Govern
ment may depend upon It. II counted By
any person, Il must be done in the pres
euce OF the two houses. So that all rules
regulating the joint meeting are ot the
highest privilege, affecting, as they do
the exercise ol the most important tunc'
tions OF the two houses. In answer TO
the gentlemen from Michigan and Ohio,
(Conger and Updegraf,) as to the rules ol
the House, the Chair desires to say It Is
not competent for The House TO maze any
rule which obstructs, in any degree, the
execution OF the terms OF the Constitution.
The Chair therefore considers, In view OF
past practice, that this is a question Of
privilege.
Mr.. Van vorhis, OF New York-Do
you find 1t necessary to abrogate the rule? ?
The speaker-The Chair has in answer
to that stated that it Is not competent for
this House to pass any rule to impair the
execution OF the Constitution.
Mr.. Van Vorhis-Does rule 8 do that?
The Speaker-The Chair takes no cog
niIance Of the rules when the Constitution
OF the United States and the laws Of the
land come in conflict with them.
Mr.. Bicknell then demanded the pre-.
vious question.
Mr.. Keller warned the gentleman from
Indiana (Bicknell) that he wonld reach
his end much sooner by allowing the de-
bate than in any other way.
4 long discussion followed as TO how
long the debate should run, the Repub.
licans demanding that It should be with
out limit and the Democrats refusing to
yield unlimited time, as no agreement
could be arrived at.
ME. BiCknell demanded the previous
question.
The Republicans refusing to vote, the
House was left without quorum.
The Democrats made several PROPOSE.
tions as TO limiting the debate, but they
were all rejected, and it looked as II the
House would get into dead lock.
Mr.. McLane appealed to Mr.. Bickrell to
Withdraw his demand for the previous
question. II the Republican side Of the
House chose to carry the debate beyond
one, or two, or three weeks let it do 90
with the responsibility OF obstruc!ing
legislation. The country could appreciate
on which side Of the House the response.
bility would rest. II the Republicans
chose to occupy the time Of the House IN.
til the very day for counting the Electoral
vote he (McLane) would not make him.
self unhappy. He therefore hoped that
the previous question would be Withdrawn
for the present.
The Speaker intimated that was the
most desirable course II the previous qnes.
ton could be renewed at any time.
Mr.. BiCknell. while expressing his con.
yiction that debate would be q useless
waste OF time acted on the susges-
ton, and withdrew the previons question.
Mr.. Keller obtained the floor and de-
livered written argument against the
pending measure, which he characterized
as a MEASURE OF usurpation and fraud, and
one which might lead 10 bloodshed and
war.
At the conclusion ofMr. Keifer's speech
the matter went over for the present.
The House then adjourned, yeas SO,
nays 81. The Democrats opposing the
motion.
The House ordered to-day the reprint
ing OF the refunding bill, interstate com.
merce bill and the joint resolution oIigi-
nally introduced by Mr.. Pound, proposing
an amendment to the Constitution pro-
viding that the President shall from the
4th Of March, 1885, hold his office for a
term Of elk years, and shall be ineligible
for more than one term conseCutiYely, and
that representatives in Congress shall
serve for term ofthree years,