Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-02-03
Invisible for Business, Vocal for obstruc-
ton, Democracy.

Invisible for Business, Vocal for Obstruc-
ton, Democracy.
WASHINGTON, February ID. = Speaker
Reed to-day made to representative OF the
Associated Press the following statement
concerning the Republican position in the
present controversy:
stMr. Carlisle was entirely right when he
said in substance that the decision of the
House that a quorum was constituted to
do business when majority of the House
was present, would change from the very
foundation the method of doing business.
ut certainly will do so, for it will enable
the majority elected by the people TO rule
by their own votes, and not by the
suffrance of the minority. The rule of the
majority is at the very base of our govern
ment. If it be not true rule, our faith is
vain and we are yet in our sins. Look et
the practical working of the other doctrine.
The Republicans have majority of seven,
but they have only three over a quorum.
One hundred and lightweight is our num-
Der and lS5 is a quorum, If we are to
furnish quorum. The whole Democratic
party is silent when business is to be
transacted, but vocal when it is to be OBJ
strueted. Then there can be but three Re-
publicans absent on penalty Of the stop
page of public business.
Now let US see how that works. We
are allowed but three absentees. Rockwell
is sick It would endanger his life to come.
WILDER is in the same fix. T. w. Browne
is too sick to be able to be there all the
time. Ceswell's wife was dying. Another
member must be with his wife for reasons
somewhat similar. Just about this number
of members will at all times be sick or in
capacitated. These may get well but others
will fall sick in their turn. There is then
no quorum. According to Carlisle's idea
it was gone entirely, gone to pieces though
even after all the fraud is to be deducted
the people had found for the Republicans
by majority.
SIS it possible that the United States is
paying these gentlemen S13 day without
even the poor privilege of counting their
silent forms? Mr.. Carlisle says there is no
precedent for the decision of the House.
have personally seen and heard him furnish
a hundred.
"a hundred times have heard him de-
clare that the number for aud against such
q bill Was, say, eighty for and twenty
against, mathematically less than quo
rum, and yet declare the bill passed, and
sign the bill, thereby certifying under the
most solemn sanction of his oath of office
that the bill had properly and constitu-
tionally passed the House.
How could he do this if his doctrine be
true that a quorum must vote? Under
stand me. Day after day Carlisle, in nay
presence, has declared such a BILL the
votes for and against, by his own count as
Speaker, less than a quorum, aud yet i'm
medistely declared it passed. and has signed
it, this furnishing the only proof the
President could have that it passed, How
could this be, except on the plain ground
if the quorum did not vote the presence OF
the quorum was enough.
But this matter does not need any argu.
ment in Carlisle's own State in Democratic
Tennessee, in Democratic New York, in
Democratic Ohio, in Massachusetts and in
the Courts everywhere, as you may see by
ButterTorths speech.
THE doctrine Just upheld by the House
is the law of the land, and it ought to be-
If good government is not to perish from
the face of the earth then is it not time 8
ruling should be made in the House to sup
press fiibustering, which has not the full
sanction Of parliamentary law? That men
should resist, only shows how ingrained 8
wrong course has become and how neces.
s5ry remedy.
what is the House trying to do? Why.
to perform its highest func,ions-that OF
deciding the right Of a member to his seat
Until 1882 no man ever dared to flibRstel
against such case. NO man ought to be
allowed to do it to-day. Yet every day
three hours are wasted in approving the
journal. when five minutes would be am.
pie. These three hours belong to the pub.
lie business. People do not understand
that every wanton roll-call consumes three.
quarters of an hour.
when we first came here the obstruc-
tionisis declared they would die in the las
ditch fighting against my rules, which they
did not approve of and now they are want
ing to die at Thermopyle in defense of tho
liberties of their country because we don't
force rules on them, If there could BE-
more deaths at Thermopyl@ and more bus.
mess in the House the country would be
better off.
TT is true that Democrats like Mr.. Car.
Isle have long since ceased to participate
in the defiance of good government, bu
they should now make themselves heard
afirmahyely on the side of order.n