The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1890-02-28

Auuut Mtu0ENy Msk"t<<
Having such a man as Reed In his
minds eye. James A. Garfield spoke In
mart a. follows in tho House Of Repre-
sentatives January -. 1850. on propo-
sition 70 amend the rules to permit tho
Speaker. under certain circumstances.
70 declare that : quorum was consti-
tutcd:
Aside from the insuperabie objection that
raised 70 this proposition. Is thing that oughs
NOT 10 be- tried because Of is sagueness rs IN
certainty and the danger that members OF inc
House may be imposed upon by IN unscrupu'
lous Speaker that may come hereafter say
that aside from all that. and beyond all that,
ask members 70 consider one fact: This has
been a House q Representatives since l'S.
Thfs House has been the theater 81 all sorts q
political storms and tcmpcsts. We have lived
through the times Of great wars. Of great
civil war. when there were excitements hardly
parailcled in the history Of parliamentary an
nails Yet during all these years no man DO
fore 80 far as know. no party before. has ever
thought II necessary 10 introduce . rule that
gives the power Of declaring the presence Of
members by the single voice OF one person;
power that will enable him 70 bring from his
Sick. bed dying man and put him down In this
hall SO that the Speaker shall count him.
and make his presence against his will and
perhaps In his deiriun count in order 70 make
d quorum. 50 that some partisan measure may
BE- carried out over the body Of that dying mat>
sir. the moment you get over the line, the
moment you cross the boundary OF names. the
moment you leap over the iron fence 81 the roll.
that moment you are out in the vague. and all
sorts OF disorders may come on.
Joseph X. Ilawlcy. Of Connections.
said in the same debate:
Now the evil ftherc b. one in the existing
system. that Of which gentlemen complain i
simply this. that We OF the minority claim
right by sitting silent 10 prevent less than
majepfy % the members elected from passing
bill The worst that can Dc done by fac.
tous minority. II that DC the term applied 70 IL,
Is 10 fight until the actual majority ~ the mem
bers elected shall pass the bill. When they are
present that friendly majority constitute
quorum 81 themselves: they do not require the
assistance Of the minority. they run the House
themselves and pass their bills. In case Of
what you call factions resistance We drive them
only 10 that.
Now. we are causing no hardship whatever In
taking the ground we do against this new rule.
snd think we do no serious wrong 70 the
country IT any time when We sit In our seats
and decline 70 vote. II the majority desires 70
have bill passed in opposition 70 our wishes
then let the majority come here and pass II
over our lt1A>- ~ any i@tfs = @ttllAE " "
answerable TO anybody but my constituents II
sit in my seat and decline 70 vote. ! hold my.
self responsible 10 them and 10 the constitution
alone. ! take my position with that horse
which Is brought 70 the water but can not be
made to drink and should say that no Speaker
and no House should compel me 70 answer yes
or no on roll call.
think il very decidedly wrong in the first
place. that Speaker should - At liberty 10
recognize or declare quorum without formal
count, and u the next place. that by any sort
OF combination Ct rules there should be a law
put upon the statute book and declared in force
which can show. perhaps only quarter OF ten
per cent. Of the members in favor q i.
And Thomas X. Reed, Of Maine. said,
among other things:
TIE constitutional idea of quorum
Is not the presence q majority Of the mem
bers Of the House. but majority o. the mem
bers present and participating il the business
Of the House. II Is not the visible presence Of
members but their judgments and their votes
that the constitution calls for.