Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-01-06
AFTER THE RECESS.
BOTH HOUSES IN SESSION.
A Breeze in the HOuse-OFth on Kei-
feFss Committee RIxIng-A QuIet
Day In the Senate

WASHINGTON, January 5-When the
House met at noon to-day the number Of spec
tators in the galleries was unusually small,
and the attendance Of members evidently
fell far short of a quorum. During prayer
and the reading of the journal of the last
days proceedings, however, a number OF
members entered, and after exchanging
New Year greetings with their colleagues,
took their seats, giving the chamber its Gus
tomary appearance of life and hustle.
Mr. Orth, Of Indiana, rose to a question
Of privilege, stating that it grew out Of and
affecting the recent appointment OF the
committees Of the House. Before stating
the question specifically, he said: Il ask in-
diligence to announce that It is nv purpose
al an early day to introduce for consideration
and action a proposition to change the
method OF selecting the committees. The
vast and diversified interests of the country
are all more or less effected by CongressiOn-
al legislation, and this legislation, as is well
known, is almost exclusively controlled
by the action of the committees.
For this reason their formation assumes
importance, aud is intrusted with 4 RESPONSE
bility too great to rest in the hands OF sin
gle Individual, however capable and honest
and patriotic such individual NAV be. As
now exercised, It 1 emphatically a one
man power, and such power is always dan
gerous and in conflict with the principles
Of republican government. 1t is our duty
to see that It may not at some future period
be used to the detriment OF the best inter
ests Of the people. And, now, as to the
question of privilege:
You have seen fit, sir, to assign me TO
three committees, namely: the second place
on Foreign Affairs, the second place on
Rules, and Chairman of the Committee on
Civil Service Reform. BY the kindness
and unwsveriDg confidence of my
constituents have been for
twelve years a member of this House,
and am now entering on nv
seventh term of service here. With two
exceptions there is not another Republican
member who has thus long represented his
people. During that time l have served as
member and Chairman of the Committee
on Private Land Claims, and as a member
of the Committee of Ways and Means, and
for ten wears as member Of
the Committee on Foreign Affairs
a part of such time as Chairman. With one
exception, possibly two, am the only Re
publican member who at any time prior to
this session has ever served as Chairman OF
any committee Of this House.
In view Of this fact l submit that the
Speaker, in his recent action, has done an
injustice to me and my constituents. For
this injustice there Is, however, no remedy.
All that can be done is to protest against 1t,
as l now do for myself and my constituents,
and for reasons so apparent as not to require
specification. l respectfully ask tie House
! to excuse me from service as a member of
the Committee on Rules.
The Speaker-The Chair does not under
stand that 1t is necessary for him to Vindi-
cate himself by saying ANYTHING in reply.
It must not, however, be inferred because
the Chair does not undertake to challenge
any of the statements charging him with
injustice, that the Chair acquiesces in the
views taken by the gentleman from In
diana.
Mr.. Orth's request was granted, and he
was excused from further service on the
Committee on Rules.
The regular order, being the call Of COM
mittees, was dispensed with.
| A resolution was offered by Mr. Gibson.
of Louisiana, amending the rules as to the
| Committee on the Mississippi Levees. 1t
| gives the Committee on the Mississippi
| Levees power to originate appropriation
bills relative to the improvement of the
/ Mississippi river.
Mr. Hewitt, # New York. offered a reso-
| luton reciting the fact that the Khediye of
| Egypt had presented to the United States
the Obelisk known as "Cleopatra's Needle, -
and rendering to His Highness the Khedive
the thanks Of the people of the United
/ States for the gift, which only the Oldest of
nations could make and the youngest most
highly prize. Adopted.
a long and desultoTy discussion sprang
/ up as to the power OF members to introduce
/ bills through the petition box instead of
/ presenting them in open House, those hold
| ing the affirmative Of the proposition max
| ing a strong point in showing that the prac-
| tice OF introducing billsl in that manner
would result in large saving of time. The
/ opponents of the proposition called atten-
/ tiOn to the chance there would be
/ of wrong reference of bills pre-
/ sented, and claimed that a meas
/ ure so introduced would have greater diff
/ Guilty attached to it than If introduced in
the ordinary way. The discussion was
| finally closed with the expression of the
| opinion from the chair that the only way to
/ get bill properly before a committee was
to present 1t in open House.
The House at lao adjourned until Mon
day.
SENATE PROCEEDINGS.
The Senate was called to order by the
| President pro TEN.
| The Chair submitted petitions from the
bar of Rockford, Ill, for the organization
| Of Court o. Appeals, and from the bar
ard Judges of the courts of Marion county,
Ind, and the bars of Terre Haute, Madison,
/ New Albany aud Evansville for an addi-
tionsl Circuit Judge IN the Seventh Circuit.
Bills were introduced as follows:
By Mr. Jones, of Florida-To regulate the
| appointment OF sailmskers in the United
/ States navy.
By Mr.. AnthonY-To promote the eff
cheney Of the navy.
By Mr.. Vance-Drectirg copies of the
official letter books of the Executive De-
| psrtment of the State of North Carolina to
be furnished to said State.
By Mr.. Maxey-To increase the efficiency
of the signal service Of the army.
Mr.. Garland introduced q resolution in
strueting the Committee on Finance to in
| quire into the prOpriety of refunding to
| parties who paid for protection under the
| trade mark legislation the fee required by
! the act of Congress touching that subject.
which was decided by the Supreme Court of
| the United States, in the trade mark cases,
| to be unconstitutional, and to report by bill
or otherwise. Adopted.
On motion OF Mr.. Kellogg the Secretary
of War was directed to transmit copies Of
any and all papers relating to the repair or
improvement of the Mississippi river levee
in front of New Orleans.
Additional bills were introduced as fol-
lows
By Mr.. Conger-To confer positive in
! place of relative rank on officers In the corps
Of Engineers of the Q. s. Navy.
Upon completing the routine morning
order the Senate, at 1:05 p. m, by vote Of
"a to 10, adjourned until tomorrow,
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