Hand County press. (Miller, Dakota [S.D.]) 1882-1893, 1882-06-07
CONGRESS.


case for six hours, the Hoa@ then to vote on
the question OF recommttaL Mr.. Randall OBJ
jec ed. Rollcalls on flihustering motions
showed the lack OF quorum. Mr.. Dunn IN
tioduced petition for IA appropriation OF
S101, 900 for the relief OF sufferers by the over
dow OF the Mississippi accompanied by letter
from Comm 10 .oner Mangum. of A ktasas.
Mr. Reed prcsente an amendment TO the rules
to limit 6libusteriny ON election cases. The
) nate was not In sc ssloL
Mr. Garland offered Q resolution In the SEN
ate. on the goth inst, which was adopted, for
an inquiry into the necessity OF aiding sufferers
by the overflow In ArkansAs Messrs. Cockrep,
sherman and Mcmillan spoke in opposition to
the bill to reimburse the Creek Indian orphan
fund, which was laid over. An act was passed
for the s;le of the old rostoffi,e slte in New
YORK for s5o0,00o Mr.. Lapham presented a
re- olltion for the payment OF s5,00e to
the administratrix OF John c. Under
wood for prosecuting his claim to
n seat in the Senate from Virginia Mr. Plumb
reported bills TO ret aside lands for park in
Arizona and to enlarge the powers Of the De-
parim,nt OF Agriculture. The japanese In
dempity-Fund bill was discussed and laid over.
In tie House, Mr.. Reed called up the proposed
amendmt mt to the rules prohibiting diIatory
motions on q contested-election ease. Mr..
j
Mr.. Kenna moved an immediate adjournment
and Mr. Blackburn proposed to adjourn over
Decoration day. Lost-yeas, q; nays, las.
Mr.. Randall then moved that the
House adjourn TO June /. On that
Mr.. Reed made point Of order that
on the proposition to amend the rules dilatory
motions cannot be entertained. Mr. Randall
denied the right OF the Speaker to put any such
construction on his motion. Mr. Reed pro-
n "a inf NJ nj
gested limit be put on that discussion. No
agreement to that end, however, was made.
and the Speaker said he would not make the
limitation less than an hour on each side.
Mr.. Reed then opened the discussion. He
claimed tnat the House had, under the consti.
tuition, certain powers expressly conferred upon
it. powers which it could exercise without let or
hindra ice by any other body powers which it
could not surrender, which 1t could not trade
away, which it must perform, and the first Of
these powers was to judge Of the election re-
turns and qualifications of its own members.
This House has been endeayoring during
the last ten days to perform that duty,
but had been prevented by dilatory motions.
The best and most orderly way tc put stop to
that course was to amend the rules. and that
was the object now. He maintained the propcsi-
ton that wherever there is duty imposed upon
Congress to accomplish a certain work. II s the
duty Of the Speaker to carry ont that rule OF
law or Of the constitution. Hs cited the
ruling Of Speaker Randall when there was
the Electoral Count law, and when an
obstruction was attempted by Springer,
to the eff ct that he Ohe clair) had nj
lowed tIis, and had allowed that, and had al.
lowed the other, in the way OF motions. but the
House was now brought to point where II
must act. Mr.. Heed referred to the decision
by Mr.. Blaine 10 the sffect that, pending a
ipI, IN chs 4 h.. M alatn ulD.
tons cannot be entertained. He closed sy
staiing that the miaoutx bad 20 right furthar
TO delay the action OF The Hou-e. R,ndaIl
proceeded to rpply to Mr.. II ed. He ad-
mitted that the rules OF legislative body
were first for the orderly conduct OF busi-
ness. and next for the protection Of
the rights Of the minority. In this latter point
he quoted from the rulings of the Speakers OF
the English House of Commons. lie argued
that, Just as the constitution prescribed the
manner Ia whi, h IL should bc amended,
80 the rules prescribed tho manner in
which they should be changed. As 10 his
own decision In the clectoral-cuunt case, he
put it on the ground that the law under winch
the House was then acting was greater
than the rules, and cut on dilatory motions
In the present case, however, there was no
law interfering with the rules. As 10 Mr..
Blaines ru'ingl or fs her dictem, Mr.. Randall
asserted that II had nefer been pressed nor
any advantage taken OF n, cut that, ou tine
contrary tff RS had been made on that occa-
sion (when the Civil Rights bill was under con-
sidefa io) TO stispend the rules so as to cut of
dilatofv motions, but without success, SO that,
after Blaine's dictum II had been conceded that
only by two-third vote could dllatory motions
he cut OF. In conclusion, he justified The ac-
ton Of the minority In tLi, contested 81 c'ioD.
Messrs. kasson, Carlisle, Haskell, Blackburn
Robeson. Cox, Hooker, McI.san, Reagan. Ran
Aali Hsz betr
consuming three hours. The Speaker sustained
Mr.. II eds point Of order MIR. Randall took
an appeal, which was tabled by I50 to 0. Mr..
Cox presented protest by 100 Democratic
members. The report OF the Committee on
Rules was adopted by 100. 10 q Mr. Miller,
South Carolina contested-ele case, when
the House adjourned for the day.
Immediately after The reading Of the jo,irfial
in the House, on the sOth ut., MI Springer, OF
Illinois, objected to its approval as ii omit cd
mention OF two important motions made by
lin AMI ignored by the Speaker. In procce ling
with Ills argument he was called to order by
Mr.. Springer. 1T am not in order let my
ehair ri can "a " very ael sderi NJ. srrnser at, At.
tempted amid excits msnt and confusion to
proc cd with his remarks, but was told per-
,mptonly by the Speaker that the
Scrgeant-ai-Arms wou,d be directed TO force
lin, at least to desist. The Democratic mem
bers gathered around Mr. Springer, giving him
aid aud encouragement, while many Republican
memlers were slso on their feet, protesting an
grly against Mr. SprInger's course. Mr..
Springer informed the Speaker defiantly that
he would not I've taken from the floor. Mr..
Humphreys You can and viii I can do I:
mys.lt" daughter Mr.. Springer I'll
would take larger pattern than you TO dc
IT, Co htinued laughter.1 The 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 II is quite another thing when
the gentleman undertakes to destroy tn dignity
OF the House by his own conduct Mr..
Springer" That has been already 4 ,stroyed.n
"That Is so" said Reed, "by your side OF the
House" The Speaker" Any proper motion
that the gentleman may wish to make relating
to correcting the journal will be entertained
by the chair and submitted TO the
House. The Journal Clerk. in omitting
motions that were not entertained. pro-
ceeded exactly in accordance with the rule.
Mr. Knott claimed that the Speaker had made
mistake in refusing TO entertain a Legitimate
motion. A proposition TO correct the ,urns
was lost by 50 to I34. Mr.. Miller then argued
for two hours in support OF the report Of thu
Elections Committee on tho South Carolias
contested seat case, and exhibited tickets USED
in the elections in that State Toe scussioi
was continued by Mr.. Davis, OF Missouri
of Virginia. in favor OF the report
At the CONCLUSION OF Mr. Psuis speech
Mr.. Calkins inquired whether, II an evenin,
session were dispensed with, and the Houa
now adjourned, the discuss'on woa;d be re
sumed tomorrow without any obstruction frou
the Democratic side. The answer came bscl
resolutely from Messrs. NJ ,rrl con. Atkins, Fan
dali and other Democratic members. that NJ
agreement whatever would be mads. Mr.
Cslkins then gave notice that he woui,
call the previous question ON the contested
eleciian case at o'clock tho fol
lowing day. A recess TO o'cock was taken. q
which hour Mr.. Atherton moved 10 adjourn te