The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-02-28
A Farce in the House.

On the evening of the 18th novel farce
was played in the House of Representa-.
lives. The performance, according to the
Washington correspondent of the New
York Tribune, was highly successful, as
well as extremely enjoyable, but it will not
be repeated. The chief actors were Mr..
Curtin. OF Pennsylvania, and Mr. Man.
ming, OF Mississippi. Mr.. Manning may
De remembered as the man who, when
Congress assembled, occupied lofty Pc
destal OF virtue from which he serenely
looked down and declared that he would
scorn to take advantage of certain So
called "certificaten of election unless the
House should beforehand ''vindicate'' it.
10 MI. Manning's surprise and disgust, he
| learned this morning that the House, hav-
ing taken him at his word, was likely to
decide that it could not afford to do a
thing which he had yirtuously explained
was too mean for him to do. This was SO
different prospect from the one Manning
had mentally bargained for that he became
not only exaSperated, but desperate. Mes
Sis. Curtin, Blackburn, Tucker and few
others who sympabhized with him laid
plot to circumvent the House, and by a
grapd coup d. et0s have Manning Slaced in
the seat which he is anxious to occupy. al
though it is generally believed to belong to
another man. Mr.. Manning was delighted
with the scheme and at once consented to
play his part. The Speaker, it seems, was
not let into the plot, but 1T was known
several hours beforehand by a great many
Republicans.
AS the last hour of the debate approached.
Messrs. Curtin, Manning, Blackburn and
several other Democrats were observed in
close consultation at the rear of the hall.
When the chairman of the Elections Com
mlttee rose to move the previous question
the group suddenly broke up. Mr.. Curtin
hastily came forward, followed by Man
ming, who sank into vacant seat midway
down the aisle leading toward the Speaker S
desk. Mr.. Curtin claimed the floor, as he
said, to withdraw a resolution offered by
MIN on Wednesday to recommit the case
with Instructions. He seemed consider |
ably agitated, and Manning, who sat few |
feet away, looked flushed and anxious, not |
to say sheepish.
Mr.. Curtin had only five minutes in |
which to play his part in the farce. He |
spoke with great energy of the authority |
and potency of certificate of election |
under the broad seal of a sovereign State, !"
and denounced as outrageous the PROPOSE
ton to ssdeny the right of representation"
to the people of congressional district.
After speaking in this strain about three
minutes, Mr.. Curtin's excitement in
creased and raising his voice as he strobe |
toward the open area in front of the
Speaker he exclaimed that he now pre-
sented General Manning at the bar Of the
House, bearing the certificate of the Gov
ernor under the broad seal of great State
and demanded that the oath be admins
tered to him. Manning was still seated,
and he seemed rather reluctant to move.
General Manning come forward, ''shouted
MI. Curtin, with a dramatic gesture.
Manning obeyed, attended by Blackburn
and Tucker. He soon stood beside Mr..
Curtin. his face flushed and his hands
5witching nervously. Produce the certi-
icate, = said Curtin impatiently, with an
other gesture. The poor, self-stultified
Mississippian fumbled in his pockets awk-
wardly and at last drew forth the "certifi-
cate, = which three months ago he said he
would ScOrn to offer as evidence of his
title to a seat in the House.
The once despised but now precious doc
lment was handed to the Clerk, but at
that point the proceedings were inter-
rupted. Mr.. Curtin's remarks had been
received with bursts of derisive laughter
BY the Republicans, but a time had come
10 put stop to the farce. Major Calkins
was at that very time engaged in the con-
sideration OF the question whether Gen.
was entitled to be sworn. and
until that question was decided nc other
business was in order. Mr.. Curtin scrOwled
and defiance. The Speaker,
who had been watching the whole perform
ance with apparent contempt, here inter-
posed. He quietly remarked that of
course he could not undertake to admin
Ster the oath to a man whose title to a
seat the House was about to decide. Mr.
Curtin was nOnplusSed and Manning was
crushed. He covered visibly under the
cool cutting words of the Speaker. and
after moment of irresOlution he retreated
Ind dropped into the first vacant seat he
could find. Mr.. Curtin also retired in
ludgeon, followed by derisive applause
and laughter from the Republicans. AS
he did SO the irrepressible Bedford ex-
claimed "Ring down the curtain - The
Republicans and good many Democrats
we're in mood to be amused and this pun
threw them into commissions of laughter
MessrS. Blackburn and Tucker held their
ground manfully and covered the retreat
If leading actors in the farce.
An hour later the House decided by a
vote OF l39 to l64 that Manning does not
hold perfect credentials. issued in due
form and by lawful authority" Forty
i've Democrats and all the Republicans
present and voting comprised the majority.
On the resolution that Manning is entitled
TO qualify and occupy seat pending the
contest on the merits the vote was ninety
three for and 1855 against, about sixty
Democrats voting in the negative. The
seat will therefore remain vacant until the |
House decides who IS entitled to it.