Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-02-09


do not want 70 adjournl II tho sug.
cestion should be made that great power u
here conferred the answer IL that - the ap.
proyal OF tho House Il the very breath i,
the nostrils Of tho Speaker, and a. nobody
on earth is 30 jealous Of its liberties and
so impatient OF control, we may 90 quite
take place, and, indeed, no interruption at
ali. until not only such q misuse OF the
proper motion is made clearly evident TO
Tho world. but also such action has taken
place on the part of the House as will az
sure the Speaker OF the support of body
whose wishes are his law. So that IN the
end il is the power exercised by the House
through ,ts properly CONSTITUTED 9mceti
Considering the question providing that
a hundred members shall constitute q
quorum in Committee OF Whole. the report
saws: r..
snany wears mast. since the Thirtieth Con-
cress. as the business OF Congress has
steadily increased numerous propositions
have been introduced in the House by
members of long service looking TO the re-
duction of the number necessary for Q
ouorum in Committee of tho Whole. but
the ISSUE has never been presented 10 the
House, owing to the fact that until re-
Gently it has never been confronted Win
the question of the want OF constitu--
tional quorum, through the refusal OF
members present in the House to vote
when their names were called IN ,ne
House or by division IN CommitIee
of the Whole, thus breaking the
ouornm. II has never been made o
political question, ard rever should be. u
goes directly to the bottom OF the ques-
tion OF transacting business in COMMITTEES
OF the Whole. The Committee OF the
Whole. like standing or select commit
tee. has merely advisory powers and luris-
diction. It's action concludes nothing,
and must DO reported to tho House. when
approves or rejects as IT pieases, Inc Same
principle is true with respect to the quo
rum of the standing and select committees.
The House has never adopted RUE on
this subject. and il has been the common
practice for such committee, In arranging
liz DAYS of meeting. the order of business,
&c. 10 fix the number of its quorum,
which is less than the majority OF its whole
number. SO far, therefore, as the constl-
tutional or legal question is concerned, IL
has never been denied or ques.'o1Teu
that 10 was entirely competent lot
the House TO select any number IL
might please as O quorum Oh the
COMMITTEES of the Whole. The only question
involved is one purely of legislative expedi-
encv and propriety. Thereason that the Is
sue has never heretofore been presented is
due entirely to the fact that until recent
wears the members have not sat IN tner seats
in the House and refused to vote when their
names were called. The House Tor con-
venience commits temporarily Its Jurlsdlc-
tion TO standing and select committees.
IL never parts with or permanently sur,
renders it, That jurisdiction so committed
Is returned to the House with bill or pro-
position. and it is again referred by the
House for convenience to the Committee
of the Whole. That the action OF that
committee is purely preliminary ana al
visory is demonstrated by the TACT that no
proposition. pending be lala upon the
table; that the previous question cannon De
ordered thereon; that the motion to re-
consider cannot be made; that the yeas
and nays cannot be taken. and finally that
IL cannot adjourn. The action OF the Com
mittee of the Whole being, therefore.
purely advisory and concluding nothing, II
is clear that this provision cannot De IN
contIavention of the Constitution, whlch
is silent on the subject and is in harmony
with the well-recognized principles and
practice of English Parliament. the orlgi,,
nal source of our parliamentary rnles ana
practice. and of the modern constitutional
governments.
mittee has thus gone over briefly the proposed
~
in GOOD faith IL will at once enable the House 10
have due control over It's business. ana az inc
same time provide those safeguards OF del'Dera-
ton and debate which will enable the Houee 70
act wisGly. 49,. ~
The minority report. signed by Messrs Car
Isle and Randall. reviews the proposed code
and criticises many OF its features. me nrst
change antagonized Is that 10 huie n" -. VI
this subject the minority says.
Hinder clause OF Rule XIV. no Dill on inc
House calendar can be reached for consiuera-
ton unless called up by the committee that re-
ported IL, and under clause OF the same RUE no
Individual mem Der can make an original motion |
for the purpose Of considering any particular
bill in Committee OF the Whole on the State OF |
the Union When' however, mGoa =, mas pge
Committee OF the Whole on the state OF the |
Unlon TO consider a particular BILL sny indi-
yiduel member may move 10 amend IL py ueslg-
mating another bill
Tbis ia the extent OF his right under the pro- |
posed rule, and it is evident that he Will be |
placed at great disadvantage We are unable |
to discover any sunicieut reason ior .h.s us
elimination against members who may not be
forum ate enough 10 secure the co-operauon OF |
the committees in making their motion III the |
majority vote is sufficient 70 suspend tne iuIvs
ana o x the day for the consideration OF bill |
when motion is made by direction OF COM
mitiee. certainly the same vote ought 10 Dc SUIT |
fcient when made by an irdlvldual MEMBER |
upon his responsibility aud In behalf OF MS con-
stituents. 49,, m,
The only reasonable explanation for this dis
elimination Is that 1t Is the policy or the pro- |
posed rules TO suppress the individual member |
OF the House "a far as possible AMI increase the |
mowers OF committees. In fact under tho pro |
posed rules tae individual member VIII ecaIceiy |
have the power TO make motion OF any kiho
except whom he acts as q representative OF |
committee and by its directions. RE Will neither |
bill nor make report except by
delivering II TO the Clerk or Speaker, and II MS
bill should DO erroneousiy referred ne cannot
himself move TO correct unless No zoos 30
within three DAYS after its reference.
Relative TO the change in the rules goyernin; |
the Committee OF the Whole the minority saysg
Ii has always been 80 universally conceded
that tho Comrnittee OF the Whole House was SIM
ply the House itself that 1t has never been con-
sidered necessary 10 presrriDe III inc rules "na'
mum Ter of members should DO necessary 10 con-
stitute quorum In such committed The Con-
stitution requires a majority OF all members
elect TO constitute q quorum TO do business In
the House, and without any rule on the subject
the same number has been recognized as neces-
sary ia the Committee OF the Whole, aud when-
ever IL found itself with less than that NUMBER |
present and voting IL has been compelled 10 sus-
pend Its proceedings.
number necessary to constitute quorum 1t Is
also proposed by the modification OF the OLD rule
{XXlll TO confer upon the Committees OF no
Whole power 10 close all debate on any section |
or paragraph Of the bill under consideration. |
such power has never been heretofore given 10 |
the committees. but has always been exercised
by the House, and in our OPINION !. WIN De IN
wise TO make a change In this respect, especially
IL 100 members are to constitute quorum in |
committee. In pursuance OF this Sans ohcy OF |
reancing the number Of representatives 10 pass |
laws and transact other business II is proposed |
by the maior1y TO insert the following clause in |
Rule XIV:
"sectiou q On the demand OF any member or |
at the suggestion of the Speaker before the Sc
cond roll. call Is entered upon the names OF the |
members sufficient 70 make aquorum) In the
hall OF The House who do not vote shall be noted |
by the Clerk and recorded 10 the Journal aud
reported 10 the Speaker with the names OK the