New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-02-03
IN DEFENCE OF HIS RULING.
AiR. REED ON THE PRACTICE AND THEORY
IF THE OLD WAY OF COUNTING
A QUORUM
THE SPEAKER SHOWS HOW Mr.. CARLISLE
WHEN SPEAKER, FURNISHED rREcEDENTs
FOR THE RULING NOW DENOUNCED
BY DEMOCRATS

BY DEMOCRATS
Washington, Feb. 2.-speaker Reed today made 10
representative OF the Associated Press the following
statment concerning the Republican position In the
present great controversy:
aMr. Carlisle was entirely right when he said in
substance that the decision of the House that quorum
was constituted to do business when majority OF the
House was present would change from the foundation
the method of doing business. 1t certainly VIII DO So
for will enable the majority elected by the people 70
rule BY their own votes, and not by the suferance
of the minority The rule Of the majority is at the
very base Of Government. II It be not the true
rule our faith is vain and we are yet in our sins
@Look at the practical working of the other doc
trne. The Republicans have majority OF seven'
but they have only three over quorum; l65 Is our
number 1875 is quorum. If we are TO furnish
Quorum the whole Democratic party sitting IDLY by Ill
their seats, but not present-dumb ana silent "hen
business is to be transacted but vocal when IL is 10 DC
Decentralization there be only three Republicans
absent on penalty of soppage of the public business
Now let us see how that works. We are allowed only
three absentees. Mr. Rockwell is sick; 1t would en-
danger his life to come. Mr.. Wilbur is in the same
case I. W. Browne Is too sick to be able 10 DC thero
all the time. Mr.. Caswelrs wife was Dying anu
common decency required his presence by her peo-
side. Another member must be with his WIG ior
reasons somewhat similar. Just about TINS humper
Of members will at all times be sick or incapacated
These NAV get we'll but others fall sick in their turn
There then is our quorum according TO Mr. Carlsles
idea gone entirely TO pieces though even aiter al
fraud be deducted the people had found for the Re
nnblicans by seven majority. All this
time. while we are keeping in the
Uouse oIrer men hardly less SICK l4o
rsty Democrats sit silent in their seats, doing no
pablo duty except TO draw their pay Is 1t possible
that the United States is paying those gentlemen S13
a day without even the poor privilege OF counting
their silent formsl
Mr. Carlisle says there is precedent for the
decision of the House. l have personally seen ana
heard him furnish hundred. hundred times nave
heard him declare that the number for and against
such bill was, say eighty for and twenty against
Mechanically less than a quorum-and yet declare
that bill passed, and then sign that bill, thereby
certifying under the most solemn sanction OF his oath
of Office that the bill had properly and consuutonay
passed the House. How could he have done TINS Ii
his doctrine be true that quorum must vote' under
stand me; day after day Mr. Carlisle in my presence
has declared that such bill had votes for and against
by his own count as Speaker, less than quorum and
has yet Immediately declared it passed, and has
signed t-thus furnishing the only proof the Presi-
dent could have that 1t was passed. How coud TINS
be, except the plain ground that, If quorum ala
not vote, the presence OF quorum was enough Ar
Carisle's State in Democratic tennessee, IN IN
Democratic New York in Democratic Oho on S'nSs sr
see by Mr.. Buttcrworth's speech, the doctrine 1ust
upheld by the House is the law OF the lahd- IL
Oicht 10 be- IL good government is not TO perish from
4he face of the earth. Not ruling has been maze
in the House to suppress hlbustering which has not
the full sanction OF parliamentary law That men
should resist only shows how inerained the wrong
course has become, and how necessary the Temcuy
What is the House trying to do! Why, TO perform us
highest function that Of deciding the right OF a mem
her to his seat. Until 1882 no man ever dared 10
fibuster against such case No man ought 10 Dc
allowed to do ID to-day. Yet every day three hours
arc-wasted in approving the journal, when five minutes
yvrrld he ample. These three hours helong to the
public business. The people do not understand Una.
every wanton rollcal consumes threequarters OF an
hour. NIL,
Some of these are talking about rules They
are now acting under body OF rules which the Amer
lean people use in their assemblies body OF ruies
we'll known and understood by all those VINO
ere not wilfuly ignorant When We first came mere,
the obstructOnsts declared that they would die IN
the last ditch against any rules they did not approve
Of and now they wanting TO die at Thermopylae In
defence of the liberties Of their country because we
don't force rues on them. II there could be fewer
deaths at ThermOpylae, and more business IN lhe
House. the country would be better on IL is true tnat
the Democratic leaders, like Mr.. Carlisle, have long
since ceased TO participate in the defiance OF good
government: but they should now make themselves
Mr. Carlisle said this evening that he was prepar-
ing an address giving an explanation of the Demo
cratic position and ii would probably be made public
TO morrow or Tuesday. Mr. Carlisle is not we'll, hay
ing taken cold some days ago, and it was not until
yesterday that he knew his colleagues desired him TO
prepare an address to the country.