The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-02-04
TIE FEDERAL CAPITAL.
Harrison's Unfortunate Administrations
Latest Washington y, VS. and Talk

Latest Washington NJ 'ws and Talk
WASHINGTON. February s.. special. r.
Amidst the genuine and heartfelt sympathy
that goes oft n SECRETARIES Blaine and
Tracy in theirgreat affection. 'iie fact is That
disasters have accompanied tie Harrison
administration from the outset. II WIS
ushercd in upon day Of irightnil weather.
ind at least half a dozen deaths were d.
rrctiy traced 10 exposure iO inclement
weather in doing duly ~ rrgneetion with
the inauguration. Secretary fr0ctCf's fam.
iy has suffered almost continually With
serious illness OF one or more members. The
death Of Walker Blaine and Mrs. C0ppinger,
the featfiil catastrophe at Secretary
/ Tffcr's Residence are some 0f the m0urniul
incidents that Have attended this admins
tration Ms HarrisOr's sister died. Mrs.
Blaine's sister died. ami 4 btoiher Of Secre-
tary Blaine died. 10 is also not % BE dis
puted that within the last eleven months, or
since the Harrison administration came In.
there have been more disasters involving loss
Of life gnd property by floods, iire, railroad
/ accidents, elc,, than at any previous period
OF tlie cOnntrf's history. 30 course nobody
charges The administration Nith response
bility, but the facts are Significant.
COLONEL o'FERRALL's MANLY SPEECH.
More than two hours were consumed in
dilatOry motions in the House to-day. and
when the Democrats had exhausted the
privileges accorded them by Reeds interpre-
/ talon Of parliamentary law, Colonel O'fer-
rail resuined his Argument Ia support of
Jacks0n's title 10 lis seat. Is he had been
denied the privilege Of reading uie testi-
mOny he presented "A summary Of its chief
features. he cited the evidence as 10 The
disputed votes showing clearly that Jackson
had a majority Of the hofcstly cast ballots.
/ lie also gave "a description Of the partisan
aud unfair action Of the Republican major.
ity OF the Elections Committee In rejecting
/ totes cast for Jackson upon the flimsiesi
pretexts. and Refusing 20 exclude votes east
for Smith which wefe lihqucsli0hablt shown
10 be illegal. Colonel O'ferraN. among
other instances. mentioned the case Of .
voter named Johnson. This man voted foi
smith. and his vote was counted and sus-
tlinod by the Republicans Of the Elections
Committee III the face Of the evidence
Of bis father who, Under oath, stated that
his SON went 10 Texas several yeafs ago. lie
returned 20 West Virginia on visit, and
was there on the day II the election. The
father testified that his son voted the Re-
publican ticket; that he returned 20 Texas
with the understanding that he would re-
turn 10 West Virginia at future period 10
iiafry. but that be is "A citizen Of Texas and
7
more money in that State than in West IT.
ginia.
I'm conclusion Colonel O'Ferrall charged
the Republicans with sacrificing right and
Justice 10 the dictates Of partisanship, that
there was "A reckless scheme concOcted a.
increase the Republican majority by depri-
wing Democrats Of their seats. lie declared
that ne would not sacrifice his convictions
OF duty TO party. that his record upon con.
tested election cases would prove that be mad
never been governed In contested eases by
party needs or demands. He knew the
edict had gone forth 20 unseat Jackson, but
he would return 10 plague some OF The
nien Who nUN deny him Justice. The people
Of JacksOns district Would right the wrong
/ 10y returning him with majority too large
] 10 admit Of question and possibly Jackson
would become the Judge in contested elec.
tiOn cases.
Colonel O'Ferrall eloquently warned the
Republicans that their rule. in the House
would bc brief. The people would pass
upon the actions Of the speaker and the Re
publican-, by retiring the latter from power.
A Republican member shouted that tht
/ Speaker was backed by a majority Of The
/ House,
NO. sir.' thunderCd Colonel O'Ferrall
''by a minority, just as the President Of the
I nlttN Nidlt. now llUltlH ulo nfdif ul'u a hii
nority vote Of the people,
This retOrt eicited shouts of applause
/ from the Democrats. Colonel OFerrall's
ueroration was eloquent and impressive
and he was applauded and congratulated.
QUORUM la REED.
Speaker Reed holds and announces that 1
/ now only requires 1865 members TO constl
tute "a quorum OF the House. as no successor
J. -. Itf. hlII
] By this holding Reed reduces the stress
now put upon his party. For nearly weel
past the Republicans have beer
,training every nerve % procure quorum
Their majority is 50 small that one N0t'
counts. Ex-SpeakerCtarlis differs niti
Reed. lie hold, that constitutions
quorum is "a majority of the whole member
Of the House, and cannot be affected or re-
ducpd by temporary changes. NOiWiih
standing Speaker Reeds decision, the ke
puhlicans are still striving 20 have and e
hold one hundred and siXty-siN party votes
lt is narrow margin they have 10 worl
upon. 10 keeps the Republicans IN "A cOnstan
/ state of suspense and anxiety. Ihey know
not what moment the NenOm0us grip ma,
seize upOn one or more of their members.
is because OF this fear that the Republican,
are crOwding the ,mith-JacksOn case 20 an
early conclusion. They have in the city o
Washington a quorum, and they are anxious
tO yet the disputed case settled, lest the IN
cidents Of daily and congressional life ma
cripple several more Republicans.
fBy United Press
THE SENATE.
Immediately after the reading Of tn
Journal. Mr.. Cameron announced the recen
aillictions m the families Of the secretary %
state and the Secretary Of the Navy. an
moved an adjournment which was unan
mously agreed 10 and the senate ADJOURNED
THE HOUSE.
The chaplain OF the House in his openin
7 PRAYER almded i'm pathetic language To th
afniction in the families OF Secretarie
Blaine and Tracy.
The fight in the ll0sse began anew today
b When the clerk had finished reading th
journal. Mr. Mckinley moved that th
journal be approved. Mr.. O'Ferrall. OF Vii
,inia. interpOsed before the motion was pu
10 the House. and asked 10 have a corre'
tion made in the journal. lie said that o
o saturday. when he sent some printed ma
ter to the desk 10 be read the speaker Ia
decided that. under the rules then ~ force
lis reading was not in order. Nj
O'Ferralrs reqnest that this decisiO
p he inserted In the journal. wa
: granted. Mr.. Mckinley's motion 70 approt
the Journal was then stated ana on IL VI
Carlisle demanded the yeas and nays. Sef'
: raj Democrats started 10 speak, ana IN
b called from Mr. Mckinley a statement thi
b N there was 20 be any debate he would d
E mand the previous question. There SCENE
10 he some difference Of opinion among N
3 Democrats about pressing tins point ~
finally the yeas and nays were ordered Q
fhe preyiOus question, and resulted e.
, l54. nays none. The Speaker counted IN u
4 names OF dozen Democrats present an
= NOT voting, and declared the previous que
lion. The Journal was declared approve
bv "A vote Of 15s 10 none, the speaker
claring "A quorum present.
The ~mith-JacksOn electi0ncase was tht
resumed. Dir. Bynum, Of Mary land, move
10 adjourn. which was rejected-yeas, IL
nays, ljl.
: Nr. Crisp raised the question OF cons'
grafton. The speaker declined 10 enterta
il. Mr.. Crisp appealed from this decisio
j and the sneaker declined TO entertain q
= anreal. Mr.. O'Ferrall. Of Virginia, W
D rt,,ognized, and resumed his argument
: he contested election case IN support OIL q
4 minority report.
= SMITH SEATED.
10 After number OF speeches the vote 7"
q taken on ordering the previous questit