The sun., 1881-12-07
ORGANIZING THE HOUSE.
~uF CASE OF DELEGATE CANNON FfT
pENAINING TO BE SETTLED.

- wov Of Drawing for seats-The Good
I'D Nod Luck OF Members-The SENATE
p...e. tho Resolution 10 Continue the Old
s,.mm,,,ees-senntor David Dnvis's speech
=, ravor OF tho Republican Position-How
an. Presldent's Message 10 Receivcd.
w.surSGToN, Dec 6.-Organization OF the
uouse was effected to-day in very orderly
manner. except that the question Ms to tho right
n,canuon. the Mormon Delegate from Utah. to
he seated upon prima facie credentials Is not
~, settled The drawing OF seats took place In
ths afternoon in the utmost good humor. as has
.luars been the custom. Some OF the new
mombers we're the most fortunate. while some
=, the older and more prominent ones suffered
h,dlv from the chances OF the lot.
The manner OF drawing seats was varied this
,ssr from the custom which is supposed to
have prevailed since the foundation OF the
Governmcnt Hitherto the names OF every
member. written upon slips OF paper. have
been paced in a box. and as tho names were
withdrawn tho member whose name was read
selected his seat and occupied 1t until all tho
seats we're chosen. In the last Congress 1t was
Objected that tho fiat pieces OF paper stuck to-
eether. and It often happened that the names OF
almos, all OF State delegation were drawn out
toee,her the names having been copied from
the roll by States. The change inaugurated
in this Congress was to have every Representa-
tive and Delegate numbered upon the official
roll in alphabetical order. while number OF
small cubes. or dice. corresponding to the num-
ber OF persons on the roll and numbered from
ono consecutivey. were placed In the box.
Then tho box was shaken by the Clerk and the
dice drawn one By one from the box by bNnd
folded page. The numbered dice or cube was
handed by the pane to one OF the reading clerks.
who road aloud the number. Thereupon
another reading clerk road the name from the
ofNcial list to which that correspondent whore
upon the Speaker announced the member who
was entitled to come forward and select his seat.
The new system worked satisfactorily and is
not open to the objection which was raised In
the Forty sixth Congress. lis impossible for
the cubes to adhere together ~ the paper slips
did. 1t had been the custom for many years
prior to the drawing OF SEATS to give to the dean
Who % may hsppsn to suffer from any physical
in1rmity. the choice OF seats before the names
IN Tho ss e:
der Fl. Stephens on account Of bis infirmities.
and to Judge Kelley and Fernando Wood on ac-
afternoon the attenpt was made In like manner
to give to Alexander StepheDs. to Hawk OF 1li
Hs g Jas1 Keey
Of his lOng-continued scrvics. an opportunity
to first select their seats. On the Democratic
privilege for Sunset Cox. OF whom It was said
that he had performed as long term OF service
eSdsn n" ss. House was no, in
humor TO accord such privileges to any one:
Reed Of Maine shouted from his seat that II
%SGss;ss ss
Deusier Of Milwaukee, who stayed too long In
Europo to reach Washington IN time and is
Nsw SseSra ~a1 al the
McLane Ni Of Maryland protested against the
seemed as 4 the Isusl courtssies would be dis:
I,ssnred Finally the privilege Of selecting
each side o'the House. A!eysnder ii. ,SSieph.ns
OF Georgia and Hawk Of Illinois. Then the
ceremony for the drawing OF the seats began:
All the seats were vacated save the one occupied
by Mr.. Hawk and the one retained by Dir. Ste-
Dhens. In which page was seated. the mem
bar The memb bers did no, at first und derstandt tho
new order OF drawing by dice instead OF written
slips and there were loud snouts from the back
seats to the page to thoroughly shake the box
and to turn IL over. The House became quite
turbulent. though good -humored. and Speaker
Kelley seemed somewhat disappointed that tho
courtesy which had been extended to him for
50 many years should thus fall into disuss @ and
however. that he left his hat upon the desk
which he had occupied for SO many Congresses
slip OF paper upon which the name o.! Kelley
was written and placed the slip securely
Sss oO %h e the tho HOUSE had
70 do the Republican members accorded
to their dean. None OF the Republicans
one OF the most eligible in the House. When
his name was reached. nearly at the foot OF the
the Old seat. which had been saved for I'm.
amid the applause OF tho House. The first
numter taken from The box was $50. which cor
responded on the roll to the name OF Wheeler
OF A.ilama. the msmler whose seat is 80
bitterly contesed by Lowe. and to whose taking
yesterday made. Tho Demo rats seemed to re-
gard this as happy omen for Wheeler's
success. and he entered into tho vast arena
nlled with vacant desks to make the first selec-
hon amid enthusiastic applause on tue Demo.
cratic sid. He kept his seat until near the end
few chairs leit from which to choose. came
down tie aisle. and Wheeler rendered him the
cnair which he had chosen for himself. which
MT Randall graciously accepted. Wheeler se-
leclet ono near Il. which he again later re-
signed 10 Sunset Cox and betoox himself to
Seat on the outer row.
Mr.. Wheeler in the coming weeks. will have
much more need OF skilled Democratic parlia-
Ineniarians than he will Of an eligible seat. The
Iast man called upon the roll was O'Nel OF
that he has been eighteen years in Congress
r The second fortunate man to draw eents was
Tom Erown OF Indiana. who took Haskel's old
sssal; Stone. a new msmber was next favored
gently embarrassed by the richness OF his
Gh0i'e. Then came Scranton. a one-legged
Union soldier. Ryan OF Kansas. the first
OF the old members to be called. had
MS name drawn the sixth from the box. and Sc
cured his old seat on the main aisle. Ward OF
fsnnsylyania was the seventh choice. and he
eiadiy ayalled himself OF his good fortune.
elnce the last Congress adjourned he has been
rapidly losing his eyesight He has become
,SHlally bnd 10 one eye and sees but little with
me other He spent most OF the summer
"a dark room. and came forward with some
hesln'ion. owing to his enfesbled sight. and Sc
!ected Il seat In the front row. directly facing
ihe speaker's desk. which WINS occupied in the
iast Congress by the nervous. electric MIR. Chit
lehIri. Inc ninth man drawn from the box
was territorial Delegate. French. who has no
'oIe, ar! who took a back seat.
n-ides OF Ohio was tho first old mem er
eai4fl On the Democratic side. He took his
o!h rtat, which Was not very good one. Dtz-
euuuri. unlucky in his political position in Nir-
gina AMI ia his predictions Of Mahone's de-
taeAl WIS fortunate to-day. and was among the
nIs' tots called while Jorgensen. his colleague.
~ Oh Memtei. was among The last. and was
uflfeh t1n remote back corner The fat men
seeMr.! the most anxious. and some Of them
were mo most unfortunate. The hall is now So
,Self E0witi ana the ssats are so close together
,lh ~, y = difficult undertaking for a stout man
,ms4-e"A' INTO one OF The inside seats. Accord
tnXB te outside seats were in demand 10y the
HetNy weights. E1besOa obtained an excellent
y@fi ti- - VIII attempt To take n commanding
ts't'IH anoag tho leaders OF the House.
r. r. Lrods a whole aisls. and he has II. sam