Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1884-02-27
Washington letter.
From our Regular Correspondent

lEfOm our heBuldr COfTebpODQc8t.l
WASHINGTON, Feb. 23rd. 1884.
Tie Hall Of The House Tuesday
morning rre ented The sppG arance Of o
chamber in v hich had been held
night cf r,VtlIy. Tie stteudants end
clerks were sleeping in The committee
rooms or mOp'ns around, and no quor-
um could be collec ed Tor any of the
committee meetings. This meant that
session Of twenty-one hours had just
come to close, or, that the Repu bill
can representatives had attempted to
evade the Mexican pension bill by
skulking, and the Democratic majority
had to control the legislation of the
Forty-elght Congress. When the bill
was about 10 be made the special Or
der for a gwen day, and some half
dozen motions to adjourn-made by
the Repub licans-h bad been voted down
the Pension committee was called, and
Mr.. Hewitt of Ala. moved to adopt a
resolution making the bill special or
der for the twenty first inst. A num-
Der OF Republicans had by this time
absented themselves, and on voIe be-
ingaaken, tie House was found with.
out a quorum. A call OF the House
was ordered al d the Sergeant-at-Arms
was told to take the absentees into
custody aud bring them before the bar
OF tie House. THIS occurred at six
O'Clock p. M, and from that hour until
eight o'clock the following morning.
Members in charge Of that officer we're
from time 10 time presented at The bar
of the House, the Speaker addressing
to each the words ''you have been abb
sent from the sitti1gs Of the House
w!thou! its leave. What excuse have
you to offer ~ Many said they had
left, thinking. OF course the House
would adjourn about the usual hour, or
pleaded ignorance of The fact that the
body was in session, while among 9TH
ers sickness of themselves or families
became so popular an excuse that Mr..
ToWnshend said 1--WE ought to have
some medical certificates or else we
shall never succeed in getting a quor.
uD." Mr.. Blanchard, IN explaining
his absence, said if be had known the
bill was up he would have been willing
to remain at the Capitol week, 10 or
der 10 pension The Mexican veterans
The deputies despatched IN every d.
rection by the Sergeant-at-Arms, found
the tuant members variously engaged.
Some were lassooed on the streets,
some were at their homes entertaining
invited guests, or in their little bedsO
where Stun ber's chain had bound them
while others were at theatre, ball recep,
tion, or tea-party. Mr.. Henley brought
10 full evening dress and boujopniere
asked to be excused on the ground Of
soliciIude in regard to an attack Ct
measles in bis family. A member sal0
show about that dress suit ? that does |
not look like you had been hunting a
doctor. Mr.. Henley said The measles
was a fact Notwithstanding his ha5ill-
ments, and MIR. Gibson moved 10 have
him excused on condition be would
divide bis bouquet among them. Mr..
Lyman said he was well stricken in |
years and requiring periodical refresh
m9nts, had retired on that account. Mr. |
Springer moved that he he excus ed, be-
cause, be said, Nj. Lyman had once
favored him by lending him an unb rel.
Ia. Mr.. Bedford mixed a little bias
phemy with his buffoonery saying when
4 d putty found HIM be was ION bis
knees belw cen the dividing of the day |
and night, praying that tie Lord ould
urn the surplus revenue into the chan
lels of trade and business" PROPOSE
lions were made 10 fine number of
members whose excuses were not suffi-
;ientlv plausible and Mr.. Gibson said
Mr.. HOrr was the nrst gentleman
brought in whose dress did not give
evidence that he had been out on a
rolic. During the progress Of this non
once, the Speaker tried to prevent the
lllarity and emphatically requested
hat the proceeding should not be per-
nitted to degenerate into farce. One
lignifed member demanded decorum
md said he wished the fifty millions Of
intelligent PEOPLE represented on this
loor were looking down from the gal
cries on these absurditles, and seeing
American statesmen as they see them-
elves. But another said, 81 am glad
he people are not here 10 witness what
has gone on 10 night" When five
more men arrived the needed quorum
vas present, aud the resolution to make
be Mexican-pension bill the order for
he TWEEN ty first inst, was adopted by
rs yeas to IS nays. The result was
reeted with applause on the Demo-
latic side and at 8. Is A. NJ, the
louise adjourned until the following
aY IN order 10 recuperate from the
train of Its all night session.
An Ohio Murder Mystery. {
CINCINNATI, OHIO, Feb. 23.-1tst 8
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