Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-05-29

mediatelT upon the reading of the journal,
Mr.. Reed, of Maine, rose to make a privi-
legged report from the Committee on Rules.
pending which Mr.. Kenna, OF West Vlr-
ginia, moved that the House take a recess,
but the Clerk proceeded to read the report,
Whereupon Mr. Kenna rose to a point OF
order that his motion must first be submit
ted.
The Speaker overruled the point OF order,
and Mr. Kenna appealed from the decision
OF the Chair. The Chair refused to enter
tain the appeal and directed the Clerk to
read. The Clerk then proceeded to read
the report of the Committee on Rules as
follows: To amend Paragraph g. Rule l6,
so as to read, pending a motion to
suspend the rules, as on any question
OF consideration which may arise on a case
| involving the constitutional right to a seat,
and pending a motion for the previous
| question, or after It shall have been ordered
on any such case, the Speaker may entertain
one motion to adjourn, but after
the result thereon is announced
he shall not entertain any
any other motion until the vote is taken on
the pending question, and pending the con-
1 tAuCiatiOu VI SUCH mOJlOu 10 adjourn or to
take recess, but not both in succession,
shall be In order, and such motion
/ shall not be repeated without further
| intervening consideration of the case for at
least one hour" Mr.. Reed said he would
| call up the report at suitable time.
Mr. Randall demanded that it lie over
| one day.
Three or four dilatory motions were sub
mitted, pending which Mr.. Calkins asked
and obtained unanimous consent to submit
the proposition adopted in the Republican
caucus last evening.
Mr. Randall said the proposition was not
/ satisfactory.
Mr. Reed attempted to reply, but his re-
marks were rendered inaudible by cries for
the regular order from the Democratic side.
Several roll calls followed on dilatory mo-
| tions, which showed the Republicans lacked
| two OF quorum. At one O'Clock, on a mo-
| tion to adjourn, the Republican force fell off
to 13o, and a call of the House was ordered.
The House then settled down to a season #
perfect rest, and no attempt to renew the
| contest was made for few hours.
Shortly before O'Clock further proceed
| iCgs under the call were, on motion Of
| Mr.. Reed, dispensed with.
Mr.. Dunn, of Arkansas, introduced a
| joint resolution appropriatiDg 500 900 to be
expended by the Secretary of War for the
| relief OF persons rendered destitute by the
recent overflow of the Mississippi river and
| its tr butaries. Referred to the Committee
| on Appropriations.
The House at o'clock adjourned.
THE MACKEY O'CONNOR CoNTEsT-THE NEW
PROGRAMME.
The close of the eighth day consumed bv
/ the House OF Representatives In the struggle
over the Mackey O'Connor election case.
dircloses the Republicans and Democrats
occupying the position respectively held by
I "a h yanr - at fksasz
| the outlook being the greatly diminished
| probability OF settlement by compromise,
the Republican caucus proposition having
| been rejscfed by the Democrats with even
| more emphatic decision than was shown by
| the Republicans yesterday in refusing to en-
| tertain the proposition submitted by the
| Democrats. A compromise is apparently
out of the question. The situation to night
may be briefly summed up as follows: A
| fixed determination on the part OF the Re
| pubicans to insist upon the immediate con-
sideraiiOn OF this case, and an equal deter
mination on the part Of the Democrats to
resist It.
The futile attempts of the majority dur
| ing the past week to compel consideration,
under the existing rules, of the question
| even OF the highest privilege (the title OF a
member to his seat), has satisfied the R-pub-
licans Of the impracticabillty Of continuing
| the struggle without first securing
an amendment to the rules which will
| prevent dilatOry motions. A new line of
| action has, therefore, been agreed upon for
| the next week. On Monday, Immediately
after the reading Of the journal, Represen-
/ tative Reed will call up-the amendment to
the rules reported by him from the Com
mittee on Rules this morning, which, If
| adopted, will virtually prevent the putting
| Of dilatory motions pending consideration
| of question of privilege. Ii, as they will
undoubtedly do, the Democrats interpOse a
motion to adjourn, Mr.. Reed will make a
point of order that the motion is a dilatory
| one and cannot be entertained pending
/ the consideration of the proposition to
/ amend rules, and upon his point of order
/ be will ask to be heard.
Mr.. Randall will probably speak for the
| Democrats, and the Speaker Is expected to
/ sustain the point OF order. The solution of
the whole difficulty, therefore, hinges upon
the decision of the Speaker. The Demo
Gratis intimate that he dare not assume
the responsibility of making what they claim
10 be an arbitrary decision, clearly outside of
the rules, while the Republicans assert that
he cannot rule otherwise. and quote as pre-
| cedenis the decisions of Speakers Blaine
and Colfsx in a similar issue.
Mr.. Reed will urge that the right of the
| House to determine what shall be its rules
| is an organic right expressly given by the
| Constitution of the United States, and the
I
not be used to destroy 1t; that to entertain
| dilatory motions and thus prevent the House
| from exercising its power to make or amend
| its rules would be to violate an express pro-
vision of the Constitution comforting that
power.
The Democrats on the other hand con-
| tend that while the rules are in force they
must be obeyed even in determining the
/ mode of procedure upon proposition to
amend them; that otherwise the caprice OF
m mljority might amend the rules to
suit the shifting conditions upon
every conceivable subj sct of legislation,
| The general feeling tonight is that the
renewal OF the struggle on Monday upon the
| line proposed by the Republicans will be
attended by the most exciting scenes yet
witnessed by the present Congress.
The opinion of she best informed OBJ
servers with regard to the MackeV- o 'ConnOr
case is that the present contest will continue
at least until Wednesday, and very likely
until the end of the week.
1t is understood tonight on good
authority that the programme heretofore
arranged by the Republican Caucus Com
mittee, providing for action on the bill to
| reduce internal revenue taxation and on the
general deficiency bill, Immediately after
| final action on the Mackey O'Connor case,
will he changed so as to provide for sue
cesively bringing before the House the four
other reported election cases as soon as
the pending South Carolina contest shall
have been disposed Of The object
of this change Of programme on the part of
| the Republicans is to avail themselves OF
the presence of the Republican and Green
| back quorum now in attendance, without
which even, IL successful in procuring the
proposed amendment of the rules, they
could not seat any one of the additional
! contestants, IL the Democrats should see ft
TO break a quorum by solidly abstaining
from voting.
| STATUS OF LEGISLATION.
The unfinished business In the Senate is
the Japanese indemnity fund bill, which will
| probably be disposed Of tomorrow. A num-
Der Of other bills now on the Senate
calendar will then be pushed forward for
precedence. AmoHg them the bankruptcy
| bill, the Tehuantepee ship rail way bill the
Nicaragua canal bill, and the bonded spirits
bill. II, however, eithe OF the two appropria-
| ton bills now before the Senate Appropria-
tions Committee, viz: the District Of
Columbia and army appropriation bills,
| shall be reported all other business will
| have to give way to It. The House bill for
the extension of national bank charters will
probably be reported from the Finance
/ Committee this week, but is not likely to be
considered before next week.
Only four of the regular annual appro
piation bills, viz: the post office, Indian
| fortiheatiops and agriculture, has as yet
become laws. The consular and diplomatic
bill is still in the hands OF the confer
epce committee appointed month ago. The
military academy bill with Senate amend
meuts awaits report from the House Com