Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1881-01-27

| to receive the House of Representatives in
| the Senate chamber on Wednesday, February
9, 1881, at IL o'clock meridian, for the pur-
| pose of being present at the opening and
counting of the vote for President and Vice
President of the United States, and that two
persons be appointed tellers on the part of
| the Senate to make list of votes for Presi-
dent and Vice President of the United States
as they shall be declared, that the result shall
be delivered to the president of the Senate.
who shall announce the state of the votes,
which shall be entered on the journal, and if
it shall appear that choice has been made
agreeably to the Constitution such entry on
the journal shall be deemed sufficient decla-
ration thereof.
Mr.. Whyte objected to its consideration at
this time and it went over under the rules
The bill providing for the allotment of
lands in severalty to the Indians came up as
the Regular order. Mr.. Teller and Mr..
Plumb made speeches in opposition.
The discussion of the bill was not concluded
at 4:3O, when Mr.. Booth, from the Commit
tee on Appropriations, reported the pension
appropriation bill.
The Senate then went into executive ses-
sion, and when the doors were opened ad-
journed.
HoUsE-The Democrats made an effort to
dispense with the morning hour, but failed
to get the necessary two-thirds vote. Com
mittees were then called for reports.
After the committees had all been called
Mr. Bicknen called up the joint rule for the
counting of the electoral votes, and Mr.. Con-
ger raised the question of consideration. In
division there were 119 for consideration
and 10 against, when the yeas and nays were
demanded and the House by vote of 100 to
124 decided to consider it. Messrs. Walton;
Speer and Weaver acted with the RepubH-
cans, as did Messrs. Jones, of Texas, Lowe,
of Alabama and all of the Greenbackers
Pending the demand for the previous
question, Mr.. Conger moved call of the
House. The Speaker said that the roll call
showed that there was a quorum present.
Mr.. Conger said that there were some men,
bers absent and he wanted them all here to
attend to their duties. The House had the
right to compel the attendance of all its mem
bers.
After a discussion the Speaker decided that
when the fact was plain that quorum was
present a motion for a call of the House was
not in order, as the whole object of the cali
was to get a quorum.
Mr.. Conger appealed from the decision of
the Chair and Mr.. Blount moved to lay the
appeal on the table.
The roll was called on the latter motion and
the Republicans withheld their votes to make
it appear that there was not quorum pres
emit.
Mr.. Springer said he had voted, but did not
Mr.. Conger-'Does the gentleman, ask
leave to vote?'
The Speaker-"The gentleman says he had
voted and that he was not recorded"
Mr.. Springer-'Does the gentleman from
Michigan doubt my word ?''
Mr.. Conger-'I might out of doors"
Gaughter.)
Mr.. Springer-'sYou can always find me
out of doors and can have my address if you
want it." (Renewed laughter.)
The vote on tabling the appeal was then
announced as no yeas to nays, and was
two lackingof quorum. Only two motions
were then in order, one for a call of the
House and the other to adjourn. The Re-
publicans sat passive, except that they would
not permit any business to be done in the
apparent absence of a quorum, and they
thus compelled the motion for a call of the
House to come from the Democrats The
roll call showed 25S members present. Theh
further time was consumed by the Republi-
cans resisting motion to dispense with fur
ther proceedings under the call, which was
done, however, and then the question re-
CURED upon tabling the appeal from the
Speakers decision. The Republicans again
withheld their votes, and only 142 votes were
recorded, which less than a quorum.
Another call of the House resulted, the mo-
ton coming from the Democrats. This time
249 members answered, which was less than
the first call.
M. Springer having moved to dispense
with further proceedings under the call, Mr..
Reagan hoped that that would not be done,
but the absentees would be sent for. He did
not like to be travelling in circle or march
ing up hill and down again.
The proceedings were dispensed with by
vote of 1873 to 81 and the question again re-
CURED upon tabling the decision of the chair,
when the quorum. was again broken The DEM
ocrats absent and not voting were Messrs.
Bright, FELTON,, Gibson, Hooker, MuldroW,
O'Brien, O'Rei1ly Smith of New Jersey,
Stevens, Whittehorne, Wise and F. Wood.
Any three of them would have made quo
rum. Another call of the House was ordered,
but before the roll was called a motion was
made to adjourn. The House had been trav
cling in circle and accomplishing nothing
for over four hours, and good many Demo
Gratis on a division united with the Repubi-
cans on that motion and it was declared car
ried by vote of lob to 1902, when the yeas
and nays were demanded and the motion to
adjourn was defeated by 127 to 1873, only two
majority. Messrs. Felton, Myers, J. w. Sin
gleton, Speer and Stevens voted with the Re-
publicans to adjourn. Another call of the
House resulted, when 251 members respond
ed, but a number of pairs were announced
and it was manifest that quorum of Demo
Gratis were not in attendance. 1t was there
fore deemed useless to prolong the contest
to-day and the House at 5:10 p. m. adjourn
ed, on motion of Mr.. Thompson, of Ken
lucky, in spite of threats previously made by
some of the Democrats that they would sit
the matter out. 1t is questionable whether
there will be enough members voting affirma-
lively to get the subject up again. Many of
the Democrats are opposed to it, and be-
tween the apportionment bill or the Yeates-
Martin case and the joint rule they will prob
ably prefer the former. Many members
doubt the propriety of calling the subject up
again and will unite with the Republicans
to prevent it,