The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-12-04
xLVIII CONGRESS-.
SENATE.

order by the President pro tempore, Senator
Edmunds of Vermont, and prayer was tffered
BY Rev.J. j. Bullock.
The galleries were we'll filled with spectators
and many of the desks OF the Senators were
decorated With flowers.
The oath was administered to Senators Beck,
Bowen, Cullon, Dolph and Foye, whose cre-
dentisls were submitted at the last session.
Senator Anthony nf Rhode Island was not
| present.
After the oath had been administered to the
new Senators, the customary resolutions noti-
tying the House. were agreed to, and resolu-
tion was adopted that II o'clock be the hour OF
meeting till further notice.
The Senate, then, at IL o'clock, took recess
of one hour.
On re-assembling at 13O, Senator Ingalls, of
Kansas, moved that in order to aft Ird an op-
portunity for receiving the notification of or
gaulzation of the House OF Representatives.
and, II possible, to receive the Presidents
MESSAGE this afternoon the recess be extended
to O'Clock, which motion was agreed to.
At O'Clock the Senate was again called to
order, and there being no prospect OF the
House organization being completed in time to
do business this afternoon, adjourned until to-
morrow.
HOUSE.
Before noon the galleries of the House of
Representatives we're filed with spectators to
witness the scenes st the opening of the 48th
Congress. On the floor political feelings were
laid aside for the time being and friendly
greetings and merry onversation were the
order OF the day. Now and then probably
might be heard remark as to the result of the
battle in 1884, and few specu ations were in
dulged in as to the probable Craftsmanship of
the more important committees of the House;
but aside from this the conversation was of
social or non-poitical character.
AT noon Clerk Mcpherson tapped the House
to order and proceeded to call the roll Mis-
sssippi having been reached the clerk said he
wished to make statement of his failure to pat
upon the roll the name OF any Representative
elect from the second district The reason was
that no paper which could be considered GER
,ifcate of election in the sense OF the law had
been presented to him. Mr.. Chalmers had
filed four. To regard to the first district of
North Carolina the clerk stated that he had
not received certificate of the election of the
successor Of Walter P. Pool who died in Au-
gust last, The roll call disclosed the presence
of 3l6 members.
Mr. Geddes of Ohio nominated for speaker
Of Congress, Hon. John G.. Carlisle OF Ken-
lucky.
Mr. Cannon of Illinois presented the name
of Hon. J w. Keifer OF Ohio. and Mr.. Ly-
man OF Massachusetts presented the name OF
Hon. G. ID Robinson OF Massachusetts.
Messrs. Morrison OF Illinois, Tucker of Vir-
ginia, Reed of Maine and Calkins of Indiana,
were appointed as tellers and the clerk pro-
ceeded to call the roll. The result was an
nounced as follows:
Carlisle. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. l5l
keifer. .........,...............'...
RoDips0n ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. ..........
Scattering .u.., ......,...,...
The two for Mr.. Robinson were cast by
Messr. James Of New York and Lyman of
Massachusetts.
The clerk there upon declared Mr. Carlisle
elected, and Messrs. Randall of Pennsylvania
and Keifer of Ohio escorted him to his chair.
His entrance into the chamber was the signal
for loud applause. the oath of office was
then administered.
SPEECH OF SPEAKER CARLISLE.
Upon taking she chair, Mr.. Carlisle said:
Gentlemen Of the House of Representatives:
tlank you sincerely for the high honor confer
red upon me by the vote just taken: To be chosen
from the membership OF great body Like THIS to
p eside its deliberations is distinction upon
which any citizen might properly co.. glatulats him
sell, and assure you that your kindness and par
tiafy are fully appreciated At the same time
realize the fact thai the position to which You have
assigned me is of very great labor and responsi
biity and while profoundly gratefulto you for this
manifestation of your confluence, shall enter on
the discharge of its duties with serious distrust of
my capacity to meet in an acceptable manner the re
quirements of this office promise you, however,
to devote to your service all the zeal and all the
ability of which am possessed. Gentlemen, the
maintenance of order the floor is essential, abso-
lutely essential, to the intelligent and systematic
trans action of public business, and earnestly In
your assistance in the enforcement of the rules
adopted for the government Of our proceedings.
The large dition TO the membership OF this
House. resul ing from The late apportionment Of
cult than 1t has been before, and without your
cordial co operation and support | cannot reasOu-
ably hope evenly to discharge the ordinary daily
duties If this office. That you will cheerfully CO.
operate with every proper effort to preserve
order and to facilitate the business of legislation
thing more Of YOU tran mere coaperation IN the
discharge of my duty, assuring you of my earnest
desire at all times 10 be JUS and Impartial. St L.
cannot expect to avo mistakes, and shall be COM
pelled therefore, frequently, no doubt, to rely
toe friend forbearance of gentlemen on both sides
of the House.
am sure gentlemen, that all matters of legisla-
tion presented during this Congress will receive
from you such careful consider ation as the magni-
tude aud Character OF the inte involved require
and that your action upon them Will be wise, con-
servatiye and patriotic sudden and radical chang
es in the laws ana regulaEons affecting the COM
mercia aud indu trial interests oil the people ought
never to be made unless imperatvely demanded by
some public emergency and ia my opinion, under
existing circumstances such changes would not be
fayorahly reeeis ed by any considerable number OF
those who have given se ious attention to the sub
ject. tApplause) Many reforms undoubtedly
necessary and 1t will be your duty, after careful
examination of The whole subjec in all its bearings
10 de ide how far thsy shoild extend and when ard
in what manner they should be made. [Applause.l
If there be any who fear that Your acUion
on This or on any subject will be actually
injurious TO any interest even afford reasonable
cause for alarm, | am quite sure that
they will be agreeably disappointed. What the
country has a right expect ssrict ecoLomy in
he ADMINISTRATION of every department of tue
government; just and equal taxaticn foc public
purposes; faithful observation of the limits OF the
ana interests of the great body or the people In
order that they may be protected, as far as Con
gress has power to protect tnem against eneroacn-
ments from every direction, whaaeyer can be done,
under the circumstances surrounding us, 10 meet
this expectation ought to be done III my judgment.
But, gentlemen, without dc tanning you iurtner, 1
ready TO take the oath of Office p. escribed by
the constitution and the avs and proceed to the
complete organization of the House,
] The iroDclad oath of office was then admin
istered by MIR. Kelley of Pennsylvania, the
Oldest member of the House in cont nuous SER
vice, and Speaker Carlisle called the House to
order.
Mr. Converge of Ohio, rising to question of
privilege, said that Tor reasons satisfactory to
Mr., M aiming he had chosen not to present
the certificate of that member until action
had been taken by the House. 1t had been
tile policy If the House by an unbroken train
of precedents to seat the member who held the
certificate of the Governor. Mr. Converse,
therefore, asked to have the certificate read.
Mr. Keifer of Ohio said Mr.. Manning had
never accepted the certificate but had put on
the clerks files statement which showed
that he was beaten by $50 votes. He had also,
in effect, stated that he would not ask to be
seated on that certificate. Did the gentleman
propose to force Mr.. Manning to do what he
would not do himself?
Alter further discussion Mr.. Converse Of
fered resolution reciting the fact that Mr..
Van H. Manning held the certificate of the
Governor of Mississippi and providing that he
be Immediately qualified as member from the