The state herald., 1890-02-07
the RULINGS OFFENDED.

THE RuL,Ngs OFFENDED.
Speaker Reed, Saturday last made
the following statement in defense
Of his ruling on the question Of q
quorum. Mr.. Carlisle was entirely
right when he said In substance that
the decision OF the house that a
quorum was constituted to do bust
ness when n majority Of the house
was present would change from the
foundation the method Of doing busi-
ness. We certainly will do so, for 1t
will enable the majority elected by
the people to rule by their own votes
and not by the sufferancc OF the min.
Ority. The rule Of the majority is at
the very base Of our government. II
it be not the true rule our faith Is
vain and we are yet in our sins.
Look ut the practical workings Of the
other doctrine. The republicans have
a majority Of seven, but they have
only three over quorum-l6s is our
number, 1866 is quorum. II we are
To furnish a quorum, the whole dem.
ocratic party sitting idle In their
seats, but not present; dumb and
silent when business is to be transact
cd, but vocal when it is to be OBJ
structed, then there can be but three
republicans absent OF penalty Of stop
page Of the republics business.
Now let us see how that works.
We are allowed but three abscntees.
Mr.. Rockwell is sick. 1t would en-
danger his life to come. Mr.. Wilbur
is in the same case. Mr.. NJ. T.
Brown Is too sick to be able to be
present all the time. Mr.. Casweil's
wife was dying and common decency
required his presence at her bedside.
Another member must be with his
wife for urgent reasons somewhat
similar. Just about this number of
members will at all times be sick or
incapacitated. These may get well
but Others fall sick In their turn.
There, then, is our quorum, according
to Mr.. Carlisle, gone entirely to
pieces, though even after all fraud be
deducted the people had found for
the republicans by seven majority.
All this time, while we are keeping
in the house other mcn hardly less
sick, 40 husky democrats sit silent in
their seats doing no public duty, ex-
ccpt draw their pay. Is II possible
that the United States Is paying
thuse gentlemen Sl3 a day without
even the privilege Of counting their
silent forms? Mr.. Carlisle says there
is no. precedent for the decision
for the house. A hundred
times have heard him declare that
the number for and against such u
bill was, say eighty for and twenty
against, mathematically less than a
quorum, and yet declare the bill
passed and then sign the bill, thereby
certifying, under the most solemn
sanction Of his oath OF Office, that the
bi Il had properly and constitutiOnally
passed the house. How could We
have done this II his doctrine be true
and u quorum must vote? Under.
stand me, day after day Mr.. Carlisle,
In my presence, has declared that
such a bill had votes for and against
by his own count rs speaker less than
a quorum, and has yet Immediately
declared 1t passed and has signed II,
thus furnishing the only proof the
president could have that II wa.
passed. How could this be except on
the plain ground that II n quorum
did not vote the presence Of quorum
was enough? But this matter does
not need argument. In Mr.. Carlisle,
own state, In democratic New York
In democratic Tennessee, In demo
cratic Ohio, In Massachusetts, and In
the courts everywhere, rs you may se,
by Mr.. Buttcrworth's speech, the doc
trine Just upheld by the house Is tn,
law Of the land.