Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-01-22
FORTE.SIITH CON6RKSS.
All Night Session of the House.
SOME LIVELY SCENES.

oSSuAS eAO oOoehuouCC VI a 4uOI "A UiIl udU
neen pending for the relief OF Theophilus P.
C1andler, late sub treasurer OF Boston, Mass.
IL feifeves him OF all responsibility and liability
1Or tne loss OF moneys loaned by julius F. Hart
OF the sub-treasury. HartWen had charge OF
the public moneys He loaned the sum OF
x4s0 GOO to Mellen, Ward & Co., and 1t was lost.
me re port states that the loss was not the re-
suit OF any default or negligence on the part OF
Mr.. Chandler. Under this BILL the question OF
the responsibility OF a United States OFFICER for
tne acts OF his subordinates was discussed. Mr..
MOI Molse mace an explanation OF the matter and
ana put 1t In the Treasury. But the banks
which had lost the funds brought suit. and the
supreme Court decided that, as Hartwell was
an officer Of the United states, the money must
be refunded. Mr.. Mills argued that II officers
were to be held responsible for the laches OF
their suoordinates, no one could afford to ac-
cept the appointments. Mr.. Sparks argued that
the suo:treasurer was responsible. for it was
MS business to see that his d SOursIng Oft Ger
was man of proper character.
MI. Bragg took the same ground Mr.. Car
isle did not doubt that officers bonds were re-
sponsibe for the thefts of suOordinates. but he
Old not believe that the government intended to
make each oficer al absolute insurer. On the
question 0f laying the bill aside with q favor
able recommendation. there were IS in the af-
frmatlve and II In the negative when Mr.
Sparks and MIR. Mcmillan made the point that
there was 10 quorum.
A call OF the House was ordered when 1t was
developed that 122 members only were present.
At 11.25, EMOTIONS to adjourn having been made
and defeated In the meantime) Mr. Hammond
Bis excuse was that he had been in the CAPITOL
though not In the hall He was excused
AT HIS another motion to adjourn was de
feated.
At 1890 only two more members-Messrs.
Speer, OF Georgia. and kitchtn, Of North Caro-
lina-had been brought In, and few minutes
thereafter they were followed by Messra. An
derson OF Kansas, and Forsyt the OF IllinolS, and
the nSI11l form carried
Gflered and motions made to excuse members.
The usual scenes Incident TO night session
were enacted last night. Members congrega-
tsd IN groups talking and laughing, now and
then walking down to the bar OF tue House to
listen to the excuses OF mem oers who had been
arrested by the Sergeant nt-at-Arms for absen.
OF the Sergeant alarms, Mr.. Frost, suggested.
ironically, that the tedious hours be enlivened
ny allowing Mr.: Speer to make speech upon
in that gentleman district.s diis 'Ae A's''o ''''''
Mr: Speer replied by remlr&lng that the
'pellucid ingalo" was finer river than aay
IN the state or Missouri; which led to a sarcas-
tic inquiry as to It's width. Mr.. Soeer. in the
course OF some further desultory remarks said
that he had long wondered at the admiration
which the gentleman from Missouri (Fros)
made some time ago. bus he had recently
learned that there was a large Feniap vote In
the gentleman'S district.
Mr.. Frost retorted by stating that In his ex-
animation OF the river and harbOr bill. upon
which the House would soon be called upon to
vote, his geography had been materially i'm.
proved. Streams like the Ingalo, which had
hitherto been unknown to him, had cone 10
his knowledge greatly to his advantage, but
very much TO the disadvantage OF the t. S.
Treasury. He acknowledged that number OF
his constituents were OF Irish descent, and that
be had some Irish blood In his own yeIns [Dleed
him. suggested member. but even had he not
he thought thai tie Irish people for what
they had accomplished for this country, were
entitled to the sympathy OF the American
people.
Mr. Elnste;n-Give US your views ON the
Chinese question.
Mr.. FfOst-I mad better refer you to the plat
form OF the republican party.
Mr. Elnstein suggested that there was a letter
On the subject. written TO man named Morey.
which had come from the democratic party.
Mr.. FrOst-"Shake not thy go.y locks at me-
thou caGS't not say did it
Mr.. Einstein replied that he did not believe
That gentleman of Mr. frosi's standing would
do such thing, but asserted that his party had
done ii.
oh. no from the democratic side.
Mr.. Frost said Thai II The letter had obtained
any cItoebce. ii had been because that letter.
II Was.D represented the principles that had been
advccattd by the republican party, notably by
the gentleman to wnom the letter had been at
trlbuted.
At 1880 motion was ,na.e that the Ho;se ad-
Journ, and the roll call disclosed the fact that
there were fewer members present than at the
first roll. call.
MI. Frye then rose and said that there must
be some power in the House OF Representatives
when session was agreed upon Ey which men,
Ders should be compelled TO be present and at
tend TO business. He had been compelled TO
come here Sick tonight TO attend 10 special
order of the House. A bill had been considered,
and eighty-ni votes had been cast 1n
Its favor and l6 against ii. Those IS gentlemen
quorum, and would llsien se TO on no COMPROMISE.
What WAS the result: The House would sink
into contempt II It did not compel a quorum 10
attend. -Four hours mad been spent 10 an at
tempt TO get quorum, and now at las there
were no more members present than there had
been in the beginning. Gentlemen had left
this hall when they knew they had no right to
contempt that ought not to be lightly over
looked. He did not understand why gentlemen
could not be found when the sergeant alarms
was armed With his warrant To bring them
mere. lie failed 10 perceive Why In four hours
tine not more than dozen gentleman had
been brought here, ana why. when ii was the
duty Oh the sergeant t-srms. there
the commeL cement. The whole thing had
TUNED into a farce, ana circus, and a
mere collection Of attempts At week and foolish
Jokes, aid al the dignity OF proceedings were
dropped at cEce; and tue proceeding brought
itse!I into the contempt II deserved The com
ni.ttee On rules had attempted TO devise some
measures 10 do away with the call OF the House,
but had Been unable 10 do So 1t depended on
the members themselves whether or not the
dignity CT the House should he preserved, and
whether or hot the business when the people
had sent them 10 do should be done. lie called
on members, In the name OF their constituents,
IN the lame OF the country which demanded
tlat business should be done, 10 treat this mat
ter as IL Oushr TO be treated-as matter OF
dignity, OF sole:nnity Of absolute necessity to
the performance Of the high duties to which
they had been called by their constituents
tApplause.1
Mr.. Sparks said that he had only exercised his
right IN raising the point OF :no quorum" upon
the Chandler bill. He agreed with the gentle.
man from Maine tMr. Frye that session OF
the Houses should not be convened into a hoIi-
day and hurrah.
Mr.. Mills, alludlng to the remark OF Mr. Frye
as TO members leaving the hail. said every gen
tleman who left the hall gave his word OF honor
that he would return. Sometimes 1t was an
implied promise. but 8 promise which he ought
to feel as strongly as though it were written in
his blood.
MIR. Warner {who just prior to Mr.. Fryes
speech had been brought into the hall, and who
thought that some OF that gentleman's remarks<
were directed towards him. suggested that
there was little difference between absence
from the House and being present ana refusing
to vote, as he had seen the gentleman from
Maine (Mr. Frye do frequently. He felt re-
spOns1ble to his constituents equally as much
aB the gentleman from Maine did to his.
MIR. Frye stated that he had no reference to
the gentleman from Ohio, iMr Warner1 His
remarks had been intended for the gentlemen
who were still absent, or who had lett since the
doors had been closed.
Mr.. Warner then said that he desired to with