Morning journal and courier., 1883-12-20
Forty-Eighth COnkress-.-FirstsessiOn.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 19

| SENArE-The Rev. MT. Huntley, the new l chaplain of the Senate in his first prayer l this morning asked 8 blessing on "Our broth l CT and co-laborer, tha worthy servant of this l Senate in this position during recent years, ] who by words seasoned with grace and by his walk and conversation, in coming in and l going out before these men, pointed them to l the Lamb of God who taketh away tho sins of the world D
 After the introduction of various bills tho report of the committee on the revision of rules came up in the Committee of the Whole. It was agreed not to pass any vote | on the first proposition, giving the president pro tenn power to designate substitute for three days, until the question was formally before the Senate.
 MT. Ingalls,, of Kansas, offered a concur rent resolution providing that when the two houses adjourn on Thursday, the 2Oth, it be to Thursday, January 3, 1884. Mir. Harris moved to amend by substituting for the day of reassembling the Monday after January 3. Under the rule the amendment and or iginal resolution both were ordered to lie over until tomorrow.
 A debate arose on the second rule that the Senate may elect 8 secretary, chief clerk, t&c., to continue in office until their successors are chosen and qualified. MT. Garland held there was a necessity for such rule and MT. Bayard in holding that it was superfuous made a long speech contrasting the action of the Democrats in 1879 with that of the Re-
 publicans yesterday in the removal of efficient employees and the election of new and untried
 men. There were only six Republican Sena-
 tors in the chamber during Bayard's speech. Noticing this he said t'This does not
 appear to be the time for the discussion of civil service reform. The absolute iudiffer- ence of the Republican side of the Senate to the subject is pretty well attested by the fact that only six of their number are in their
 seats. The subject seems distasteful Eo them eG1., ,A r
 not surprised at this exhibition of their feel ings."
 Mr. Garland said he wanted to ascertain whether the Senate regarded this sub-
 ject as important enough for consideration
 and moved it's indefinite postponement. MT. Eorrill did not think this 8 generous proposition in view of the few Senators pres ent.
 ''That is the reason make it,' said Mir. Garland. q do not think the chamber will be fuller while this subject is up.'' Pending that question, said Mir. Morgan, move that the Senate adjourn. The yeas
 and nays were demanded number of Sena-
 tors came in and the motion was lost by 13 to 33.
 MT. Garland withdrew his amendment and
 the rule was disagreed to.
 The consideration of the rules occupied the remainder of the afternoon, little progress being made. At 3:45 the Senate went into
 executive session and at 4:2o p. n. adjourn ed.
 HoUsE.-Mr. Scales, of North Carolina,
 called up the credentials of G. Skinner, mem ber-elect from the First North Carolina dis t.ict, and asked that he be sworn in. Mr. Keifer, of Ohio, offered resolution l that w. R. Poole was elected to represent the First North Carolina district in November, 1882, and died August 25. 1889; that since the election of Poole the legislature of the State has re-districted the State so that the First district which Mir. Skinner claims to
 represent is composed of different counties from those which MT. Poole was elected to represent, thus leaving one county with do uble representation and one without rep resentation. The resolution proposes ref erence of the certificate to the Committee on
 Elections MT. Keller proceeded with an ar pumeut citing authorities and precedents to show that Mir. Skinner did not represent the district in which the vacancy existed, and pointed out that the same question would arise as to the vacancy created by the death of Mir. Haskell He maintained that the election should have been held in the district as 1t existed ct the time of the election of MT. Poole. MT. Scales, of North Carolina, contended
 that the certificate of the Governor bearing the great seal of the State made prima facie claim which the House was bound to recog- nizs. MT. Springer, of Illinois, argued that Con- press not having fixed the time Gnd place of holding the elections that the Stat8 of North Carolina had the right to fix them. Mir. Mills, of Texas, contended that the only question for the House now to decide vas as to the regularity Of the certificate of election.
 MT. Hiscock oAereda substitute that Mir. Skinner be sworn in and the questions in volved in the case be referred to the Com
 mittee on Elections to report as soon as prac- ticabIe. After further discussion Mr. Refer