New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-11-15
TO STEAL THE NEXT HOUSE.
AN ALLEGED SCHEME OF THE DEMOCRATS
AuTocRATIC POWERS CONFERRED ON THE HOLD
UNCOVER CLERK OF THE HOUSE THAT
NEED PROMPT REVISION.
ley TELEGRAPH TO THE rRrDUNE1-

icy TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE i
Washington, Nov. IA widely spread opinion
prevails in Washington tonight that an attempt
is contemplated to steal the organization of the
next House Of Representatives for the Democratic
party by means of the extraordinary and irrespon-
siblc powers which existing laws repose in the
Clerk of the House. Section 81 OF the Revised
Statutes provides follows:
Before the frs meeting of each Congress the Clerk
Of the preceding House of Representatives shall
make roll Of the Represent aiveselect, and place
thereon tho names of those persons, ana of such
persons only whose credentials show that they were
regularly elected In accordance with the laws u
their States respectively the laws of the United
States.
The peculiar wording of this section has more
than once been construed by Democratic Clerk
as constituting him the sold Judge whether men,
ber has been regularly elected" according to
the laws Of his own State or of the United States.
The option presumed to be thus given has been
taken advantage of TO limited extent in spast
Congresses but never in so sweeping manner
as is now said TO be In contemplation By the
present holding over clerk, John b. Clark OF
Missouri. In the XLVth Congress Clerk George
NJ. Adams disregarded the certificate which Gov
ernor Murray, of Utah. had issued in favor OF
Allen G.. Campbell the Gentlle' candidate for
Delegate from that Territory, on the ground that
he was the only citizen of the United States who
had been voted for for Congress- and of his own
motion placed on the rolls the Mormon clndi-
Y.
had decided to be an unnaturalzed Engshman.
Delegates from Territories, of course have no vote
in the organization of the House. but the prcce-
dent thus establish by Democratic Clerk at
tracted some attention at the time, and The
Tribune, among other journals, pointed out that
if the holding-Over Clerk, wlC responsible 10
one, who could not be impeached, because,
except for this purpose Of organizing the next
House. he was functuS Uffcio." who could not be
controlled by the House because II was not yet
organized. nor as far as known bv the courts,
because the House is made the sole Judge OF its
own membership-that if tiis defunct officer could
exercise such authority in the case OF dele
gate, he could as well do IT. in the case OF mem
ber II the perpetuatlCn IN power OF himself ana
his party depended upon his action
This is Just what it is charged that Clerk Clark
is now attempting TO do The tabulated state
mcnts of members believed 10 have been regularly
elected" according official information received,
which the Cnlv Washington morning ncwspaper
has been publishing for the last few days. and
which shows a small probable Democratic ma
Ority, are understood to have been furnished by
the holdlng-over Clerk of the present Congress.
I he intent TO steal Democratic majority Is ev-
IDENTIFY present in the figures given out Whether
the ,mocrats in the desperation Of their defeat,
will have nerve enough 10 endeavor to put the
scheme INTO execution remains to be seen. In
any case the dangerous au' ocrdtic powers conferred
by existing law upon the holding-over Clerk OF
the House of Representatives would seem to re-
ouire instant revision