The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1890-02-13
TO THE COUNTRY.
THE DEMOCRATIC CASE STATED
BY MIR. CARLISLE.

| by MIX. CANLISLE.
Clc"r nnd Lo2icni Exposure of the Re.
pHblicon Conspiracy to increase thcf,
MnJnrity in the House by Unscuting DC.
mocrats.
| WASHINGTON, Feb, 3.-Mr. Car.
llblc has prepared for publication the
following statement Of tho present po-
Sltlon Oftho Democratic members OF
the House, which ID to be signod by all
Of them:
| The Manifesto.
Tho present situation in the House
OF Representatives is So anomalous,
and the unprecedented decisions of
the Speaker are SO full of dunger to the
integrity Of future legislation, that we
consider it our duty to submit brief
statement Of the facts in order that
the prcpriety Of the course we have
taken maybe fairly determined.
A RECITAL or WRONGS.
The House met on the % of Decem.
bor, 1889, and Immediately organized
by the election OF Il Speaker and other
officers. On the same day, by resOlu-
ton Of the House, the Speaker was
| authorized 10 appoint a committee on
rules, and the ruloS Of the last preced-
ing House were referred 20 that COM
mittec. The committee, consisting
Of the speaker himself, and fodr other
members, WAS appointed on December
D, and on the 9th it made q report
authorizing the Speak eli to appoint
oil nf hn ft<r,, Il e..
Jurisdiction. The committee on cleo
involving the rights Of members to
seats, WAS appointed on the 9th of
December.
Although nearly two months have
elapsed since the committee on rules
Was appointed, it has made no report
on the matters referred to it, except
the partial enc made on the 9th fDe-
cepIber, and consequently the House
has been compelled to conduct its
business without any rule or system
except general parliamentary law as
construed by the Speaker. There have
been no Calendars, no order Of buSi-
ness: no fixed time to receive reports
from committees or for the conSidera-
ton OF bills or resolutions, and in fact
no regular methods whatever in the
proceedings OF the House.
The American House Of Represen-
tativcs has been during all this time
ana still Is, SO far as rules for its gov
crnment arc concerned, in precisely
the same condition rs q popular meet
ing or political convention in which
the chairman and his partisans have
absolute control of all proceedings. No
measure can get before the House for
consideration unless the Speaker
chooses to allow it to be presented,
and members have no means of know
ing in advance what they are to be
called on to discuss or decide. This
is the first time in our history that a
Legislative assembly or even q public
meeting has attempted to transact
business for any considerable period
without regular code Of rules pre-
scribing the order Of it's proceedings,
aud the Inconvenience and injustice
resulting from such an attempt have
been forciD!y illustrated in the present
instance.
REEDS DICTATORSHIP.
The Speaker has repeatedly during
these extraordinary proceedings re-
fused to entertain parliamentary mo-
items that have been recognized as
legitimate over sinoe The Goverpmen
was established, and when attempts
have been made to appeal from his
decisions he has refused 10 submit the
question to the House. BY his ar
bitrary rulings, sustained in some in
stances by less than quorum, h3 has
subverted nearly every principle of
constitutional and parliamentary here
toiore recognized in the House.
The address then recitcs that upon a
contested election case being brought
up, the Democratic members raised
the question of consideration, and, on
the call Of the roll, rerrained from vot-
ing; that the Speaker, contrary to law
and established usage, counted
the members not voting, declared
quorum present and declale ed that the
House mad decided to take up the
case; that from this decision an ap-
perl was taken, and, on that question
the Speaker repeated his pre-
Vious unlawful procedure.
After reciting the constitutional
provisions involved, and recalling the
uniform practice of the House in the
past, the address contains warming
against any liberation Of such revolu-
tionary proceedings, and closes with
these words. "A majority ruling with
out limitations or restraints upom it's
power is pure depotism, and is incon-
sistent with our system Of govern
ment."