The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-01-30

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of the House from the beginning of the roll
call to the end of it. AT this time there was
another great tumult and uproar. Mr.. Kerr
aud Others desiring to put so ne questions
to Mr. Crisp, but the speaker soon sue
ceeded in restoring comparative order.
GARFIELD AGAIN QUOTED
Mr.. Crisp said that Mr.. Outh waite's state
ment showed the force and power of Mr..
Garfiald's argument, and he went on to
quote another remark of Mr.. Gartield's in
the same discussion that the speakers count
of the House under the existing rules could
always be controlled by count by tellers.
owe have lived,n said Mr. Crisp, Through
a great civil war, when there was excite
ment al most unparalleled in the history Of
parliamentary action. yet during all those
years no man on this floor, no party, has
ever before thought it necessary to intro
duce a rule which would give the power
of declaring the presence of members
by the single voice Of one person. lApplause
on the democratic side In common with
every member on his side, he demanded that
there should be public exhibition of the
question, and public record of the vote; !;
that there should be tellers. if demanded; I;
that there should be yeas and nays, if de-
manded; and at the yeas aud nays should
determine how each me ubar of the House
voted" He quoted Shakespeare's line
"Like a scurvy politician pretending to see
things he does not" Such politicians, he
said, might come here on either side and
declare that they saw either with, or with
out glass eyes. [Applause.l
RESULT OF HILLS DECISION.
MIR. Crisp was asked from the republican
side what had been the result of the de-
cision ia New York referred TO by the
speaker
The question was answered by Mr.
Springer to the effect that the action Of
Gov. Hill on that occasion had been de-
nOunced by all the democrats Of the New
York legislature as revolutionary.
Mr.. Crisp was proceeding to read the
press report of the last republican caucus,
but was Immediately called to order by Mr..
Kerr, and the objection was sustained by
the speaker.
Mr.. Crisp-I will state with perfect frank-
ness and candor that do not myself believe
that what l was about to read would throw
any light on the question as TO whether the
appeal should be sustained or not, but do
allege that it would throw a calcium light
on the question of the purpose Of the
majority, and that it would go far or
wholly to justify the minority in resisting
by any method rather than allow an unfair
aud Just ecision of the speaker. IDem-
ocratic applausel But | shall not violate
any rule of debate or decorum as suggested
by the speaker.
Mr.. Crisp went on to say: 81 thank you
for the attention given TO my remarks. |
have been in earnest. 1t occurred to me
that, under stress Of circumstances and
considering yourselves to be in desperate
straits, You were about to violate the pre-
cedents of 100 years, that you were about
to take from us that which many of
your distinguished statesmen have
said was high constitutional privilege
desired to present to you decisions which
have been made on that point. l desired to
call your attention to arguments made on
this hocr. / desired to remind you that
our failure to vote is only temporarily
thwarting your purpose, if you have a
majority in the house. desired to appeal
to you, not for the purpose of accomplish
ing this mere temporary object ito defeat
the precedents of the past but not to do
that which you must feel as a doubtful act
under the constitution.
81 cannot but fee, ;" said Mr.. Crisp, "that
there is some doubt of the constitutional
right OF the speaker to pursue the course
which he has marked out for himself. You
are in no way bound to enter on that
desperate career, AMI | desired to appeal
to you as fair-minded men, as
men regardful Of your obligations
to protect the constitution, as men who
really believe in fair play and justice, to
hesitate long before you iadorse this
revolutionary and unconstitutional ruiz ig
Having done this to the best of my humble
ability, having maintained the position |
assumed, l leave the case with thel House,
confident in the assurance that there are at
least some honorable members who can
rise above partisan prejudices; who
can respect, and will respect
the ancient usage and customs of the House,
who will respect the opinions of the fathers,
and will be regardful of that institution
whose sacredness we all acknowledge and
in which alone are vested the righ of the
American people, Loud cheers from the
galleries and general hand-clapping of the
democratic members greeted MIR. Cisps
peroration. There was complete quietness
and apathy on the republican side.
CANNON REPLIES.
Mr.. Cannon replied, that whatever might
have been said bearing upon the question
by this great man, by that great man, was
only entitled to respectful consideration.
After all, the question was to be decided
here aud now, in the light Of their own
Judgment at the close Of the nineteenth
century. His observation had been, that,
as the years rolled round and as times
changed, new remedies and reason
able remedies had to be found, un-
der the constitution, for difficulties
and evils that had been tolerated for
years-if these remedies did not violate the
letter or spirit Of the constitution. =
As they disagreed they should consult the
constitution, for, after all, in the constitu-
ton they had mode of ascertaining what
quorum was, and if by the constitution
there was a quorum present to-day, the
country would susta IL the House Of Repre-
sentatives in going on aud legislating
[Applause on the republican side.] The
constitution provided as follows: "Each
house shall te the judge OF the election re-
turns and qualifications of its own members,
aud a m jority of each house shall consti-
tute a quorum to do business" Did the
constitution say that the majority should
be required to vote for measure, mo ion
or resolution in order to pass ia Not at all
IL merely said that a maj )rity Of each
house should constitute quorum to do
business
DEMOCRATIC ARGUMENTS RECALLED.
He mad no recollection during his service
in the House Of such question bel raised
and decided, and the decision appealed
from, but able democratic members, Ran
dolph Tucker Of Virginia and others, had
taken the position in debate III the Forty
sixth congress which the speaker took to-
day. His colleague (Mr. SpringeD had
argued in the same line. Mr.. Cannon laid
down the proposition, in conclusion, that by
gene al parliamentary law and under the
constitution, when a quorum is present, and
when that fact is ascertaiped, and when
there is a majority voting in favor Of a
measure, that measure is adopted whether
be it motion. resolution, or law He be-