Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-12-05
Committee on Elections. When APP
pointed-A Day Of Activity in
Eae Senate.
Large Number OF Important Bills Intro
dueed, Among Them One by Sen
atOr Edmunds
Relating to Civil Rights, and Another
by Senator ingalls,, OF KANSAS, for
Removing Certain
Limitations Of the Arrears of Pension
Act-POstal Telegraphy-POlygamy
Washington Briefs.
FORTy-EIGHTH CONGRESS-.
The Organization of the House Coz
pIeted-En the senate.

piefed-En the senate.
WASHINGTON, December -House.-Mr.
Converse said he had been requested by
Mr.. Manning to ask unanimous consent
that the question OF his prima fdcie right
to his seat be referred TO the Committee
on Elections, with instructions to report
at the earliest day possible.
Mr.. Keifer asked that the case of Mr.
! Chalmers be also referred, and Mr.. Con-
verse put the request in a resolution refer
| ring to the Committee on Elections all pa
pers in the case, with instructions to report
| Immediately whether on the primd tdcie
case presented either Manning or Chal-
mers are entitled to be sworn as memhcc- &c
pending the contest on its merit. and NOT
to affect the final right tJ the seat. The
resolution was adop.ted.
The delegates from the Territories ap-
peared a. che bar of the House, and were
swo-Sn in.
/ Mr.. Springer offered resolution to
| refer TO the Committee on Elections,
when appointed, the memorial OF the
memorial of the Governor of Kansas, and
others, presented yesterday, and the
papers presented to the clerk of the
| House in regard to the election qualifica-
tions Of Peters, of Kansas, with instruc-
| tions to report whether Peters was
| eligible; and if not, whether the con-
| testant, Wood, was entitled to the seat.
| Adopted.
A resolution was adopted providing that
the rules of the Forty-seyenth Congress
| be the rules of the Eorty-eighth until two
weeks from the appointment of the Com
mittee on Rules.
The Democratic caucus nominees for
I the minor Offices were elected ard sworn
! in.
A committee consisting of Messrs. Cur
| tin, Blackburn and Hiscock was appointed
to wait upon the President and inform
| him that the House was organized and
| ready to receive any communication he
was pleased TO transmit.
The business of drawing for seats was
| proceeded with.
Upon the completion of the drawing.
Mr.. Dunn offered resolution for the ap-
| pointment OF n committee of fifteen mem.
bers, to be known as the committee to
| which will be referred propositions for the
| improvement of rivers and haStJors Re
| ferred to the Comm ittee on Rules when
| appointed.
The Speaker appointed as the Com.
mltttee on Mileage Messrs. Moulton, Well.
burn, Giascock, Raney and Miller PA
Mr.. Tucker offered a resolution. which
was referred to the Committee on Flee.
uor.-;, when appointed, the certificates and
I all the papers relating to the election oI
| the Representative from the First District
| OF Virginia, with instructions to report as
early as practicable which OF the riva'
claimants Mayo and Garrison) to the
seat has a prima .fdcjs right, reserving tc
the other party the privilege OF contesting
the case on its merits.
At this point the committee to wait
upon the President announced that the
President would communicate to the
House message in writing.
The Presidents secretary at 3:05 O'Clock
pm. appeared and presented the Presi
dents message.
Consideration of Mr.. fuckers resolu.
ton was entered upon.
Mr.. Calkins contended that the primo
fdcie right was already settled by the swear
ing OF Mayo.
The previous question was seconded.
Mr.. keifer spoke in opposition to the
resolution, cOntending that should it bt
adopted, and Garrison allowed primo
tdcte right To the seat, Nave woud be de
prived of all power OF contest This wa
a plan by which man already sworn il
could he unseated ona primd fdcie case
and forever deprived of the rights OF con
test. The House should hesitate before
1t undertook 10 put any gentleman in tha
position.
| 'Nliii - w iSc dSketl HIS tOueu3ut
whether it was n question as to who ha
the primd ,facic title.
Mr., Tucker answered yes.
Mr.. Springer said he understood tina
Garrison made contest of the prima fdcj
right as well as the right on its merits
Now that the House was organized, it wa
: the judge of everything that pertained {,
the right of n member. Would the IIous
allow returning-board to usurp the au
thority of the House and disfranchis
whole committees in granting primd .tdci
, certificates? II there ever had been al
arbitrary exercise of quasi judicial powe
by returning-board it was in this case.
Mr.. ]. S. Wise said the only case iron
, Virginia in which the question of return
ing-hoards entered was the case of Plat
against Goode, when Platt was elected
but Goode was given the seat by Demo
cratic House. Ii came with bad grac
from the other side to make the statemen
that frauds by returning boards were be
coming too common in Virginia.
Mr.. Mayo declared that the certificate
which allowed him to be sworn was identi
cal with that presented by his colleague
Mr.. Tucker. He asked, in common justice
, that the House deal with his case fairly
for he would be sorry to have to say tina
he belonged to body of men who so IN
forgot what was right rs to decide upon
case in advance, merely because he be
longed to the minority.
Mr.. Callins appealed to the gentleman
from Virginia MIR. Tucker not TO estat
lish precedent that would endange
every man in his scat. After the clerk Q
, the House had put man on the roll, an
he was sworn in the prima .fdcie right wa
res ddjudicotd.
At the suggestion of Mr.. Randall tn
matter went over until tomorrow, and tn
reading clerk read the Presidents me:
sage tfor message in full, see second page
which was ordered printed and referred t
Committee OF the Whole, after which tn
House adjourned. 81