Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-02-06
WILMINGTON. THURSDAY. FEB. O
The Usurpat,on of Reed.

Eetainers, among whom the historian says |
were "divers officers Of the late army of |
the North and other desperate rutians."
Leaving this army of intimidators in the |
lobby, where, through the open door,
members OF the house could see "ths
savage and menaoin8 forms of the des-
peradoes and offioers, armed to the teeth
with swords and pistols-many Of them
having left their cloaks in the hall for
greater freedom In the oxpsoted fray"
Charles strobe forward alone TO the
speakers chair and there announced that
he had come in person to arrest for high
treason five members whom the house
dad the day before declined to surrender
to his agent. Turning to the speaker the
king demanded: "Are any of these per-
sons in the house2 Do you see any Of
thsm2 Whore are they?n
II took nerve In that day to answer 90
Speaker Lenthall did: MAY it please
your majesty, l have neither eyes to see
nor tongue to speak in this place, but IS
this house is pleased to direct me, whose
servant am here" The bsflled monarch
strobe out again and called of his dogs.
It was 233 years later, in 1876, that
Speaker Blaine, in the midst Of the most
vehemently partisan struggle over tho
"Foroe bill" said:
1.-THE moment you olothe your Speaker
+; With power 10 90 behind your roll cill
and assume that there is quorum in
the hall, why, gentlemen, you stand on
the very brink of a volcano"
The possibility of a Speaker Of the
House assuming of his own motion to go
behind roll call and manutaoturs
quorums evidently had not evon bssn
thought of by Speaker Biain0. II Wss
usurpation too preposterous to be con-
templsted for moment. pae most that
did occur TO him was that the House
might clothe its Speaker Its servant, not
Its master-with power suoh as no one
man should be allowed to WELD, and
against that possibility he warned his
fellow memberships moment you do
this you stand on the very brink OF e
volcano.
II was left to Speaker Reed TO brush
aside all parliamentary Law, written or
unwritten, and to arroglte to himself this
authority OF dictstor--to say II Am the
House." But in his very first attempt 10
explain upon what meat doth this, our
Cesar, feed that he hath grown SO great"
the autoerst out the ground from under
his own fest. This was in his argument
that much legislation has been done in
every Congress by less thea quorum.
OF course-nobody disputed that-bu!
haw? By universal consent and withou.
roll call. Unless some member Oh.
jeoted and demanded the ayes and noes q
quorum was assumed, by unanimous con-
sent, to be present and participating.
The momont the coll of the roll showed
lsss than quorum-not merely in al,
tendance bat answering to their names
the transaction Of further business wa,
perforoe suspended until the designated
oticials hunted up and brought in al
sentees enough to start things MOVING
again. Such Inns been the un7aryiul
mode, crystallized, as the Fhlladelphi
Ledger said yesterday, by the prae.ioa o
over century in our national logisla
ture. That member could be- compelled
against his will, to participate In the pro
ceedIngs, even though he were physi
cally present, ia an innovation OF spsake
Reeds own, in which he has strsngol,
been backed up Dy all the Repubiiuai
members, excepting perhaps four. /
Jan only be said, not by way OF justtfoQ
ton, but merely by way Of explanation
that 1t is consistent in degree with tn
spirit-the "regnl cupiditate inducsin G
C@ssr-.hat permeated the Republican
OF 1876. Then they stole q president
now they are stealing congress.
The spologists for Speaker Reed talk
''publio businsss' suffering through Ii
iEaotion OF flibustering minority
What public business None is beiu
attempted, none is even being conteu
plated SO FAR as the proceedings OF tt
last few days show; it is partisan" Mt
public" business that Reed aud his COL
feisrates are trying to put through; ii
bouncing Of representatives Gent there /
voters aud the filing OF thsir places viii
men whom they, in their superior wi
dom, assume the voters ought
have sent. 1t will be- notice
from yesterdays reports that, Wit
all their bulldozing and usurpatiol
they did not finally succeed in consul
mating their scheme on tho first OF the
contested election cases until they ms
aged at last to secure quorum 81 Il
publiosus. Then, OF course, they scat,
their man by a straight party yots-eya
one of the Republican members ufe5c
falling in and voting 10 unsoAt jaCksi
and to seat pith-not upon the mer
OF the contest, rot because smi. h h
been sent there by his constituents-h
beosr7s Smith would add one to tn,
slender majority and help them in ,utu
10 hold the rsins Of power without
q1iring Reed 10 go on monufaoturi
qdoruns. The Democrats have mads
GOOD fight and they have cErri
their point, since they have after
compelled their opponents to brig
gether quorum OF their own
take all the responsibility for their a
achievement ia partisan Legislation. L
Republicans have nov, by showing Il
they can produce q quorum Of theis o.
chopped themselves from pleading eI
the right u revolution es iu7tiG
ton Of one man rule By keeping Il
quurum in attendance, - 1nsirg o refl