, 1889-12-03
READY FGR BUSINESS.
Opening of the FiftY-First
Congress.
The New Members Elect Take
the Oath Of Office.
Reed Elected Speaker of the
House.
Opening of the Fifty-frst Congress.
THE SENATE.

THE SENATE.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 2.-There was lit
tie or no excitement attending the open
ing of the ~fity-first congress in the SEN
ate. Public curiosity seemed transferred
to the house. Interest on the floor was
devoted largely to the senators from the
new states. They had seats assigned
them on the Republican side. Senator
Casey of North Dakota took his seat on
the end OF the second row against the
north wall. Directly behind him sat the
Washington senators, Allen and Squire,
while PettiRrew and Moody of South Da-
kota sat in the fourth row near the center
OF the loom. Senator Pierce of North
Dakota has an end seat in the fourth row,
but he was not present to day. On the
Democratic side are two seats SO far unas
signed. They will be occupied by the
senators from Montana when they have
been chosen.
At 1901 Vice President Morton entered
the senate chamber. The chaplain opened
the proceedings with prayer. The oath
of office was administered by the vice
president to Senators Chandler OF
New Hampshire and Nathan +. Dixon of
Rhode Island. The credentials of Moody
and Petugrew of South Dakota, and Al
len and Squire of Washington were pre-
scented. Platt moved that the oath of office
be administered. The motion was agreed
to and the four new senators, each escort
ed by a senator, proceeded to the clerks
desk and amid great applause from the
galleries took the oath OF office.
Edmunds and Harry s. Apperson were
annnInfad q enfn nrffaa m lnIn n lilo aan-
mittee from the house to inform the pres
ident hat congress was ready to receive
any communication he chose to make.
The resolution providing for a continu-
ance of the Select committee on transpor-
tation and Gale OF meat products was
agreed 10.
Aldrich offered a resolution, which was
laid over, TOR the appointment of a select
committee of nine senators to be called a
quadro-centeHnial committee to which
shall be referred all matters connected
with the proposed celebration of the four
hundredth anniversary of the discovery OF
America
Adjourned.
THE HOUSE.
At noon Clerk Clark called the house
to order. The roll call showed the pres
ence of 327 members. the three absentees
being O'Neal of Indiana. Randall of
Pennsylvania, and Whitmore of Tennes-
see. Reed was placed in nomination TOR
speaker by Henderson of Illinois. The
mention of Reeds name was the signal
for applause on the Republican side,
which was returned with interest by the
Democrats when McCreary of Kentucky
nominated Carlisle. The vote resulted:
Reed Ice, Carlisle l54, Cummings of
New York l. Reed having been declared
elected speaker, he was escorted to the
chair by Mckinley and Carlisle amid APP
plause and the oath of office was admin
istered by Kelley of PENNSYLVANIA. Ran.
dali of Pennsylvania paired with Wilbur
of New York. Speaker Reed said:
II thank you for the high office which
your voices have bestowed upon me. 1t
would have been impossible not to be
moved by its dignity and honor, yet you
may well imagine that | am at this mo
ment more impressed by its responsibility
and duties. Under our system of govern
ment as it has been developed these re-
sponsibilities and duties are both political
and parliamentary. So far as the duties
are political. | sincerely hope they may be
performed with a proper sense Of what is
due all people of the whole country. So
far as they are parliamentary, | hope with
equal sincerity they may be performed
with a proper sense of what is due both
sides OF the chamber. Applause. To
the end that | may be successful in carry
ing out your wishes l invoke the consider
ate Judgment and cordial aid of all mem
bers of this house" Loud and contin-
ued applause.
The next step in organization was
swearing in of the members elect as
they ranged themselves in squads of
twenty at a time in the space in front of
the clerks desk. The oath was admins
tered by the speaker.
The house then proceeded to the cleo
ton of other officers. Edward McPker-
son was elected clerk, A. F. Holmes SER
geant-at arms. G. A.llAdams door keeper,
James l.. Wheat postmaster. When it
came to the election of chaplain there was
a fight. The Rev. Charles B. Ramsdell,
the nominee of the Republican caucus.