Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-12-03
REPUBLICAN TACTICS IN THE
HDusF.

HUI
There is an old saying 70 the effect that
there So no tyranny ike that Of a maioriiy.
The truth Of this has been time and sgain
txemphied i'm cd parliamentary bodies
and rules were adopted for our Congress
not only to facilitate businesa bui 20 pre-
vent .bis very tyranny and TO &c. az q
check ap1u the majmity. Tt is the pres
eut intention Of the Republican majority
TO change these rules. if possible, SO IA to
allow the minority no refuge or defense,
which intention they announced ss soon
as &c was made apparent that they had
elected q mrioriy.
Commenting upon this inieaiion Of tho
Republicans to gag the democratic mt
uoriiy. Hon. ROGER @ MILLS in the De
csubsr number Of North Amercm Re
rier GAYS.
Ihe sane argument now made against
the rules of The House could be made with
equal force agtins, the Constitution OF the
United States and the constitutions Of all
che States that compose che Union. All
o. these are but ruler for ths government
of political societies; and m al OF them
there are distractions thrown across the
path the m-i'ntY may wish 10 20. The
founders OF our government bad been
taught in the school OF experience that
the multitude clothed with unlimited
power vas AS dangerous e5 che single despoi
tnat arbitrarg power was The same whether
10 resided % one or mary Therefore 30
uleyeat those who were chosen 90 be Jaw
mskers from becoming Law breakers,
they prescribed, in al the consti.
tud,ns. boundaries beyond which they
should not 60 All these wege useless PIE
csntious if msiorIt.ss were not sometimes
maddertd by ,1e lust of power and forget
f-l of lher'ghis OF che weaker party. ia
40 these constitutions We see where the
people, Jealous for the Preservation of their
nstural rglts. have prohibited tire govern
ment from interfering with the freedom OF
religion, freedom of speech, and iresdom on
tho prt8l We see where they have foI-
hidden ,he passage OF or post f1cto laws and
blls of a.tsinder, end prescribed ooundar-
iss to Congress IN many other cases. All
these are cors ifutional obsirucI ions 10 the
,,sv of The majority. The history of tie
world in an ages and countries proved that
these ohuucrOns were necessary 20 secure
che rights Cd treemen sgainst the abuse OF
power.
"The demand" continues Mr. MILLS,
''for the removal Of the limitations in the
rules mssns that Che party in power are
benz 90 mischief; that they have some
desperate enterprise on foot that their pro-
u1eac MS tell them is beyond tie
boundary of rightlul Jurisdiction, and that
iu carlyieg it oat they will meet with
stobbo-a opposition Ma. MILLS adds:
.'Ihs tNcesats which they viii attempt
sill hs such as are dict8'ei by c0nv,c-
tion of par.y necessity. The measures for
which the WAY must be cleared ara such
ss win. iu Their Judgment, secure panty as
candancv. III +, can bs done, the rules
w.u be- SD framed that an opposition VIII
ie aienctd when they are ready 90 vacate
"a Drm1c-llc eait AID give 10 %
% Republican c0n.eitanb regardless OF
che vote ol the c1nsliluency. Aud there
sgill na 10 'scandaiOus scenes when they
a-e .rying % pass bills 30 create returning
h1ards t0 give certificates 90 election 90 de-
f-ata7 Rspnbiican candidates for electors
and members of Cocgress lie 81 70 PIE
par- the wsy for The advent Of this higher
civilization that the rules have been in-
dicied al q ara'euei before the bar OF puo-
Die opinion
Is is ersvsly raid that the rnles which
permit what be called hlbas,erirg should
be- chaueed so as TO- prevent ihs scandalous
aceus chat occurred IN the House IN loo2.
There are two sides 90 that picture, and
h,.h should be- seen before Judgment is
pronounced MI Tilimar, Democrat
was elected 20 CONGRESS from she Second
District no South Carolina, in leo0, by a
msi1riiy oi 5 O36 in total of S.. Ola votes
aud a rs publican House uaeested hun and
gave The seat to the defeated candidate oil
thar cgn party. Mr. O'C1nnor, Dsmo-
crlt, was cleo ca 20 O0ugtess from the
First District in the same State, al TIE
same time. by q mriority cf5,2l2 m total
of 80 -65 votes. BE died before Congress
convened. aud SIR Dbble was elected 70
Ism tha vacancy. Mr Dibhle was unseated
ond the place was given Co the defeated
Rspublican candidate Mr., Richardson, a
Democrat was elected 60 Congress at the
same time. from tie same State. by ma
i0ritv of s dos in % total OF 81, sl6 votes
che committee reported that his seat too,
should be- given 90 the defeated Republican
candidate. and the House was proceeding
20 carry Che resolution into elect on TIE
2i of March. lsS3 when the gavel fell an
nouuciug the expiration OF the Congress,
and tire unhappy contestant fell Just 'out
side The hgcastTOrks' While these reso
lu lions uussatng the Democratic kipfe
sentat.ves were before the House, the
minority ndulged in parliamentary tactics
90 tefsat them, and the country can decide
whether the scandal attached to the major
10y. who we're engaged IN sn effort 10 TOT
thr constituencies of three districts on to'
rish. of renrss ntation. OF the minority
srro were engaged in defending them
SIR. MILLS continues to cite cases IN
point. he spcaks Of the contest over The
Ksnsas-Nebmska Bill in 1851. TO defeat
which Che Republican mincri'y alternstec
tbs two motions 10 al iourn aId 70 fix The
dsy % which the House should aej'urni
and called the roll on them l3S times
which was the first time these motion.
were ever used for tsat parpose, shosins
that the Democrats ought not to be criii-
cissd by their opponents TOR employing
dHbns,erioe tactics since TIE lesson was
learned from The Republicans In the
Foriy-Tdird Congress The Democrats en-
ployed these same tactics against the Civil
RighisBIl, but the majority sgaiu changed
tbe rules. adopsed ths gas aud forced the
measure through, although stewards the
posidoa Of che Dsmocratic minority was
sustained by theSupssme Court which de-
clsred the law unconstitutional.
After citing the csss Of the thief. Of the
Presidency in 1876, Mr.. Mills continues:
Tse Republicans agsin have a msilriiy
in The House. bu. not lsrge enough % in
snre the success of their schemes. They
hsye seain extraordinary measures to be
carried through. and the rules mus. again
be subjected % their manipnlations.