The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1890-02-05
DEMOCRATIC ADDRESS
~ rhs People Of the Country Expiainins
why the Minority In Congress Have FUR
sued Policy OF Obstruction.


4 rns People OF tho Country Explaining
why the Minority In Congress Have Pur-
sued = Policy OF Obstruction.
WASHINGTON, Feb. Am address to
the country, explaining the position OF
the Democratic members OF the House,
has been prepared by ex-Spcaker Car
Isle and will be signed by all OF the NIL
nority members to-day. The address
says: u.o
'The present situation in the House
Of Representatives Is so anomalous, and
the unprecedented decisions Of the
Speaker are so full Of danger to future
legislation, that we consider 1t our
duty to submit brief statement OF the
facts in order that the propriety of the
,ourse we have taken may be fairly de-
termined.
"The House met and organized by the
election Of Speaker and other officers
On the same day the Speaker w'saathor-
lied to appoint Committee on Rules,
and the rules Of the last preceding
House were referred to that committee,
The committed, consisting Of the
speaker himself and four other mem
blrs, was appointed on Decepber5. On
the 9th 1t made report authorizing the
Speaker TO appoint all the other COM
mitteos and defining their Jurisdiction.
The Committee on Elections, to which
was referred all cases involving the
rights OF members to their seats, waa
appointed December Q.
"Although nearly two months have
elapsed since the Committee on Rules
was appointed, it has made no report
upon the matters referred to It, excopi
the partial one made on December 0,
and consequently the House has been
compelled to conduct its business with
out any rule or system, except the. gem
eral parliamentary law, as construed By
the Speaker.
"On January 30 the Committee OF
Elections called up q contested election
case and the Democratic members de
termined that In the absence Of rules \
should not be considered II they could
prevens 1t by any proper parliamentary
proceedings. Accordingly they raised
the question OF consideration, demanded
the yeas and nays and on the call OF the
roll refrained from voting, The resul
was that loss than constitutional quo
rum voted, but the Speaker, in violation
Of the uniform practice Of the House 10
more than a century, proceeded to coun
members who we're present, but not vot
ing, ana declared that the House ha'
decided to take the case up. From thi
decision an appeal was taken, and on
motion to lay this appeal on the tabl
the yeas and nays were taken and les
than quorum voted, but the Speake
again counted members not voting an
decided that the motion was agreel
and his ruling thereby sustained.
"The Constitution provides that mi
iority of each house shall constitute
quorum to do business; but smalls
, number may adjourn from day 70 da
and may be authorized to compel the a
tendance OF absent members In sue
manner and under such penalties as eac
House may provide. Another clause
the Constitution requires each house
: keep a journal Of its proceedings an
a provides that, when one-fifth oftho mel
/. bers present desire 1t, the yeas and na.
( shall be taken on any question and Q
= tered on the journal. Since the begi
: ming OF the Government under the Co
; stitution, more than hundred yea
s ago, the House Of Representative
t and the Senate have uniformly co
D strued the first clause Of the Constitute
quoted above to mean that majority
2 all Of the members elect must be prese
: and actually participate in the transa
A ton Of business and that wheneve
|, upon call of the yeas and nays 1t
I peared from the journal, which Is u
9 only official record, that less than Il
l. constitutional quorum has voted on al
d proposition. the vote was a nullity al
n no further business could be done un
q the requisite number appeared and
n ted. Every presiding officer In the Sc
d ate and every Speaker Of the House Q
= cept the present one, has held that VIII
q less than quorum voted on call
the yeas and nays, no matter how ma
might be actually present, II was
duty TO take notice OF the fact and q
10 clare that the pending bill or mott
" had not passed."