National Republican., 1882-12-19


knew of no business industry which closed its
shutters from before Christmas until after
New Years; there was only one class of the
community which took holiday of this
kind-the school boys.
Mr.. Cannon, of Illinois, called attention to
the fact that the business of the house was
further advanced than il had been for many
years Mt the same stage of the session, and he
lieved that no harm would be done by an adj
journmcnt.
Mr.. Humphrey, of Wisconsin, held thosame
ground, contending that no business of i'm
portance could he transacted between Christ
mas and New Years
Mr. CallIins of Indiana, opposed the resOlu-
tion. With a large amount of business staring
the house in the face his side of the chamber
dare not and ought not for moment to con
slider this question favorably. He did not
believe in clap trap or demagogery, but he
liked to look the business interests of the
country fairly in the face.
Mr.. Hiscock, of New York, favored an adj
+ournmcnt, arguing that if the house remained
in session during the holidays it would find
itself without a quorum.
Mr.. Reed, of Maine, entered his protest
| against the adjournment of the house. He
did not believe that there was any sense,
during a short session, in surrendering one
ninth of the time to pleasure. "We have had
recreation enough during the last vacation"
he concluded; Just as much, 1 think, as
most of us want" LLaughter.l
Mr.. Kelley said he had been asked when
congress had ever sat during the holidays.
| He replied by asking when congress
had ever had such responsibilities rs it had
now The President and the secretary of the
treasury declared that the government was
embarrassed by excessive revenues.
Mr.. Mills, of Texas. Why not pay it out on
the public debt?
Mr.. Kelley, continuing, said that the ex-
cessive revenues were deranging business, and
the secretary Of the treasury stated that the
treasury was looked to as a regulator of pri-
vate business-tO restrain excesses or to pro-
vide relief. The day was near at hand when,
if these revenues were not reduced, there was
no telling the price at which the government
must be compelled to buy its obligations to
prevent the absorption of the capital which
animates business in the treasury. With the
trades and industries of the country implor-
ing congress to act with the administration
almost imploring it to act, it was proposed to
appropriate one-seventh of what remains OF
this session to pleasure. He was against it.
Mr. Cannon inquired whether the tariff bill
would be reported before the 1st of January
Mr. Kelley replied that the bill would be
reported as soon as it was prepared, and he
believed that if congress resolved to remain in
| session its preparation would be greatly eXpe-
ditcd.
Mr.. Mills said that the reason of the gentle
man from Pennsylvania (Alr. Kelley for de.
string that the house remain in session was
his (Mr. Mills) reason for wishing it to take
a recess. The secretary of the treasury came
with the old story of superintendent treas.
ury and the great decentralization which re-
suited therefrom. Why did not the gentleman
from Pennsylvania press his secretary of the
| treasury to deplete the treasury by paying
the public debt? The gentleman from Penn
sylvania wished to remain in session to pre-
vent the payment of the bonds now due. Why
| did that gentleman want to reduce the tax on
tobacco and whisky and keep it up on i'm
| ported goods? He wanted no such action
| taken, and was willing that congress should
| adjourn every day from now until the 4th of
| March without doing any business save pass
| ing the appropriation bills.
Mr.. Robson, of New Jersey, dwelt upon
the probability of there being no quorum
present during the holidays, and gave notice
of a resolution fning every absentee $50 for
each day Of his absence.
Mr.. Cox opposed the proposition to sit dur
| ing the holidays. There was very strong
reason why there should be recess. "The
harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we
are not saved" [Laughter.l He only made
that quotation for the purpose of drawing
| from it this political thought that it was an
anomaly in this country that, just after a
general election, after shooting Niagara, after
deluge in which the people expressed them
selves unequivocally that gentlemen on the
| other side were no longer their trustees in
| legislation, those gentlemen were still living.
| Why did they now oppose recess. In 1879
Messrs. Kelley and Reed had voted for long
holiday recess. Now they did not wish to give
| any recreation.
Mr.. Reed. That was democratic congress,
and we thought it needed relief.
Mr. Cox thought that the business of the
house would not be retarded by a recess
The committee on ways and means could con-
| tinue its work over the report of the tariff
commission, which had been an agreeable sur.
1 prise to good many on account of its liber.
ality. He would conclude with little poetry
from Spenser:
Who 20 wanteth rest shall also want of might;
| The sun which measures heaven all day long,
| AT night must bate his seeds the ocean waves
| among.
With which allusion to sunset " he begged
leave to retire. [Laughter.l
Mr.. Kasson of Iowa, thought that there
was higher authority than Spenser. "Timec
Danaos ct dona ferentes When the gentle
men from New York and Texas (Messrs. Cox
and Mills) came offering holidays, he feared
| that their proposition was not intended tC
benefit the majority of the house. He re-
viewed the important measures, demanding
attention from congress, especially instancinl
the civil-service bill, which he declared must
be passed if the house did not wish to be
| derellCt in Its duty. In answer to the Sug
gestion of Mr.. Mills, that the surplus revenu,
should be expended in paying, the nationa
debt, he stated that every effort had beer
made to get this money into the country.
MIR. Speer, of Georgia, opposed an adjourn
ment The committee on ways and mean'
was considering carefully the liberal report O
its tariff commission. In furtherance of the
wise and patriotic recommendations of thu
President, a bill had been reported to take
burden of $i7,000,000 from the people by the
repeal of the tax on tobacco. The people h,
represented asked for that repeal, because the
tax was spy tax because it sent deputy mar
shals and deputy collectors into the families
of every man; because 1.-THE excise system il
an internal system" He believed that tn,
wisest and best means of collecting revenue
was by scientific tariff on imported goods
and to obtain that congress ought to stay her,
during the holidays and work to that end.
Mr.. Robinson, of Massachusetts, expressed
his willingness to sit every day, except Sun
days and Christmas day, provided that SOM
method could he adopted to compel the at
tendance of members.
Mr.. Beach's amendment was lost, as wa
also the original resolution-yeas, 105; nays
123.
Mr.. Robson then offered his resolution
tining every member absent without leav
from the 22d of December to the Sd of Jan
uary fifty dollars for each days absence, ant
it was adopted-yeas, Ill nays, 102.
THE DEATH OF MR.. ORTIZ.
Mr. Browne, of Indiana, announced tn
death of the Hon. Godlove S. Orth, of In
diana, and, in respect to the memory of tn,
deceased the house (at $500 adjourned,
Owing to the resolution for holiday reces
| coming up as a privileged question, and {