The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-02-14
p1AoKnuRN,s RuLNe.
A singular Action-Ths House sustains the
speaker. -

wAsmSaroN, Feb. 1.-THE House met
at 10 o'clock in continuation Of Thursdays
session. On motion OF Mr.. Payson the
Senate amendments were concurred in 10
tile House bill TO prevent unlawful oc-
cupation Of public lands. Mr.. Willis
moved thai when the House went into
Committee Of the Whole on the River and
Harhor bill, all debate on the pending sec
ton be closed In an hour and half, Mr..
Reed raised the point that this motion was
not in order, as It was not competent for
tho House to close paragraph OF q bill
not vet read in committee. The Speaker,
pro TEN, Mr.. Blackburn, said this point
would have been well taken II directed
against the general approximation bill and
tho revenue bills, but the River and Har-
Dor bill had been repeatedly held to be
neither, and the Chair therefore overraled
the poiut OF order. Dir. Reed appealed
from the decision.
Such ruling would establish a precedent
OF the most astonishing character, and one
which must necessarily recoil on both
sides OF the House. In . rule which allow
ed debate to be closed upon q pending
paragraph, no distinction was made be.
tween general appropriation bills and
other bills, and 1t was not possible for any
member to give any ground Of difference
between them. lir. Long called the at
tantion OF the House TO the fact that II
the principles involved in the decision of
the Speaker were carried out, 1t would be
il the power OF any committee to put an
entire bill In one section and then cut of
debate upon tAat section.
Mr.. Reed quoted from tha debate which
occurred in the Forty.seNenth Congress,
when o proposition was made to cut of
debate on the paragraphs OF the taritf bill,
Which had not been read and considered,
In order to show that Messrs. Carlisle,
Hammond, Randall, Cox. and BLACKBURN
had protested vigorously against the prop
osition, the latter characteriziug it as more
adroit than manly and honorable. No
where In those speeches was he able to
find that any distinction Ind been made
between the General Appropriation and
the River and Harbor bills.
Mr.. Bayne thought the River and Har-
Dor bill could be considered in very
short time, and as a friend Of the bill he |
was In favor Of the usual discussion.
iMr. Willis said this was not question
concerning the liberty ofdebate. twas u
question OF license OF debate and limita-
ton OF that LICENSE, Who had been dis
cussing this bill9 Had there been any
desire on the part Of the gentleman from
Maine (Mr. Reed) TO bring the bill to a
vote? Would he avow that was his OBJ
ject? No! But he proposed under tech
nical rules to fritter away the time OF this
House. He might not, on his wise states.
be willing to make that amend
ment, which was SO full Of eloquence, TO !
strike out the last word, but there were
others who did It, and did 1t with his ap-
proval. Mr.. Willis then passed on to dis |
cuss the decision OF the Speaker, maintain
ing its correctness.
Mr.. Keifer thought It competent for the
House to close the debate on tho pending
section. Mr. Thomas considered theruling |
Of the chair clearly correct. Mr.. Willis
moved to lav the appeal on the table.
Agreed to. Yes lsi, nays t0i. And then,
though It was two minutes past twelve.
the House adjourned, and was immediate
ly called to order again on Fridays ses-
sion.