Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-05-31
The appeal was laid on the table
yeas, $50; nays, none.

After the announcement of the
vote Mr.. Cox, of New York, pre-
sented protest signed by over one
hundred Democratic members
against the ruling Of the Speaker
The protest was not received to go
upon the journal, but was read
as part of Mr.. Cox's remarks,
so as to be printed in the Congress
sional Record.
The report of the committee on
rules was adopted yeas $50, nays 2.
AT 6:45 the House determined to
proceed to the consideration of the
contested election case. Mr.. Miller,
of Penns, lvania, took the floor to
open the debate, and at Z o'clock the
House adjourned until tomorrow.
WASHINGTON, May 30.--The regu-
lar journal of yesterday having been
read, Mr.. Springer, of Illinois, OBJ
jected to its approval on the gronnd
that it omitted all reference to two
very important motions which he
had submitted, and to appeals which
he had made from the Speaker s
refusal to entertain them. He had
the official report on the subject
read from the Speakers refusal to
entertain them. He had the off iial
report on the subject read from the
Congressional Record, and he then
moved to have the journal corrected
so as to include those two motions
which were to lay on the table the
report of the committee on rules,
and to recommend the report with
instructions, together with the
Speakers refusal to entertain them,
his (Springer's) appeals from such
refusal and the Speakers declining
to entertain them.
The Speaker directed the Clerk to
read the rule governing the case, to
the effect that every motion made to
the House and entertained by the
Speaker shall be entered on the
journal, and he said that if the Clerk
had iournalized those motions and
appeals he would have acted improp-
erly.
Mr.. Springer pointed out similar
cases in recent proceedings of the
House where motions that were
proper ones and should have ap-
peared on the journal which should
show correctly and truthfully what
was done, even though the journal
might then contain the condemna-
ton of the man who sat in the
chair. Indignant calls to
order on the Republican side and a
declaration by the Speaker that the
gentleman was not in order.) have
a right to speak If am not in order
let my words be taken down.
Speaker-The Chair can very well
afford
Mr.. Springer attempted, amid ex-
citemens and confusion, to proceed
with his remarks, but was told per-
by the Speaker that the
Sergeant at-Arms would be directed
to force him, at least, to desist. The
Democratic members gathered around
Mr.. Springer, giving him aid and en-
couragement, while many Republi>
can members were also on their feet
protesting angrily against Mr.
Springers course. Mr.. Springer in
formed the Speaker, def4ntly, that
he would not be taken from the floor.
Mr.. Humphreys, of Wisconsin -
you eau, and will. can do it my
self" Laughter.
Mr.. Springer-''It will take a
larger pattern than you to do ii"
Continued laughter
Speaker-The Chair can very well
afford to allow the gentleman from
Illinois to make improper remarks
in so far as they apply to the Chair
alone, but it is quite another thing
when the gentleman undertakes to
destroy the dignity of the House by
his own conduct. [Applause by the
Republicans
Mr.. Springer-That has been al,
ready destroyed.
That is SO, said Mr.. Reed, by your
own side of the House.
Speak er- ANY proper motion that
the gentleman may wish to make re-
lating to the correction of the jour-
nal, will be entertained by the Chair
and submitted to the House. The
journal clerk, in emitting the mo-
tions that were not entertained, pro-
ceeded exactly in accordance with
the rule.
Mr.. Knott, of Kentucky, after
some further colloquy, made a con-
stitutional argument in support of
MIR. Springers position. The com
mand of the Constitution was plain
and peremptory, that each House
should keep journal of its pro-
ceedipgs. If that meant anything
it meant that every transaction which
took place during its session, every
motion made and every ruling on Ii
should be reduced to writing. The
journal implied compile and truth
full journal. The fact that a motion
Was out of order was no reason
why that motion and ruling
upon it should not appear
on the journal, on the contrary i
should be recorded as a preceden
for the future. Ii nothing was to g
on the journal except when thu
Speaker chose to entertain it, thel
the will of the Speaker and not tn
Constitution and rules would be tn
law of the House. Where was re.
dress, and what would then becom
of the provision of the Constitution
which required that the proceeding
of the House should be truthfulIy re
corded. Had it come to this, that th
arbitrary will of the Speaker, righ
or wrong, was to superced
| and override the Constitution
He had as high respect for tn
Speaker as any other member had
| vat he onuId NOT saw that the Speak