Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1890-01-30
Scene in the House.

That all out tntee ueuooia'o ASi"'o0 ~ 'oto
on the proposition to take up the West Vir-
pipls contested election case, Mr.. Breckin.
ridge, of Kentucky, said : : denounce tbs
ruling of the Speaker as revolutionary" At
this announcement from the Kentucky
member the democratic members sprang to
their feet and shouted their appreciation
Many OF the occupants of the
galleries also joined in the tumult, and the
result was one of the most exciting scenes
ever witnessed in the halls of Congress.
The fight began when the West Virginia
contest was called up. The democrats re-
Trained from voting. thus throwing the onus
unon the republicans of showing quorum,
which is 166.
After the first roll.call had been com
pleted the Speaker directed the reading
clerk to call the names OF those gentlemen
who had failed to respond to their names.
It was observed during the second calling OF
the roll that Speaker Reed closely scanned
the democratic side of the chamber, and as
the names of prominent democratic mem
hers we're called he directed the clerk to
scaIl that name again." Upon their refusal
to respond to the call, the Speaker wrote
their names upon slip OF paper in front OF
him.
IL dswned upon the democratic leaders
that the Speaker was keeping list of those
present, and they clustered around MIR
Carlisle for advice and direction.
When the roll-cs Il was finished 1t showed
that l6l republicans had voted 10 the 8 rm-
alive, and two democrats had unintentional-
iy cast their votes in the negative.
MIR. CoWlcs OF North Carolina, demanded
the privilege OF withdrawing his vote, and
amid great confusion, the Speaker ruled
that he conld not do co. Then Mr.. Covert,
of Brooklyn, who had also voted by mistake
scored point on the Speaker by demand
ing the privilege Of changing his vote. :.
"Call the gentleman from New York, "
said the Speaker to the tally clerk.
"Mr. Covert" shouted the clerk.
ST will vote later" replied the Brooklyn
member, amid great applause on the demo
cratic side and in the galleries.
The Speaker then announced the vote
101 to land proceeded to read the names
of the democrats who were present but de.
c!,ned to vote. 1t was when the name OF
Mr.. Breckinridge. of Kentucky, was reao
out by the Speaker that the Kentuckiau
rushed down the aisle and declared that the
ruling OF the Speaker was revolutionary.
As the names of the various democrats
we're read out, including Messrs. Bland,
blanchard. Compton, Crisp, Flower, Nc.
Creepy, O'Ferra!l, Rogers and others, they
arose and denounced the Speaker and de.
MED hIs right to declare them present when
they had declined to vote.
During all the excitement Mr. Carlisle re-
NAMED quietly in his seat while the demo.
Gratis looked 10 him to make stand against
the arbitrary rulings OF the Speaker. The
latter undertook to sustain his position by
quoting similar instances that occurred In
the Tennessee and New York Legislatures.
He read at length decision ofGov. Hill, OF
New York, when he was Lieutenant-Gov.
ernor of the State, showing that he had
directed the names 81 republican members
OF the Legislature 70 be entered upon the
record as present when they refused to vote.
This of course, tickled the republicans, AID
Sneaker Reed stated that he was only fol
lowing the Piles of an accepted demo.
crat.
The confusion throughout the chamber
continued, while dozen or more democrats
were shouting at the Speaker. Finally MIR.
Crisp arose, and with gree. earnestness ap'
pealed to the Speaker as man, and the re
publican members as gentlemen, to give the
minority chance to be heard. A republican
moved to lay the appeal from the Speakers
decision upon the table, and the Speaker was
about to rule on that motion when Represent.
alive Butterworth, of Ohio, sprang to his
feet and appealed to his republican friends
to give the minority fair chance to be
heard. Mr. Burrows, OF Michigan. and two
or three other republicans also joined in the
request for it was apparent that Speaker
Reed was going too far. 1t was evident
that the democrats were highly incensed at
the methods of tine Speaker and the fair
minded republicans were not inclined to
follow blindIy his leadership.
Upon being recognized, Mr. Crisp dellv.
cred a scatbing rebuke to the Speaker,
couched in the most dlgnified and eloquent
terms, and cited numerous decisions OF for
mer republican Speakers to chow the iDjus
tics of the rulings Of the present occupant
of the chair. Mr.. Crisp also qnoted from
former speeches of MIR. Reed to show that
he then deprecated the very principle that
he was now trying to force upon The House.
The remarks OF MIR. Crisp set the conserva
tive members of the majority to thinking
seriously before indorsng the precedent
which the Speaker was trying to establish.
Mr.. Cannon made very weak attempt
to sustain the position taken by the chair,
but he was not able to convince the impair
tial people present that the ruling of the
Speaker was calculated to benefit the count.
~ or promote The public business.
Mr.. Carlisle then took hand in the de-
bate, and his superior knowledge OF psrlis-
mentary law and the numerous precedents
he cited off.hand had the effect of causing
many republicans to stop and consider how
far they could go in this matter without COM
hitting themselves for the future. Mr.. Car
Isle held that 1t was the right of members to
refrain from voting if they concluded that
they were not prepared to vote on the sub
j ect before the House. and the Speaker had
no authority under the constitution to make
the journal show that certain gentlemen
were present hut refused to vote. He de.
cared that the House alone could make up
it's journal, and he denied the right of the
Speaker to do g.. He said the members
who refused to vote on various propositions
Il 49,