The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-02-04
At the Good Natured Funny Man Of the
Minority.
Who Pitched Into Recent Rulings and
Alluded TO Springer.
Democrats Used Up Time With Their
Accustomed Methods,
But Stmething Had Been Done When
the House Adjourned.
A Republican Quorum Settled the Wes
Virginia Case,
And the Man Who Was Elected Now
nas His Seat.

today, the journal having been read in ex-
tension at the demand OF the Democrats, Mr..
O'Ferrall of Virginia and Mr.. Mckinley Of
Ohio were upon their feet. the former with
motion to correct the journal, and the latter
with motion to approve that document.
Speaker Reed recognized Mr.. Mckinley,
but subsequently on Mr.. O'Ferrall's state
ment that he was acting in good faith, he
recognized that member, who stated that the
journal contained no reference to the fact
that the Speaker on Saturday last would mot
allow him to read the evidence in an electi IN
case as part Of his remarks.
The Speaker said that it was not exactly
In the form of ruling but the journal would
be amended to show the fact
Mr.. Mckinley then demanded the previous
question on his motion to approve the jour-
nal. The vote resulted, yeas 154, nays none,
and the Speaker. following his precedent of
ordering entered upon the Journal the names
of dozen Democrats present and not voting,
declared the previous question ordered. On
the motion to approve the journal the same
practice prevailed. the Democrats refraining
from voting, the Speaker declaring quorum
present and the motion being carried-yeas
158 nays none.
Although Mr.. O'Ferrall Of Virginia did
not rise to claim the floor. the Speaker de-
clared him recognized to proceed to dis
cussion of the election case.
Mr.. Crisp of Georgia said if the Speaker
himself declared the election case taken up,
he would raise question of consideration.
The Speaker said it had been the under
standing Saturday night that the gentleman
from Virginia had the floor.
Mr.. Crisp disputed the statement, saying
that while there was an understanding as to
what the length of debate should be, there
was no understanding as to when it should
be considered.
Mr.. Bynum of Indiana:then moved to ad-
journ.
The motion was lost-yeas, 40; nays, 157.
The Speaker declared the question to be on
tie cSntsstsd eIsctiaa- sase and the usual
formalities were INDUCED in.
Mr.. Crisp-"I raise the question of con-
sideration."
The Speaker THE Chair declines to en-
tertain the question"
Mr.. Crisp-"Then / appeal"
The Speaker-"The Chair declines to en-
tertain the appeal"
THESE FQRMALITIEs BEING DISPOSED OF
Mr.. O'Ferrall of Virginia, was recognized to
continue his argument in support of the
claims Of the contestee in the Smith Jackson
election case. After arguing the case, Mr..
OFerarll made an allusion to the state of
affairs with which the house found itself
confronted. He did not believe, he said, the
time had yet come when the American
anfa tfn
whether welded by the President of the
United States or by the Speaker of the
House of Representatives of the United
States. The time had not come when the
people would submit all their interest, not
to the. hands of a congress of representa-
tives, but into the hands OF one man, whose
eye directed the journal, whose will con-
stituted the congress and controlled
legislation, and whose gavel made man
supposed to be representative, silent and
dumb, where 1t was the sweet will of the
one man that he should not be heard. Auto
Gratis could never live In this land Let the
voice OF .autoeratic power sound through
these halls and command those who must
obey it, but for him and his people he pro.
tested against the cruel, wicked and un :on-
stitutional violation of the rights of the mi
nority. Let 1t GO out. Let all give ear TO
the declaration that necessity, the tyrant's
plea, was offered as the only excuse for this
unseemly, unprecedented and unconstitu-
tional proceeding of him, VINO for brief
season would preside over the deliberations
Of this body. He said "brief seas ln," forss
sure as sense and judgment still dwelt in the
breasts Of the American people, as sure as
the citizens of this land were still jealous Of
their rights and looked with alarm on the
slightest encroachment upon them, just so
to power in the 52nd Congress as that there
would be no usurper. autocrat or dictator.
occupying the Speakers chair. Applause
on the Democratic side.]
Mr.. Greenhalge of Massachusetts said
that after the diatribe of the gentleman
from Virginia, it might be well to consider
the question before the House, involving the
right of member to his seat He proceed
ed to present the claim of the contestant
and in conclusion said that if the oice of
the people
WAS THE VOICE OF GOD
then the voice of God gave to the contestant
from the fourth district of West Virginia
his rightful place in the House. IApplause
on the Republican sidel.
Mr.. Cultivate of Ohio, after arguing in
support of the contestee. defended the
Democratic party in attempting to postpone
consideration of the case, and argued that 1t
was perfectly proper for 1t to seek protec-
tion under code of rules In reply to the
invitation of the other side to leave the hall
II they did not wish to be counted, he said
the Democrats were here, representing
a majority of the people OF this country;
they would do their duty, and insist that
business should be done only under code OF
rules. He then turned his attention to the
merits OF the election case, taking up the
establish the fact that they were properly
for jackson. In conclusion, he said that 1t
would not do for the Republicans to try to
take advantage of the disturbed state of af-
fairs in West Virginia, to seat representa-
tive wrongly. They could not get possession
of the State and the lmoney of the Republi-
can campaign committee had done much to
ruin the party there.
Mr.. Lacey Of Iowa advocated the claims Of
the contestant, and Mr.. Mason of Texas those
Of the contestee.
Mr.. Wilson of West Virginia made an en-
| tirely good hnmored speech In criticism of
| the recent rulings of the Speaker, which
| ELECTED great applause and laughter. as we'll
| from his political enemies as from his polti-
| cal friends. The Speaker could not himself
| repress an occasional smile. Mr.. Wilson
| ridlculed the expressions made by the
members on the other side of the House in re-
gari to their conversion from the belief that
( methods OF hllibnstering were admissible by
the minority. The tyranny of the majority,
ne said. was more dangerous than the
| tyranny OF an individual. The constitution
was full OF checks upon the power Of the
a1Ory ahou shalt nOs% was used S more
Speaker entered the chair, he [Mr. wilson,
had noped that he would make
| GREAT AND HONORABLE SPEAKER
and leave great name behind him. In MS
fatal blindness, he had supposed chastity
was no more the virtue of woman than that
impartiality was the virtue of the Speaker.
Laughter and applause on the Democratic
side.l Whatever graces she possessed, what
| ever accomplishments she might be endowed
| with lacking that she fel from the estima-
tion of men. He had supposed that the