The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1890-02-13
TO THE COUNTRY.
THE DEMOCRATIC CASE STATED
BY MIR. CARLISLE.

y Cl""r aud Lo2Icni Exposuro of the Re-
pHblicon Conspiracy to Inrrcnsc thcir
MniDri(y in the House by Unsruting De-
mocrnis.
WASHINGTON, Feb, 3.-Mr. Car.
Isle has prepared for publication the
following statement Of the present po-
Sitiou ofthc Democratic members OF
the House, which is TO be signcd by all
Of them:
rho Manifcsto.
The present situation in the House
of Representatives is 50 anomalous,
AMI tho unprecedented decisions of
the speaker are SO full Of duuxcr to the
integrity Of future Legislation, that we
conSler it our duty TO submit Grief
settlement Of the facts in order that
the prcpricty Of the course we have
taken maybe fairly determined.
A RECITAL or WRONGS.
fhe House nct on the 2d Of Dacem
bcr, l&N9, and iinm",iiatcly organized
by the election of i Speaker ANA other
officers. On the same day, b. rcsOll-
ton Of the House, thc Speaker was
authorized 10 appoint Il committee on
rules, and ,hc rul"5 Of the last prcCed-
ing House We're referred. 20 that com
mittcc. The committees, consisting
Of the speaker himself, and !our Other
members, WA; appointed on December
., and on tie 3;h it made Il report
authorizing the Speak eli to appoint
all other committees and defining their
Jurisdiction. The committee on elcc-
tons, 10 which WAS referred all cases
Involving the rights OF members to
seats, wHs appointed on the 9th of
December.
Although nearly two months have
elapsed since the committee on rules
Was appointed, it ha; made no report
on the matters referred 10 it, except
the partial one made on the 9th Of De-
ccmbcr, and consequently the House
has been compelled to conduct its
business without any rulo or system
except general parliamentary law ns
construed by the speaker. There have
been no Calendars, no order Of bust
nCa~. no fixed time to receive reports
rom committees or for the ConSidcra-
tion OF bills or resolutions, and IN fact
no regular methods whatever in the
procccdiugs OF the House.
The American House OF HeprcHeu-
tativcs has been during al! this time
and StHi is, 50 far as rules for its gov
| "tnmrut are COuccrnUi, III precisely
! the same condition rs II popular meet
ing or political convention in which
! the chairman and his part!sans have
absolute control ofnll proceedings. Nc
measure car get before the House fol
consideration unless the Speaker
| chooses to allow it to be presented
! and members have no means Of know
| ing in advance what they are to be
| called on to discuss or decide. This
is the first time in our history that Il
Legislative assembly or even IL public
meeting has attempted to transact
business for any considerable period
without Il regular code Of rules pre-
scrihimg the or,icr o. its proceedings
aud the Inconvenience and injustice
resulting from such an attempt have
been forciDiy illustrated in the present
| instance.
REEDS DICTATORSHIP.
The Speaker has repeatedly during
these extraordinary proceedings re-
fused 10 entertain parliamentary mo-
| llCliS tIlhb uttNC 'ft.l i'FbSnlHttl 'l1
Legitimate urrr alru9 thn Govcrumcr
was cata5li:hcd, ami when attempt,
have been made to appeal from his
decisions he has refused 20 submit tin,
question TO the House. BY his ar
Ditrary rulings, sustained in some in
stances by lca- than Il quorum, h ha:
lsubVcrtcd nearly every principle o
constitutional and parliamentary here
tOlorc recognized in the House.
The address then recitcs that upon
contested election case being brough
up, the Democratic members raiset
the question Of consideration, and, OF
the call OF the roll, relrained from vot
ing; that the Speaker, contrary to Law
and long established usage, counted
the members not voting, declared
quorum present and declared that the
House mad decided to take up tn,
case; that from this decision an ap
perl WAS taken, and, ON that question
the Speaker repeated his pre-
vious unlawful procedure.
After rCCltinR the constitutions
provisions involved, and recalling tn
uniform practice Of the House in tn
past, the address contains warnin
against any tOicra,ion OF such revolu
tionary proceedings, and closes wit
these words. "a majority ruling will
, out limitations or restraints upon il
power IS pure dcpotism, and is incor
siStent with our system Of govern
ment.'