Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-02-02
SUNDAY. FEBRUARY 2. ls9I
The Right OF tho Case.

In ell legislative bodies motion 10 ad-
oourn il always in order. Mr. Speaker
RErp refused on Friday last to entertain
such motion. In order TO show that this
vas not merely an outrageous ruling but
IN infamous wrong it is only necessary 70
state that under this ruling member will
either have TO ask the privilege of making
o motion to adjourn or run the risk OF
having his motion totally disregarded by
che Speaker. Picture to yourself repre-
sentative Of free people--in the
Parliament of the understanding
cap In hand, and saying, Mr. Speaker,
may / make motion tc adjourn" But
as the House Of Representatives must adj
fourn at some time, IL follows from this
ruling that it depends not upon the wishes
of the members of the House of Repre-
sentatives. but upon the tyrannical Speak
er's arbitrary will whether the House shall
adjourn at all or not. At . o'clock in the
afternoon he refuses TO entertain motion
20 adjourn. OF course, he has just as much
right to refuse to entertain such motion
ut II o'clock ct night or 3 o'clock III the
morning. In word, Speaker REED is a
tyrant, and the worst sort of tyrant.
seeing that he is carrying out the DEGREES
of a power behind the throne which IS
greater than the throne itself. REED being
Che puppet and MATTHEW S. Quay the man
who pulls the wires and makes him cut
"such fantastic tricks before high Heaven
rs make the angels weep"
Mr.. CRISP. as we said yesterday. has de-
monstrated the untenability of REEDS po-
sition. II is important that the Demo-
Gratis in the House of Representatives
should be in the right; and their constitu-
euts ought to be informed in the premises,
20 that no true man should have doubt
on the subject. Let us suppose that in
stead of o vote of 160 to /, as was the case
the other day, the House of Representa-
lives was divided 80 to so. This might
happen any day. 1t might happen
ON o motion to put wool or sugar
ON the free list. Then there would
be no quorum voting, and the
Speaker would have the names OF
i've non-voting members recorded as being
present, and, under his preposterous ruling,
would have the right to declare that the
motion was either carried or lost, as he
might choose, or as he might desire the re-
suit to be. Which side would have the
right to have the non-voting members re-
corded in their favor2 Nobody could de-
eide. The Speaker would not dare to have
them recorded for the motion or against
The motion. He would have to retreat
from his exposed and defeneeless position.
We warn the Chicago congressman that
when the House of Representatives shall
proceed to vote as between New York and
Chicago on the question of locating the
Worlds Fair of 1892 Speaker REED may
have IL placed in his power to decide the
question in favor of New York by direct
ing all the non-voting members 10 be re-
corded as having voted for New York city.
So as to the direct-tax bill: so as to any
tariff bill; so as TO every bill upon which
che opponents of it may choose to filibus-
Ger. So whenever on any bill less than
constitutional quorum shall vote. The
Speaker can either pass il or reject it, as
may comport with his corrupt purposes
and criminal persistence in wrong-doing.
II the House of Representatives divide
30 to 20 on bill and the Speaker declares
chat because there is quorum in the
House the bill is passed, he in effect casts
l66 votes. He has as much right to record
che votes of the non-voting members in
the negative as in the afirmative-for the
20 as for the so; because 80 lacks sc of be-
ing majority of the House and 70 lacks
only 96. In the case of such division of
the House there would be 100 members
voting and $50 not voting and vet the
Speaker would under his ruling have the
power to declare the bill passed. Nay, as
MIR. CRISP has said if the vote stood ID to 8
che Speaker would have as much right to
declare the bill passed as If it stood l6O to
4. Would you appeal? He refuses to al
bow an appeal. Would you move to adj
oourn? He will not entertain such mo-
zion. What remedy is there? That there
should be no peaceable remedy for such
wrongs is deplorable. 1t is especially hard
upon us here in the South who know that
all these wrongs are but the forerunners OF
unspeakable wrongs TO DO perpetrated
next November at the ballot-box.