National Republican., 1880-05-17
WILL CONGRESS ADJOURN I?
Interesting Debate in The House On
Saturday.
Resolution to Adjourn May 81 hdoptod-Tn-
dividual Views of Membsis-Dad Show
of tho Work Accomplished -
General Plea of Willful
Neglect Entered by DEM
ocratic Members.
Adiournment Question in tho House

stituto Tor the river ana hnrbor bill without It's be-
ing reported TO the house.
On motion by Mr.. Dickey the bill TO cede TO the
state of Ohio tie unsold lands in the military dis
trict in said state was by unanimous consent taken
up and passed..
On motion of Mr.. Bright tho bill to pay claims
allowed by tho commissioners of claims was taken
up and passed.
The regular order was demanded, which the
speaker announced was the consideration of bust
ness reported from the committee on education
and labor.
Mr.. Gibson rose to n question Of privilege, and
called up his resolution for q final adjournment.
There was very long discussion on parliamon-
tary order and the right of precedence, the house
having by unanimous consent designated the bust
ness for the day to be reports from the committee
on education and labor and Mr.. Gibson claiming
his resolution TO be question of high privilege.
advancing to The front of the Speakers chair said
~ want TO suggest here that although we must be
governed by the rules in conducting the business
cred. The favorable vote of the house yesterday
upon the proposition looking to the final adjourn
ment OF Congress on the 3lst day OF this
of the people Of the country who have demanded
very little general legislation of US, than anything
we have dcne in the way of congressional action
during the whole of tho session excepting tho
necessary routine business and the passage OF the
appropriation bills. The people want MS to finish
the rest of those bills and leave by the end of the
month" [Applause.l
Finally the question was put TO the house upon
and it was decided to take up the resolulion-yeas
Mr. Tucker moved to lay the resolution on the
! table. Disagreed to--yeas 50; nays, 1873.
Again a shower Of points of order. parliamentary
| inquiries; etc, fell upon the speaker, with much
| noise and confusion.
The previous question was demanded and Sec
ondcd and the main question ordered
Another controversy sprung up in relation to who
| should have the thirty minutes allowed under the
rules for debate.
The speaker decided that Mr.. Gibson for and
Mr.. Tucker uBainst the resolution should have the
time as representative men.
| Mr.ITucEer said congress would be wanting in
its true duty TO the people of the country II it
| should adjourn in twelve business days with the
| Appropriation bills, tho tariff and the calendars
loaded with business in Its face. Why should they
| bo afraid to perform the duties for. which they
were sent here? If they were afraid 70 perform
| their duty they should abdicate, aud return the
trust they were not able to perform. 1t had been
said that there were certain war claims that led
| him TO oppose all adjournment. He knew of no
| war claims on the calendar or elsewhere
Mr. Stevenson urged tha, the congress should not
adjourn until 1t had placed upon the statute book
| n law providing the method OF counting the cleo
| tOral vote.
be considered.this session it might be defeated and
| said 1t was desired to adjourn to carry it over
I Tho pensioners also demanded justice at tho
| hands of congress He entered his solemn protest
| against an adjournment until congress had done
| justice TO the soldiers who served the flag that
he occupies the chair. Why not pass the inter
| state commerce bill and relieve the whole coun.
try} ,u.o, ,,..,,,u,o, ,,,o s.,., -.
| ton being influenced by desire to avoid the tariff
| bill. The entire delegation would vote solid Tor
| the bill.
Mr.. Townsend said Ifths resolution shall be
| adopted, what will 1t mean? 1t will mean that tile
| laboTs of this entire session will have gone for
| nuuglt. 1t Will demonstrate 10 tho country that
| notwithstanding we have been laborlng in COM
| mlttees for months To mature wholesome legisla.
ton, yet as soon us the bills so naured have been
| reported and placed upon the calendars we turn
our backs upon the work before cowardy shrink
from our duty to pass them, and go home to our
| Mr.. Hooker urged that the bill TO provide for
| counting the electoral vote should be passed and
there were many other measures OF public interest
| undisposed Of Scarcely one measure of public
interest had been passed except appropriation bills.
| Mr.. Dunmcll said had he been present in com.
| mitlee he would have voted against reporting the
resolution. II fthis resolution pass, the river and
harbor bill must fail, and ho was in favor of that
bill. There was much other important legislation
which tho people demanded of them.
| MIR. Garfield said: one point has been made on
the other side which strikes me with great force,
and that is the importance of settling in some law
and lawful manner the counting and declaring OF
| the electoral vote for president. II gentlemen on
the other side will set any day or any week any
| month and give us any reasonable assurance that
| at the end Of that day or week or month we can
pass q law which viii avoid controversy on that
| question, | viii stay here far beyond the dog
| days to help, and viii urge every other member
| to assist toward that end
But Mr.. Speaker, the majority have had four years
since the imminent dangers of that question last
| threatened this country and they have done moth
| ing. They wnit till the last session preceding
! another presidential election, and the end of the
six months OF that last session. when all at once,
| az an argument against an adjournment, this be-
comes an important topic. 1t is too late The
summer Is past and the harvest Is ended, and the
soul of that question is mot saved There is no
hope that ii can be saved by this congress. Nearly
two years ago tho senate sent us bill but the last
house let 1t die without u sign. Nobody this ses-
sion has even asked to set day for its considera-
tion. so that in my opinion 1t is too late to make
| that point against the pending resolution. Every
| argument used to day against adjournment can be
used next September with exactly the same pro-
"IRis congress has now been here nearly six
| months. 1t met last December completely organ
| lied, its committees ready for work, ana having
the benefit OF the previous preparation in the extra
session. We are outst0ying the welcome of the
American people in sitting here to-day,
| "Now, / call the attention Of gentlemen to tho
fact that on the Sd day of june next the presi.
dental cyclone strikes this people and in its
whirl in the course Of two weeks more 1t involves
both political paTt!es-iorty'hv millions OF people,
If we stay hero ill we are involved in tho sweep OF
that cyclone, we convert this legislative body into
a vast partisan debating club; and would not give
one day of the calm legislation of this house in
| other times for two months OF such legislation us
that period will bring upon the country. ask
gentlemen on either side OF this house II they are
| willing 10 stay here until that cyclone strikes us
| and converts this body and the whole country into
two vast poliIical, can camps ior Issuing campaign
means to extend the session of this house beyond
the Sd day Of June We can. 1--WE will pass all
| needed measures before the 3D. OF June, and then
| we shall have had q session longer than many of
our sessions have been. Let us pass this resolution
| now and resolutely work up TO It,"
| Mr.. OConnor said that IL was understood when
congress met that IL was to be short session. They
| had spent three months in debate on the rules.
The committee on ways and means had been in
session six months, and waited till this late day 10
| report tariff bill that would be vetoed If passed
but they wanted TO make record. Six months
had passed. and but a single bill from the commit
| tee OH claims Oh the private calendar had been
| touched and five Fridays had been spent In the
consideration of that one. How were the 200 cases
to come after II TO be disposed Of? Nothing could
be done at this late stage was for the interest OF
the party and the interest OF tho country to ad-
journ.
The yoto was then taken, resultlng-yeAs, l2l;
nays, 30,
Slr Goode then moved to take up the bill to In
corporate the National Educational association.
| Mr.. Reagan raised question of consideration
| ipterposng the intcr-Stute commerce bill.
| Pending yea and nay vote on the question tho
| mouse at 3;l5 p, IN. adjourned
| The daily hour OF meeting hereafter has been
| fixed by the house at IL Il. IN.