, 1890-01-30
WEDNESDAY S PROCEEDINGS.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 2O.-Iu the house
Mr.. Dalzell, Of Pennsylvania, called up
the election case OF Smith vs.. jackson
! from the Fourth West Virginia district.
MIR. Crisp raised the question of con.
sidoration.
on this vote, the dem ocrats, with the
exception of Messrs. Bucknlew, Covert
I and COwles, refrained from voting.
While the clerk was calling the roll, the
/ speaker was carefully noting the names
of those democrats who were present
and not voting.
Before the announcement of the vote,
MIR. Rogers, OF Arkansas, who had mad.
yertently voted on the affirmative side
decided to withdraw his vote, but he
was met with strong objections from the
republican side. Mr.. Rogers cndcayorcd
to secure q ruling from the speaker on
the question, but the speaker declined to
rule.
The speaker counted as present the
members refusing to vote, and declared
a quorum present. The house was i'm
mcdiately in great turmoil, but pres
emily quiet was restored, and tho
speaker made long statement in iusti-
cation of his course. He quoted prece-
dents to maintain the correctness of his
position, and his remarks were from
time to time applauded by the rcpubli-
cans,
Mr.. Covert, OF New York, changed his
vote from the negative TO the aflirma-
tive.
Mr.. Rogers was then given permission
to withdraw his vote, rs was also Mr..
Cowles, of North Carolina.
The vote was then announced as sta
ting; Ayes l6l. noes %.
Mr.. Crisp raised the point Of no
quorum.
The speaker-"Thcc chair directs the
clerk to record the following names OF
members present and refusing to Vote
The statement was the signal for a
burst of applause from the republicans,
and joers from the democrats. The
clerk then proceeded To read the names
of the democrats whom the speaker had
jolted down as not voting.
When the name of MIR. breckenridge,
of Kentucky, was called, he stepped into
the aisle and in rcsounding voice, said
IL deny the power OF the speaker to do
this, and ! denOunCo 1t as revolution
ary."
Cheer after cheer, cha racterized by the
republicans as "the rebel yell,' went
up from the democratic side, and it was
several minutes before sufficient order
was restored TO enable the clerk TO con-
tinue the reading Of tho names, but
order was finally restore for little.
While the clerk was proceeding with the
reading, however, half dozen demo-
Gratis were on their feet denouncing the
action of the speaker.
Several members OF the democratic
side denied the right Of the speaker to
count them as present, one or two say
ing that they mad not been present WHEN
their names were called
Mr.. Crisp desired to appeal from the
decision of the chair.
The uproar continued for some time,
until finally the speaker said; THE
gentlemen must not mistake the situa-
tion. The chair must proceed In order
and tho gentleman Is n member of this
body. and will undoubtedly allow the
chair so TO proceed"
The speaker then proceeded to make
statement. The clerk, he said. had an.
nounced the members voting
as. i0l ayes and 9 noes.
The chair, therefore, having heard
ltltlt lhlHts III tlelr
presence, had directed that "A record be
made OF this fact Accordingly, the
question was before the house and the
chair proposed TO give a statement, ac.
companied by ruling from which ap-
peal could be taken u any of the gentle.
men were dissatisfied herewith. The
speaker, continuing, said: "for some
time questions of this nature have been
raised in parliamentary assemblies and
there mas been u great deal OF doubt,
especially In this body, ON the
subject. The chair rccollects a propo.
sition of this kind made by Randolph
Tucker of Virginia. The proposition
was made with regard to putting il In
the rules. The general opinion prevailed
az that time that II was mex pcdieut to
do 30. That was IN lssO. Since then
uIere have been various arguments and
decisions by eminent gentlemen. and
those decisions have much cleared up
the question, and rendered It more ap-
parent what the true rIle Is. One of tho
iirst places where the question was raised
was In the New York state senate. The
present governor of New York was the
presiding officer, and upon him dovolyed
q duty similar 10 that which now de
wolves upon the speaker. lie met that
duty In precisely tho same manner. The
question arose In New aork on the con
.a..s. A.