National Republican., 1883-02-19

III.
rules Of the house. lie knew perfectly well |
that it had been the habit Of the house to
close debate ON paragraphs as they were |
reached in committee of the whole, but he |
also knew that 1t had the power to close de-
bate on section rs he proposed should he |
done Five minutes debate had begun on
the pending section of the pending bill, which |
was all that was required by the rules. The |
house had the power to consider bill by Sec |
tons; it had the power 60 consider il by para |
graphs, but over and above all by the plain |
law which any common man might read as !
he ran, IL had tho power, after the five min.
ute debate had begun on q section, TO close all |
debate on that section.
Mr. Reagan. Has the gentleman ever known an |
appropriation bill TO be considered by sections or
IN any othor, way than by paragraphs
Mr. Haskell. l have known innumcrable in !
stances. understand that this motion Is not one |
made every day, but the great emergency that !
now rests on Ills house is not one that com cs
every day. [Derisive laughter on the dcmocrali c
sldc.l We have been challenged by men on the |
other side TINT we were dcrelict in our duty,
Mr.. Blackburn. don't understand that that is
an argument on the point Of order
Mr. Haskell. Completing his sentenced And
will Put the mater tO n test here aud now. Zap.
plause on the republican sidel
Mr. Blackburn said that he was not sur
prised that the gentleman from Kansas wan
dcred from the point of order. Neither he
nor any other man could sue out warrant
and find precedent for the motion which he
made Never before had it been attempted
to close debate upon provisions of revenue
bill, the subject matter of which had never
been considered in committee of the whole.
FOrty-f0ur pages of the bill had been con-
sidercd and the motion was to close the mouths
of members until the 10th page was reached.
IL was u proposition to gag the representatives
of the people until the second section was
reached The gentleman from Iowa (kasson)
had brought in, a few days since, resolution
looking toward closing debate, and it had not
yet been called up. off you want" he con-
tinued. 6 to silence discussion, why do you
not follow up your own challenge, and bring
the resolution up in the committee on rules
and bring IL before the house with en-
phass) You have not dared to do it. We
challenge no contest, but we stand ready to
meet it, and the committee on rules has never
been called together to consider 1t. You may
succeed in gagging the house, but you cannot
gag the American people, and you cannot gag
their representatives without protest being
made, in IA fashion which Is more adroit than
IL is either honorable or manly.
Mr.. Kelley, in reply TO the statement Of
Mr.. Carlisle that the pending motion was
unprecedented, said that within his con-
gressonal experience precisely the same mo-
tiOn had been made, and had prevailed in the
forty-third congress when Mr. Dawes was
chairman of the ways and means committee,
and revenue bill was before the house. Not
being desirous of letting his bill be nibbled to
death by pissmires, or kicked to death by
grasshoppers, he had moved TO limit debate
to q certain hour, and the motion, after q Sc
vcrc contest, had prevailed. large part of
the bill had been considered without dis.
cussion.
| Mr.. Kelley The authority will be found In the
| volume OF the Globe which contains the discus
sion on the tarff bill framed under the chairman,
| ship of Mr. Dawes, SO that the motion was not
| without precedent
Mr. blackburn. viii the gentleman say that
either In this or any other instance the right OF
debate was denied TO the house on the subject
matter of n revenue bill which had never been
read to the house,
Mr.. Kelley replied that Mr. Dawes finding
| himself unable to make progress on the bill
had moved to limit debate on the whole meas
ure, and that debate had ceased, while yet
section after section of the bill had remained
to be read and considered.
Mr.. Blackburn ] am willing to trust to the gen.
tlemans sense Of fairness and submit this ques.
| ton TO him: Does he believe IL to be cautious or
prudent or wise TO refuse TO this house the right
| of debate on matters introduced in n revenue bill
| which has never been reported or read 10 the
| house?
Mr. Kelley. rose to answer the assertion that
| no precedent could be found for this motion.
| Mr.. Blackburn am sorry to sec that the gen.
| tlem0n has produced no authority, and still
deny that there is precedent.
| Mr.. Kelley. The records of the house.
Mr. Blackburn. Produce the records.
Mr.. Haskell. Leave that to'thc speaker Of the
house.
Mr.. Hammond said that he had nothing to
do with the passion which begat this motion,
and did not care whether or not 1t had pre-
cedent If there was u precedent it never
ought to be followed. Any ruling by any
speaker or any action by any house which
would pass tariff bill without the right OF
discussion and amendment was revolutionary,
And continued Mr.. Hammond, with great
emphasis), if wished to damn your party, Mr..
| I haf fol
that precedent to-day. This is the outburst
: Of passion. 1t is beneath the dignity Of this
house to do business in this way. If IL can
be done by brute force, let it be done. But
even that will not speed the passage of your
bill. Cannot 10000 amendments be proposed
as easily one! Cannot 10000 votes be taken
as easily rs oneP
"Does the gentleman propose estate to the
country that 10000 amendments will be of
, fered?" queried Mr.. Haskell, and immedi
ately dozen democratic members were OF
their feet with an affirmative answer
But Mr.. Hammond retained the floor anC
| defantly replied;
: the people, that would stand IN proper person
and make a million TO defeat such an outrage
Applause on the democratic side.l
Let any man tell me that shall be gagged
when you propose to tax the people who voted 70
me to represent them, and would die before thu
wrong should be perpetrated
Mr.. Randall. believe that this proposition 4
the result of q moment of excitement know
I that IL does not spring from the deliberation o
. any committee in this house, and, further, / an
: of the opinion that, when calmor ana cooler head
: aud judgments prevails, i viii be coneede'
that II Is not step in the right direc
: tlon. Now, have stood here and have coun
= seled and voted against every motion made whcl
bore semblance of being, or which on tn,
| part OF the other side was alleged to be for th
' purpose of delay. In view of this fact want Il
a say that there may have been crlmination and re
% elimination from the respecuyes sides, and with
out particle of purpose 70 offend will say tina
}, | the impression has been made on my mind thn
! for the past week the other side has not bee
= pushing this bill In manner TO secure its ulti
a mate action in this house. Deprecatory cries q
u "ohW "oh r on the republican side) In view o
Z these facts consider that this proposition is al
unreasonable one, mndo more so in the face q
S the conciliaiory proposition Of the gentlema
n | from Kentucky (Alr Corisle), who offered b
y | unanimous consent to have debate on the pend
2 ing schedule in thirty minutes; aud II the objeC
OF the other side is TO push this side into posi-
@ ton Of obstruction, they may and trust the
will, hesitate else we may assume that attitude.
It Mr.. Robinson, of Massachusetts, expresses
e his belief that the motion of the gentleman
{. from Kansas was not in order He did no
" think it n wise practice to entertain such
n motion. He would not speak about the eXi
gencies of the present moment, but ever
C member was bound TO look to the futur,
q Into what position would the ruling aslSe,
V for by the gentleman from Kansas carry th
house? Into the position that every appro
Y priation bill, every tax bill
@ Mr.. Carlisle. Every river and hGrbor bill
10 Mr.. Robinson continuing his Sentence). If onl
,s printed in one section, may be forced down tl
- ihrOals of members without an opportunity TO dc