Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-03-05
WEDNESDAY. ..... MARCH 5. 1890.
Ex-speakor Carlisle on Speaker Reed


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Ex-Speakor Carlisle on Speaker Reed
Mr.. CARLISLE, like Mr.. REED, discusses
In the March No. Of the North american
Rcr;esc some Of the rulings of Speaker REED
and some of the new rules recently adopted
by tho national House of Representatives.
Mr.. CARLISLE makes the striking remark
that under the rule which enables Mr..
REED to count as present members VINO
refuse TO answer TO their names upon yea
and-uay vote it is possible for the Speaker
and one member to pass bill. OF course
this is true, if the Speaker may ct his plea
sure declare q quorum present when no
ouoruIn has voted. The right to make up
aquorum by counting one single non-voting
member implies the right to make up
quorum by counting 165 non-voting men,
beers. Il is no answer to say that oSpeaker
would dare TO do such thing. Why not?
II the rule is right the Speakers power to
do that unspeakable wrong cannot be call
ed in question. Nay, if the rule is right IT
would be right for him to do that very
thing.
Mr.. CARLISLE argues that the obiectiona-
bic rule destroys the representative cha
racter of rhe lower house Of Congress. The
members ought 10 be untrammelled. They
ought TO be free to vote or not to vote as
they might choose; whereas nowi If they de-
cline to vote the Speaker votes for them.
He has constitutionally no rights superior
TO those Of any other member; yet he casts
his own vote and then casts the votes OF as
many more members as it will take to con-
stitute n quorum. Mr.. CARLISLE says
truly that the House of Representatives
has lust as much right to confer this extra
voting power upon the Clerk or the Ser
geant-at-Arms as upon the Speaker. Is
not that proposition true? Beyond a
doubt it il.
1t is the peoples voice which is stifled
by Mr.. REEDS rulings. Tho members of
the House of Representatives are the peo-
pie assembled by their representatives
Where can one congressional district get a
power not possessed by all Of the congress
sional districts? Where can Mr. REED find
a clause of the Constitution which
authorizes him TO claim powers not pos
sessed nor exercised by Mr.. CARLISLE
The members cannot delegate their powers.
They cannot abdicate their functions in
favor OF the Speaker. nor any other official.
The House, says Mr.. CARLISLE, though
the Speaker is it's servant, can give no
commands to the Speaker if he may refuse
TO entertain any motion which he may
choose to decide to be dilatory. To sur
render such power to the Speaker is for
the House to stultify itself--to abdicate its
constitutional functions. Mr.. CARLISLE
says that the new rules 60 far beyond all
precedent, here or elsewhere.
In an article on the general subject which
we are discussing the Philadelphia Inquirer
says:
1.-THE country will watch with great inte-
rest the appeal to the Supreme Court by
MIR. Pendleton, of West Virginia, who was
unseated with less than quorum voting.
We do not see how this is to be got into the
court. but we hope it will be, and that de-
cision will be rendered which will settle
The question forever. In this case there
were 1G2 yeas and no nays, the Democrats
not voting. II takes 1G6 to make quorum.
There were 30i members in the House. If
every one of the 142 silent Democrats had
voted nay they could not have defeated the
motion TO unseat Pendleton. and yet they
hold that they did this very thing by not
voting"
Oh, no. They hold no such thing. They
hold that as there was no quorum voting
neither PENDLEIoS nor the contestant was
seated. The vote would again be taken as
soon as a quorum answered to their names
upon q call of the House; and the moment
q quorum voted the title to the contested
seat would be decided. And not until
then. The Inq6rer repeats in that argu-
ment what REED says on the same point in
his article in the North american ReUiele.
1t shows how unfair and unreliable REED
is. His argument is based upon false
hood SO is the Inoatire's.
The fathers of the republic gave to the
President of the United States the veto
power. They empowered one man TO over
ride the votes of 219 members in the House
of Representatives. Why? Because non
action is not half so dangerous as wrong
action. SO they empowered the minority
TO stop legislation. but never thought of
clothing the Speaker with the power to
pass bills and elect national lawmakers at
viii. When the Speaker announces the re-
suit as Ayes 162, noes none," that declara-
ton ought TO end his connection with the
matter. But it is not ended under Speaker
REKD's ruling. He adds, six gentlemen
present and not voting" and 80 passes a
bill which 1862 other members were not
able TO pass. 1t Is one thing TO delay or
prevent the passage of bills. 1t Is quite
another thing TO pass them.