The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-04-10

who arc sick pres mt excuses for their
absence. The next nour or two drags
on slowly. Randall, after sitting for
about six hours in his chair, comes
down and stretches his legs, while one
and then another member acts as his
substitute. The galleries, which were
crowded in the middle Of the after
noon, have thinned out, until the light
in the domc-or cupulo, as Murch, Of
Maine, calls it-bcgins to notify the
city hat there is night session, and IL
number of spectators drop in.
About 8 O'Clock the sergcant-at-arms
appears with
HIS FIRST BATCH OF VICTIMS.
The House is in good-naturcd mood,
and improves the slightest opportunity
for laugh. Each member, as lie is
arralgncd at the bar, is asked by the
Speaker for his excuse. Then the
question is whether it shall be accept
cd. The Speaker puts it, there is q
faint "Ayc," then n tremendous ssNo."
a "division' is called for, whcreupon
about everybody who just yelled
"No" gets up and votes in the affirma-
tive. The farce is gone through with
over and over again, and the members
seem never to lose their endowment of
it. Singleton, Of Illinois, had been
excused when his name was called on
account of his age, but ho comes of his
own accord, and is in u very iovial
mood. Hc wears some remarkable
Kind of yellow-colorcd vest, and
feels an uncomfortable impulse to use
his tongue, despite the fact that it has
grown rather thick. IIc has great
deal to say about the "unscasonable
hOur"; he makes impossible motions
10 excuse half dozen members in
bunch; he proposes that the House take
fifteen minutes "for reposc"; he talks
about "thc great principles Of the
+ Democratic party; he turns and
sharply says, "Don't pull my coat
! tails" to colleague who seeks to re-
press him; and whatever he says, he
sets the House and galleries in Il roar.
Steele, queer old fellow from North
Carolina, fills up one Of the intervals
with recitation from Tam O'Shantcr.
!, From time to to time the sergeant
, at-arms brings in fresh invoice of
victims. Frost, of st. Louis, the
youngest member Of the House, is ar
raigncd in the full evening dress which
, he had assumed for dinner party, and
his appearance calls forth roars of
laughter. Later Oh Robson, Tucker
| s.''@ ol oliit'i uLC DiOuHu ILL Ill
the same apparel, rs they had been
dragged from the cx-secrctary's hospi-
table table. Tucker, who is always
running over with fun, feels iollicr
than usual and laughs ''as though he
would split" while Deustcr, an hon
est German member from Wisconsin,
tells how he went home because he
wanted to sec his wife. Hcilman, a
lat Dutchman from indiana, brings
down the House by rendering his cX-
cusc in his native tongue. Everything
goes on smoothly, save when during a
roll-call Cotfi 9th, one fthe Pcnnsyl-
vania Democrats who have been con-
sistcntly voting against their party all
through this struggle, replies to IT,
l@dc Of Blackburn's against the Speak
cr. and the two men get to talking SO
loudly that people in tho galleries can
ovcrhear such words rs "trator" and
"liar," and look to see the difficulty
proceed from words to blows. Black
burn has apparently been drinking
Just enough to make him ugly, but
Thomas Turner plays the part Of peace
maker and takes Coffroth of.
The more moderate Democrats are
evidently sick of the farce, and Tom
Ewing does not hesitate to character
ize the question us "somewhat frivo-
lous." At last the familiar motion is
made again, and the clerk calls the roll,
for the fifteenth time during the scs-
sion. One or two sleepy Rep lblicans
vote with tbs Democrats, and it is car
ricd, 70 to IS. Most Of the members
already have their o:ercoats on and
quarter past II the Speaker declares
| thn Iyhncn nIinppnpI fhn
the ClOak-rooms, and within five min
utcs hall and galleries are empty and
given over to the force Of sWecpers.
The procession takes its way down the
hill, out of the foul air in which many
members have staid almost constantly
for over twelve hours, and into the
bracing mir and bright moonlight of q
most beautiful night. And so they 60
home with disagrccablc conviction
on the part Of great many that all
they have succeeded in doing has boon
to make fools Of themselves.
BETHEL PREsBYTERY. THE spring
session Of Bethel Prcsbytcry convened
lat Bccrshcba church, York county, on
Thursday, April 1st, aud was opened
with sermon by the retiring modcra-
tor, Rev. +. Drantlcv, Of Townsville,
from Psalm xiv, /. After prayer tho
body was organized by the election Of
Rev. w. W. Mills, of Fairfield, as
moderator, and Rev. g. A. Trenholm
clerk Reports were read from the
various pastoral charges within the
bounds Of Prosbytcry. These showed
the favorable condition of tho church,
in all its interests. The committee on
: Sunday Schools, through it's chairman,
Rev. &. A. Trenholm, recommended
that all the smaller hymn books now
in use in the Sunday Schools of the
Presbytery be abolished, and that the
hymn book used in congregational
Worship be used also in the Sunday
Schools. This led to lengthy debate,
but the recommendation Of the com
mittce was finally agreed to. Con-
siderable discussion arose from an
, overture sent up from the church at
Rock Hill, asking that the law Of the
church requiring members to hold
their membership at churches nearest
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