Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1890-01-30
REPRESENTATIVES RAVE
The West Virginia Election
Case Causes a Row.
nECONsTRuCTION DAYS RECALLED
Cries OF "Czar'' and Rebel Yell" on the
Floor OF the House--The New Republic
OF Brazil Formally Recognized by the
United states.

Floor OF the House-The New Republic
OF Brazil Formally Recognized by the
United states.
WASHINGTON. Jan. 90.-Tho widest and
most tumultuous scone since reconstruction
times was enacted in the house over the
motion 10 take up the Snth-Jacxson West
Virginia election case. After the house had
passed a bill relieving the political disabili-
ties Of ID. @. Smith, Of Texas. Mr.. Dalzell,
Of Pennsylvania, called up the West vir-
ginia contested election case Mr. Crisp, OF
Georgia, raised the question OF considera-
tion, and filibustering at once began. On
this the Democrats generally refused TO
vote. While the roll was being called,
Speaker Reed noted the nam OF those pres
ent and not voting. When the vote was
announced it was found that lGl votes were
in the affirmative and in the negative.
Speaker Reeds Ruse.
Mr.. Crisp at once raised the point OF mo
quorum" and Speaker Reed directed the
clerk to record the names, list Of which he
had kept, of members not voting but pres
emit A loud shout Of approval was raised
on the Republican side Then as the names
OF the Democrats were read by the speaker
members got up in their places and pro
tested against their names being recorded
against their will
Cries of "Csar'' and "Rebel Yell."
Mr.. Breckenridge, OF Kentucky, when his
name was called, took the floor and de-
nounced the action OF the speaker as "revc-
lutionnry.n With this the Democrats stood
up and cheered him, or shouted their pro-
tests by cries of "czar,n which the Rspubli-
cans characterized as the rebel yelln The
scene at this moment on tho floor OF the
house was one Of tumult and riot When
quiet was partially restored, Speaker Reed
said he was simply announcing a fact, not
voting for members
Governor HlII's Action a Precedent
Subsequently he made long statement in
justification of his course, quoting preee-
dents TO maintain the correctnessof his posi-
tion and citing the action Of Governor Hill,
Of New York, while presiding officer OF the
New York state senate, in deciding that
three-hfths Of the members present were a
quorum-although some Of them retrained
from voting-as precisely similar TO his de-
cision. Another process, be said, which
every old member would recognize where
Nv the opinion Of the chair is accepted as
incontestible evidence of the recognition of
the right 20 record members present as con-
stituting part Of a quorum who did not
/ vote, was seen IN the every day occurrence
at certain stages Of the sessions Of the house
| when votes were announced BY the chair
I contutnins obviously and emphntically nC
quorum. Yet If the point was not made iii,
bill was always declared passed. and that
could only be ON very distinct basis. anC
that was that everybody present silently
agreed TO the fact that there was a quorum
MIR. Reeds Words Used Against Himself
Mr. Crisp appealed from the decision OF
the chair, and quoted from Speaker Blaine's
ruling on the force bill TO the effect that the
speaker had not the power to count a
| quorum, and declared that Speaker Reeds
decision just made would be the foundation
Of the greatest legislative fraud ever com.
mitted. He quoted from remarks of Mr..
Reed in former years, while on the floor OF
the house. in which he used these words:
1.-THE constitutional idea of a quorum Is
not the physical presence Of a majority Of
the members Of the house, but a majority OF
the members present and participating in the
business Of the house,
~ appeal Mr.. Crisp exclaimed, "from
Philip drunk to Philip sober.n
Mr.. Cannon, of Illinois, said the constitu.
ton decided the question at issue, and said
plainly; "Ihe majority Of each house shall
constitute a quorum to do business but il
did not say that a majority should be re
quired to vote for measure, a motion OF
resolution in order TO pass il.
MIR. Carlisle Takes the Floor.
Mr.. Carlisle, Of Kentucky, said this decis
ion was not a question Of parliamentary
- a.. a n.
had ever before decided that less than d
quorum could pass any bill OF vote in the
house. II the ruling was correct, there was
no necessity for any provision Of the consti
tuition defining what less than a quorum
could do. A majority constituted quorum
''to do business" F" but those words were moi
in the constitution Of the state of New York
upon which Lieutenant Governor Hill's de
cision had been based.
Mr.. Mckinley took the floor but yielded
10 a motion to adjourn, which was carrieC
without division The matter will come ~
again today, probably on the question O
approving yesterdays journal.
Pennsylvania's "Border Claim"
A commission appointed by the Pennsyl
vania state legislature appeared before tn
house committee on war claims in supper
Of the claim involving about 1000, 900 an,
commonly known as the 'border claim
The commission was composed Of Governo
Beaver, State Senators Penrose, Boyer
Williamson and Martin and Representative
H. Hail, Thomas II. Capp, Benjamin NJ
Mead and Attorney General Kirkpatrick
Governor Beaver and Attorney Genera
Kirkpatrick addressed the committee Il
support Of the claim.
In the Sonata.