Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-04-05
SATURDAY. ........APRIL 5, 1881
The Idaho Case.

We read with pleasure the announce
ment made in Yesterdays papers that the
Democrats of the House of Representa-
tiyes intend 10 test the constitutionaiity
of the rule recently adopted by that body
giving TO the Speaker the power to count
a quorum of his own-that is TO say, quo
rum made up of members present and
voting and members present and not
voting.
In his article in the NORTH American Re
p;e,o in regard 10 the Questionable rulings
Of the present Speaker OF the House OF he
representatives., Mr.. CARLISLE took the ground
that il the House could confer upon the
Speaker the power TO count as present the
members refusing 10 vote. that body could
confer that power upon its clerk. Inc
truth of this dictum was illustrated on
Thursday, according to the Washington
Posts report of the House proceedings oil
that day. The Post says that when the roll
was being called upon the Idaho admission
bill the reading clerks made memoranda
Of those Democrats present and not voting
and at the conclusion of the call the
Speaker ordered entered upon the journal
n sufficient number Of names of Democratic
members present to complete the quorum.
So here we have the matter presented IN
new light, and q bill passed upon the
strength of O count made, not by the
Speaker. not by the Clerk Of the House,
but by mere reading clerks If there is
doubt as to the power of the House TO con-
fer this counting power upon the Speaker,
who is at least member of the House,
surely no one will maintain that such
a power can be conferred upon mere as
sistant of the Clerk, which assistant can
hardly be properly considered an officer OF
the House at ALL If the Speaker can trans
fer this power to reading clerk, then he
can transfer it to one of the official ste
nographers, or to newspaper reporter, or
to any member of the House, or to any by
stander. Why not? 1t is not the Speakers
count? 1t was not count made by the
Clerk, il was not a count made by tellers,
who are always members of the House, but
q count made by persons who are response
bic TO nobody for a mistaken or false
count
The vote upon the Idaho admission bill
was 1873 to !, MIR. BUcKALEw voting in the
negative. This vote was SO short Of quo
rum; and these Sc missing votes were fur
nished by the reading clerks! Was there
ever such a stretch of power? The Speaker
holds, if any, delegated power to make
up a quorum by counting as present mem
bers refusing to vote; and this power he IN
turn delegates TO a subordinate, not of his
own. but subordinate official of the Clerk
of the House! If the Senate passes, as il
will pass, the bill thus brought into exist
ence by Cesarian operation Idaho Will
soon be State, and the reading clerks OF
the House will be entitled to the credit OF
that important operation.
There are many good lawyers in the
House Of Representatives, and we take 1t
for granted that they are of opinion
that they now have case which they can
prosecute TO a successful termination OF
decision. We cannot foresee how they
will proceed, but we assume that at any
rate they will so proceed as TO secure de-
cision under which the Democratic ma
iority in the next House of Representatives
will be able TO commend the poisoned
chalice to the lips of the Republican mi
nority. or else the Democratic minority il
the present House will beprotected IN theii
rights.