New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-03-27
BLOCKED BY THE SPEAKER.
HIS ARBITRARY SUSPENSION OF BUSINESS
IN THE NEW-JERSEY ASSEMBLY.
NOTHING DONE FOR MANY HOURS BUT CALLING
THE ROLL FOR ABSENT DEMOCRATIC MEM.
BERs = DIsGRAcEFUL CONFUSION IN
THE HALL-rHE HOUSE STILL IN
1Br TELEGRAPH 10 THE rnmuxE.t

bEoSlON Al
GBr TELEGRAPH TO THE ThmUSEI
Trenton, N. j., March 26.-The House of
Assembly made its folly monumental to-day.
From early morning 1t spent the entire day
in listening to the clerk call the names of Keys and
Schmelz, two Democratic members, who had run
away to avoid voting on party legislation. To
maintain thi6constant cry the Speaker violated
the rules OF tho House, and nearly everything
else that is comprised within the domain of
logic and the order Of proceedings of parliamen-
tary bodies The Speaker, whose name is Huds-
peth and whose consumptive form conceals an
amazing effrontery, announced in the morning
that the House would not take up any other
business until after the Redistricting bill had
been passed. 1t had been made known just pre-
viously that such scheme was in contemplation,
and at this moment the absence Of Messrs. Keys,
Schmelz, Patterson and Woodward was discovered.
Keys had gone home angry at the nomination of
Judge Dixon, Sehmelz was said to have the
rheumatism, and Patterson and Woodward, it
was reported, had been frivolous, and were sleep
il off.
When the House met, Mr. Heppenheimer, the
Democratic leader, moved a call of the House.
The doors were locked at 10 40 o'clock, and the
calling OF the roll began. The absence Of the
four men above named was revealed, and war
rants were ordered issued for their arrest. In
q few minutes Woodward and Patterson put in
an appearance. The Sergeant-at-Arms and an
assistant then started for Newark to get Schmelz,
and Patterson went of TO bring back Keys The
Speaker, meanwhile, could not control the door
keepers, and finally issued an order that the
privileges Of the House should be re-
fused TO al persons Mr.. McDermitt,
Dem, objected TO this, and a wordy warfare
ensued between him and the Speaker, resulting
In the latter's resembling the order. After an
hour spent in calling the roll, motion TO adjourn
was put and lost Mr. voorhees,, the Republican
leader then moved that the call Of the House
be suspended The motion was put, and the
roIl-caI begun. The Republicans voted yea, and
the Democrats nay, and absentees were demanded.
Keysl Keys!" aSchmelzl" called the clerk,
and for fifteen minutes reiterated the names.
Then Mr.. Rker Rep, moved TO adjourn, and
the Speaker told him TO sit down. Mr.. Riker
refused 10 do 80 and the Speaker directed the
Sergcant-at-Arms 10 compel him 10 take his seat.
Mr. Rlker warned the Sergeant-at-Arms not TO
touch him; the official dessted and the incident
passed. The clerk continued calling the names
OF the absentees in wearing monotone for another
long hour, when the Republicans made another
attempt TO break tho deadlock imposed on tho
House by the Democratic majority, by demanding
that the result Of the vote be announced. The
Speaker refused to listen TO any motion what
ever. and declared that the House would be kept
Ia session until the absent members arrived IL
IL took oil night When asked 70 explRin bis
iiiagesl position, no said that he would entertain
a motion TO suspend the call, but had no explana-
tion TO offer how another motion 20 suspend could
be made when one was already pending. Equ%y
unsatisfactory was his explanation OF the political
advantages TO be derived by making this ridicu-
lous exhibition OF the Assembly
AS tho noon hour passed, luncheon was brought
in. with numerous bottles Of lager beer. and the
cloak-rooms filed up with hungry and thirsty
AsscmbIymcu and clerks As their hunger be
came satisfied, the members liz cigars and lounged
about the House. with their legs Sprawled over
deslxs The clerks continued the monotonous
calling OF the names Of Keys and Schmelz,
minpling the titles occasionally so that they
sounded far from respectful. As the afternoon
wore away. the monotony was varied by teaching
the paccs 10 call the names, instead OF the CLERKS
and by saueaking forth one name and rolling out
the other with q deep bass. Occasionally nall
DOZEN members would start up, Home, Sweet
Eloms.D The Sweet BY and By and Marching
Through Georgia This would be checked by the
Sneaker for a time, and then renewed. AT ABOUT
g o'clock Mr. Voorhees, made another attempt 10
mt an end TO the condition Of affairs by onerlns
motion directing the Speaker TO announce the
result Of the rollcan on The mouon
TO suspend the call Of the House. lie adneu
,ho S-atem.nt that he desired it clearly under
,oo6 that the Republican members were in no
vav responsible for the disgraceful situation OF
the House. but were here prepared to conduct
tho business of the Assembly in a regular and
orderly wny.
Tho Sneaker reiterated his determination to
receive no motion pending the CALL and, after
further protests by Messrs. voorhees,, Hker ana
Harris the calling Of the two abominnDy nFe-
some names was resumed Supper-time arrived
and one or two Republican members skipped out
Of the windows and went home; but the doors
,,,era l,ent locked, and exit WIS refused to all
members, They were locked up AS securely as
in n jail. so far as the officers could compass IT,
The Rlllerics had been full in the afternoon Duo
tbinned out, and the members again desero'd
their seats 10 partake Of sandwiches ana more
haer Meanwhile. nothing had been heard from
,be Sereeant-et-Arms or his assistant, ana long
ovenIng onened up before the House. Mr.. fagah,
of Hudson and one or two others "enC ous , ~
the windows to their hotels ana c'lie O"VN
S"farHs Tbe Senate had been in session all day In
the morning the bill to G ensrs River was
dnteated after a stormy debate. Inc IeIiroaS i
Commission bill was recommttsd on mStrGn RirG W y
Senator Gardner. The nomination vi nsi,ion inaS ,u
Snnncer for Railroad Assessor proyokes oPposit@Ion ION
The Democratic leader MI. mePPfnnfn tn explain
hv tbe House was held in this suspension pS1 ne
contented himself with replying that me I'D DJiU in-
tended to make sch@sa and HeyS HRpesg ss nere
anu No.c made small concealment of their dis
gust at the situation Whether Sssre Or T%s nCt the
RlcIon iat VI % %acted az il there were The position
Of the Speaker a. this ws an aoon to
pecuiiaa .In ali of the House. and when all the
had voted SsIS upon bs T. SH eeT sSoeS sO
announSe NJ gNno NJ the roll After refusing for
six hours entertain any mSOS the pc noh roca on
~ ~ "o no,jnn 10 suspend the call OF
the House This clearly pDH Ds1 tSe Houso
49, ,,nac tha original call Of the House, ana
would have another mgton to suspSS oere
'"tr The hours passed stupidity after the members
had eaten their cold supper. various Il, DeihGs h;s
fha