Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-05-30
MINoRITIEs
Have No Rights Ksifer is Bound to
80 Respect.
Revolutionary Ruling Of the Spsaker-con.
summation Ofthe Republican Scheme
to Gag the Demoerats-Protest
from Democratic Members.
FULL RESUME OF THE ARGUMENTS
Special ptspateh % ths Rsatster.

measure to change the standing rules of
the House, so as to permit bare majority
to call the previous question, shut off de.
bate and pass any measure they may see
proper.
In order that the full force of the propo.
sition may be understood, give the follow.
ing statement of facts.
Rule No. 8 of the rules as adopted by the
House at the beginning of the session is as
follows:
In questions of privilege shall be first
9sa sa5ase sti te0iectfvsiy, tft its $ safety, dignity
and the integrity OF its proceedings; sec
ond, rights, reputation and conduct Of
members individually in their representa-
tive capacity only, and shall have prece-
dence over all other questions except mo-
tions to FIX the day to which the House
shall adjourn, to adjourn and for recess"
1t is under this rule of the House that
contested cases like the Mackey-O Connor
case are held 10 be questions of privilege.
1t is under this rule also that the motions
TO fix day to which the House shall adj
journ, to adjourn, and for a recess, have
been made by the Democrats during the
last week. These motions under the rule
take precedence of questions of privilege.
Besides this, clause five OF rule sixteen de-
clares that a motion TO fix the day to
which the House shall adjourn, a motion
10 adjourn and to take a recess shall al
ways be in order. The proposed rule con-
h,rf fha iS
signed to deprive the minority OF the
rights conferred by the rules above cited.
In order TO get vote upon Reeds pro.
position to amend the rules, Keifer was
compelled to overrule all the motions al
lowed by the above, thus clearly violating
the present rules, and held that propo-
sitiOn to amend them is a higher question
of privilege than a contested election case
The only attempt at justification which
was made in the course of the debate, was
by appealing to that clause of the Constitu-
ton which declares that each House has the
right to determine its own rules OF pro-
cedure But never before was an attempt
made toamend the rules by violating those
already in existence, and that mandatory
clause in the Constitution which declares
that "the yeas and nays OF the members of
either House on any question shall, at the
desire OF one-ffth of those present, be
entered on the journal
The position of the Democrats on this
question is not a new one. They protested
against the action of the Republicans dur
ing the last session Of the Forty-third Con-
grcss, when the Republican leaders amend
ed the rules in order to thwart dIlatory
motions made TO defeat the force bill. AT
that time the Republicans did not adopt
any such arbitrary method as is now pro-
posed by Robson, Keifer Il Co. They were
strong enough TO suspend the rules, ac-
cording to the rules by n two-thirds vote.
and to take up. consider and adopt what
became rule l67, as follows:
Whenever a question is pending before
the House the Speaker shall not entertain
any motion of a dilatory character, except
one motion to adjourn and one motion to
fix the day to which the House shall ad-
jOurn.'
The method by which this rule was adopt
ed was perfectly regular; but on the first
day of the Forty-fourth Congress, Decem-
Der :, 1875, the Democrats having large
majority of the House, specifically refused
to adopt rule 167, and struck it from the
code, thus conferring upon the Republican
minority the right which the Republican
majority of the Forty.third Congress few
months before had taken from the Demo
cratic minority.
After long and able discussion, aided
bv an outrageous, illegal and revolutionary
decision by the Speaker, Reeds motion
was adopted and the scheme to stifle the
voice of the minority was accomplished,
and probably by tomorrow night Dibole,
whose election was never questioned, will
be unseated to make place for MacEey,
upon record bristling with fraud and
forgery.
In anticipation of the exciting scenes the
galleries were fully occupied before the
proceedings, and for six hours the crowd
overfowed into the corridors, listening to
constitutional debate.
The report of the proceedings will show
that as from the first, the Democrats main
tanned dignifed and decOrus demeanor'
| never for an instant wavering from the
position they have steadfastly assumed in
| support of the Constitution, and for the
protection of minority rights. All through
| the debate the Democrats had clearly the
best of the argument, and they upheld 1t
well: but both the Speaker and the Repub-
iicans were prepared to rule and vote for q
temporary partisan advantage at whatever
cost.
The dispatches of yesterday had antici-
mated As much, and the result
surprised no one and disappointed only
these who had come in the hope OF wit
Messing disorderly proceeding.
The Democrats can well afford to stand
upon their record so far, and theirpresenta-
ton of the main issue cannot fail TO
strengthen them. There is now little
doubt that the Republicans will make
short work OF the other election cases, and
reasonably early adjournment may De
looked for. u
Press Report.
WAsHISSrOS. MAY 29.-As soon as the
reading of the journal was ended, Reed
called up for consideration the proposed
amendment to the rules prohibiting dilato'
~ motions in contested election cases Inc
question of consideration was instantly
raised by Mr.. Randall and that was followed
by motion of Mr.. Kenna to adjourn, and
by one Of Mr. Blackburn that when the
House adjourn it be to Wednesday, stating
as q reason that Tuesday was Decoration
day. On the latter motion the yeas and
NAYS were ordered, and the tactics or Oh
struction thus put in operation.
The vote on Mr.. Blackburn's motion was
announced. Yeas, 12; nays, las; and the
: speaker declared the motion lost. There
upon Mr. Randall moved that when the
House adjourn to-day it be to Thursday
next.
= on that Reed made the point of order
J on the proposition to amend the rules, dila
tory rnOtiOnS