Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-10-09

speaker of the evening,
HON. W. O p. BRRCKIERIDaE
of Kentucky, whose reception was one
OF the most oordiai and enthusiastic ever
given to political speaker iii this city.
The applause was simply terrific, aud
continued without interruption for fully
two inmates. When it ceased, Mr..
Breckinridge, forming mont attractive
and conspicuous figure with his silvery
hair and snow-white beard, advanced to
the front OF the stage and started upon
one of the most eifsotivs and eloquent
political addresses ever heard in Will
mineton.
thank you my fellow-oountrymen of
Dslawase he said, for your very cordial
reception and for the kind references OF
your chairman TO my Efforts to preserve
in the houses OF Congress the honored
parliamentary usagas and the free inatitu
tions that have prevailed unquestioned
until the beginning Of the sepond century
of our national ex,stence. This second
century began with tue Fifty-fsst Con
gross. The Democratic marty in the last
campaign, had q magnificent national
issIe, which was raised by Grover Oleye
land when lie advanced tho great prin.
ciple that Congress- had no right to take
the fruits OF the toll and sweat OF the
humble citizen and give it without his
option to any favored class OF men.
After besutiful apUstrophy to the
character OF Washington Gnd the govern
mont he ESTABLISHED, tho speaker said ths
best consammation OF that government,
after the hundred years OF ItI existence,
was the honest, average American citi-
zen. And of that cit zapship Grover
Cleveland was noble exponant. Ap-
plsuss. He demonstrated for four yesra
taat ths Democratic party knew how to
rule this couatfy, because her great aves-
age citiz9n ruled with honegty, iutelli-
genco snd Il isiity. ThrouRh the mist
tune OF his defeat two years ago, bus not
by the votss OF a maj Of tia
Amelican people, the Repuoitoan party
was once moro placed in coupjeta con
troll OF the three great departments
of the national government. The
Republican Congress has at last sd.
jonrnsd and we know now what princi-
pies will Gontrol the legislation OF the
country and what viii be tha result il
that party is kept IL power. /. came into
authority after f5u; years o; defeat, was
entrusted with tine coutrol of every
bAAAoh W tno HOFoEhinollt, anu dN Ouch
began laying lhe foundation for the
maIatensnce OF its political power for an
inhehnits time to come. There was
everything existed to induce an a1nlin!s-
tration that would he model and ut
tract the love aud admiration of tho peo-
ple-the ogoWniag testimonial OF csn-
turY to the wisdom of the fathers. Now
the books are closed and We can cast up
the acoouuts.
desire to talk of 5ystsms and princi-
plea and not OF men, except as men illus
trate in the conoreta those principles and
systemq. In the Hou5s Of Representa-
tivss was Speaker Reed who'll waa hoped
aud believ. !, wpuid bs tho eqaai OF aig
prAdeSgnr, Y0uid aot flirly ia / display a
l9udable amni.ion to tili his high office
worthily. But we were wo fllly deceived.
1t was not Reed in the chair, b1t the Rs
publican par,f. 1t was not Mckinley
who WAS ohal.aln OF the oommittos on
ways and msAny, but the Republican
party, or that particular wing of the
party that had bought the election and
wanted the payment il had stipulated to re-
ce!ve. They had no moro power to do other
than they have done than has q ship to
guide itgelf when floating with the tide.
But they might have acted with more
denency and decorum and with some re-
gard for the traditions OF the past, but
the substance OF what they did was the
necessary aud natural oatgrowth of the
campaign of 1855 and the principles OF
the Republican party aud of the promises
then made. 1t was necessary to change
the accented construction CT the consiitu.
ticn. If any Speaker OF the last Con-
gress had not SO decided, ne would h I'VE
been relegated to the rear. Nor would o
House elected as that House was haye re.
fused to pass any Force bill demanded OF
them.
THE COUNTING OF A QUORUM,
The contest over the quorum OF tho
House was not one for mere parliamentary
supremacy. II went to tbs very sub
stance OF legislation. According to the
constitutional construction a Quorum
of house of Congress is ma.
iority of oil the members chosen, and the
proof Of its presence can be demanded by
one-fifth of those present asking for u
roll call, which is the exclusive evidence
of quorum. When members present
refuse 10 vote it is their declaration OF
the injustice of the measure pending,
aud their appeal from aiding in any way
to elect its enactment. Thera wero
elected to the last House l6S Re-
publicans and 16l Democrats; 166
members constituted quorum. On
all matters passed upon by the people at
the last election we would not exercise
this power, but upon measures not so de-
oided, and that were outrageous aud un-
just, the minority appealed to the oonsci-
enoes and decency Of the majority, SO
that " only three of the l6S Republican
representatives refrAined from voting, the
appeal Of the 16l Democratic representa-
tives was vital and effective. II was to
be expected that we would find more than
three such men among the majority, for
some OF the Republican representatives
were ashamed Of the course of their
colleagues. Anf whom they counted the
silent Democrats for the purpose of
making quorum, it was to make these
silent Democrats do the dirty work that
the silent and absent Republicans were
afraid aud ashamed to do-to make them
efficient instruments in carrying out the
dgrrees of the party caucus, which conser-
vatiVe Republicans refused to assent to
and ratity. Scarcely u contested case
was settled by the votes of quorum OF
representatives. Bat the plan OF count
ing members not voting enabled Rs-
publican to ease his conscience by wash
ilg his hands in Invisible water, with
invisible soap aad saying, ~ had no
hand in this iniquity."
When the Speaker counted his quorums,
breaking the traditions of hundred
years aud over riding the tight Of MI
nority to iaaiGt on tbs maj Jrity accepting
tie iull measure Of its responsibility, he
did it TO carry out those acts designed 10
perpetuate the Republican party in
power. There might be some Republi-
cans With tender eonRcienoes who would