The western sentinel., 1890-02-06
THE SITUATION CONGRESS.

A war OF words has been WaSed
in the House for nearly week now.
1t grew out of the unjust ruling
of Speaker Reed, who thinks no
method of defeating the Democratic
minority is wrong. He has persis-
tent1y disregarded all precedent and
all law, and has in every case arbi-
trarily ruled in favor of the Repub-
lican side. He has been sustained
in his crime against the Constitution
and the people by majority of the
Republican members, though few
and at least two members of the Cab
inet-Rusk and Blaine-pronounce
his rulings unjust and unconstitu-
tional.
Among those who sustain him in
his criminal partisanship is Mr..
Johnny Brewer, the gentleman who
has the honor to represent this dis
trict, and we should be glad if the
people of this district would hold in
dignation meetings and condemn his
action in language of severity.
Some of the Democrats are so an
cry that it is difficult to prevent a
general fight. One day last week
Col. Cowles, of Wilkesboro, would
have pulled Reed from the chair but
for the wise intervention of some of
nis friends.
Ex-Speaker Carlisle has issued an
address to the country ON the sub
ject, a resume of which we clip from
a Washington dispatch:
The address begins by stating that
"the present situation in the House
is SO anomalous and the unprecedent-
ed decisions of the speaker are so full of
danger to the integrity of future leg
islation that we (meaning the Demo
cratic members of the House) con-
Z
statement of the facts in order that
the propiety of the course we have
taken may be fully determined
After referring to the appointment
of the committee on rules by Speaker
Reed and its duties, the address
states that although nearly two
months have elapsed since the COM
mittee on rules was appointed, it has
made no report upon the matters re-
ferred to it, except a partial one
made on December 9th, authorizing
the speaker to appointment House
committees, and consequently the
House has been compelled to conduct
its business without any rule or sys-
tenn except the general parliamen-
tary law as construed by the speak
er. There has been no calendars, it
is stated, no order of business, no
fixed time to receive reports from
committees or for the consideration
regular methods whatever in the pro-
ceedings of the House. No measure
can get before the House for consid-
Grafton unless the speaker chooses to
allow it to be presented and members
have no means of knowing in ad-
vance what they are to be called up
on to discuss or decide. This is the
first time in our history that legis-
lative assembly, or even q public
meeting, has attempted to transact
business for any considerable period
without a regular code of rules pre-
scribing the order of its proceeding
and the Inconvenience and injustice
resulting from such an attempt have
been forcibly illustrated in the pre-
sent instance" The rulings of the
Speaker are referred to in vigorous
terms, and the address charges that,
sHe has subverted nearly every prin-
eiple of constitutional and parlia-
mentary law heretofore recognized in
the House The calling up of the
Smith Jackson contested election
case on January 20, and the unpre-
cedented rulings of the Speakerin in the
battle that followed are referred to
and discussed. We are not contend
ing for the right of the minority to
govern as the supporters of the
Speaker have endeavored to make
the country believe On the contrary
we are denying the right of a minor
ity to eject members from their seats
or to pass laws for the government
of the people. Under the constitu-
tion a majority OF the members
OF the House constitute a quorum
to do business, and we are simply
insisting that less than a major
ity shall not do business. 1--WE
are contending that the majori-
ty shall take the responsibility which
properly belongs to them and shall
come to the House of ofRepresentatives
and vote if they desire to control it's
proceedings, and we are protesting
against their right to carry their
measures by counting us when we do
not vote. No one can fOresee the evils
that may result from the Inaugural
tion of the practice of counting votes
not castin order to make a quorum.
Under it a minority of the members
elect to the House aud Senate may
pass the most tyrannicallawsf for the
oppression of the people, and the
most corrupt laws for the spoilation
of the public treasury. Whether so
intended or not its direct tendency is
to break down the barriers hereto
fore existing for the protection of it's
citizens against the encroachments
of power and the spoilation of the
treasury by destroying the limita-
lions which the Constitution has
~ imposed upon the legislative
department. Constitutions are made
to restrain majorities and protect
minorities. A majority ruling with
out limitations or restraints upon
it's power Is q pure despotism. and is