National Republican., 1883-02-06


horny-handcd laborer
Mr.. Robinson, of Massachusetts,, supported
the measure. These lands had been attempted
TO be grabbed by railroad company which
had only come into existence in 1880 and
which had built twenty miles of road on top
Of snow banks in order to secure the grant.
Mr.. Hubbell, Of Michigan, excitedly denied
this statement.
The motion to suspend the rules and pass
the bill was lost-ycas 159, nays 9l-not the
necessary two-thirds in the affirmative.
BILL TO QUIET TITLES.
Mr.. Carpenter, of Iowa, moved to suspend
the rules and pass q bill TO quiet the title of
settlers on the Des Moines river lands. After
speeches by Mcssrs. Converse and Carpenter
in favor Of, and by Messrs. Van Voorhis and
Dwight in opposition TO the bill, the motion
TO suspend the rules and pass the bill was
agreed to-146 to 16.
ALASKA.
Mr.. Richardson moved to suspend the rules
and pass tho bill to provide u civil govern
mcnt for the territory of Alaska.
Mr.. Richardson explained that the bill pro-
vided for the appointment of n district
attorney, n judge, and clerk of the court,
the expense Of the government amounting to
about $4,000.
The motion to suspend the rules and pass
the bill was lost-yeas 16O nays s6--not the
necessary two-thirds in the affirmative.
THE LEGISLATIVE BILL.
Mr.. Cannon moved to suspend the rules
and bring the legislative appropriation bill
before the house for Immediate consideration
Mr.. Blackburn inquired whether the motion
of the gentleman from Illinois did not amount
to n suspension of the rules, and the passage
of the bill without any rights given to the
house to discuss or amend It.
Tho speaker replied that tho motion itself
did not amount to that. What its results
might be he did not now feel called upon to
decide.
Mr.. Belford and Mr.. Atkins demanded n
second, and the motion was seconded-125 to
81.
Mr.. Cannon explained that the bill which
il was proposed to take up for consideration,
was tho one which provided for the salaries
of the officers of the government, and was sub
stantially continuation for the next year Of
the service of the present year. 1t caused an
$4,000 over the present law. There was only
one item OF new legislation in it-that requir-
ing eight hours work in tho departments.
There were but twenty-three legislative days
left, and the legislative, sundry civil and de-
flciency bills were not passed. Itwas evident
to everybody that these appropriation bills
could not be considered in committee of tho
whole and the tariff hill also considered.
His side of the house believed that some leg
islatiOn touching the revenues should be had
nt this session of congress. There was pend
ing on the senate side n revenue bill taking
twenty millions of dollars from taxation, and
he understood it was likely to come back to
the house for action. If this and tho tariff
bill were passed they would reduce taxation
to the amount Of forty millions of dollars,
and the country demanded action upon them.
The pending bill could be passed with safety
without consideration in committe of the
whole. For one, and he thought he spoke
for the republican side of the house, he was
ready to clear the track of these appropria-
tion bills and let the revenue bills havea sub
stantially clear track for the next twenty
three days.n[ Applause on the republican side.l
Mr.. Belford inquired whether, if Mr. Can
mons motion prevailed, it would be in order
to offer any amendment to the bill or whether
1t was to go through under the whip and
spur. If 1t was he did not propose to support
it. Applause on the democratic side.
Mr.. Cannon replied that at this time no
amendment was in order. If the rules were
suspended and the bill came up for considera-
tion a majority of the house would have COM
plete control of it.
Mr.. Atkins said that tho bill came forward
in n very irregular manner The purpose
originally had been to move to suspend the
rules and pass the bill. The purpose of the
peuulnR WIS 10 CUU OH
and debate, and it would have been more
manly on the part of the gentleman from
Illinois to have moved to put the bill upon its
passage. This was an Indirect way of cram
ming the bill down the throats of the minority
without debate or amendment. He objected
to the proposition because it was a dangerous
precedent. If it were to become precedent
for the passage of appropriation bills what
rights had the minority, and what power had
tho people to prevent monied bills being
passed under gag-law? There had been two
instances which might be claimed as prece-
dents for this motion. One was q motion in
the torty-siXth congress to pass the sundry
civil bill. That had been done within nine
days of the end of the session. Now there
was n month before the close of congress.
The other instance was in the first session of
the forty-siXth congress, when he had moved
to suspend tho rules and pass q joint resou-
re-enacting the legislative bill passed by the
forty-iifth congress. That bill, however, had
been considered in committee of the whole for
thirteen days, and his action could not be
deemed a precedent for this motion.
Mr.. Blackburn said that the pending mo-
tion in its very essence was not a candid one.
He meant no personal ottense to the gentle
man from Illinois, who had not ventured to
ask the house TO pass the bill. He sought,
however, in an adroit fashion, to do what was
substantially the same thing. 1t smacked of
conference. 1t showed conclusively on its
face that it had been deliberately chosen as q
method of attack more adroit than manly.
If the motion should prevail, the gentleman
would not deny that il was his purpose to put
the gag in the mouth of the house under the
operation Of the previous question, aud deny
every man the right to ask any explanation
70 debate the bill or to offer amendment. The
bill carried more than $20000,000. What
need of this motion? Why not go into COM
mittee of the whole and discuss il
at least for day or for Il night The demo-
Gratis would agree to night sessions to discuss
the bill from now to the fourth of March.
They were not obstructing or seeking to OBJ
struct business. They were demanding that
the peoples representatives had tho right to
challenge the wisdom of the committee on APP
preparations. This motion was tho expiring
throes of n repentant party. 1t was DEATH
bed confession by which the republicans
sought to save n lot Of political souls. The
republican papers to-day said that the time
had not yet come to apply the whip and spur
and insert the gag, The majority party had
shown itself ready and willing to resort to
revolutionary methods whenever necessity
compelled or drove them. Let the republi-
cans go on with their revenue legislation and
their appropriation bills. The minority had
borne tho manacles often enough at the
hands of arbitrary power. Thank God there
were but four weeks left in which tho repub-
liGans could employ and practice that abused
and prOstituted power. Applause on the
democratic side.l If you do it, continued Mr..
Blackburn, tell you now l trust that the
tyranny you teach US, we will execute, and it
will 90 hard, but we win better tho example.
We ask you now for an opportunity to amend
and debate this bill. Wo challenge you to