, 1890-02-06
Carlisle Prepares an Ad-
dress to the Country.
THE RIGHTS OF THE MINORITY.
The Democratic Position in the
House Sustained by All
Prooedonts.

uurity mombcrs tomorrow. Tho od-
/ dress says IN part: although nearly
| two months have elapsed since the com
| mittoc on rules was appointed, II has
/ made no report, except a partial ono
made December y, and consequently the
| house has been compelled t1 conduct its
husinCss without amy rulo or system,
except general parliamentary law as
construed 10y the speaker. Tho Amori.
can house Of representative, has been
during all thi, time, and still Is, so tar
as the rules for It's government are CON
ccrned, in precisely the same condition
as popular meeting or political con
yontion, In which the chairman and
his par,!saus absolutely control
all tile proceeding, No mga trc
can got before the house for couHidCrl-
tiun unless tho speaker chooses to allow
it TO bc pre- cutci and the members
have no means Of knowing In advance
what they arc to be called upon to dis.
Cuss or decide. This Is the first time In
our history thnt u legislative assembly,
or oven a public meeting, has attempted
to transact business for any period with
ont u regular code Of rules prescribing
the order OF proceedings, aud the incOn
ycnieucc AMI injustice resulting rom
such attempt has bcCn iorCiJly illus.
I
| -oual and partisan domination Of the
house was submitted to, though not
without repeated protest, until we he.
Cumo convinced IL wns the deliberate
puruosc of the sTcake' and his sup
purtcrs tO proceed without rules to ou-t
thc democratic members whose seats are
contested aud admit their republican
opponents, whether elected ar not. ON
Wednesday, january % the committee
on elections called up the contested clcc-
tion case and the democratic mombers
determined that in the absence OF rules
il should not ba considered, il they could
prevent it by any parliamentary pro.
ceedings.
"Accordinrly they raised the question
of consideration, domnndcd the nycs and
noes, and ON the call OF the roll ralruiucd
from voting. The result was that loss
than u constitutional quorum voted,
but the speaker in violation Ui the uui-
form practice Of the house Tor more than
"A century, proceeded to count the nom-
bcrs who were present but not voting
and declared the house decided To- take
the case up. From this decision an ap.
peal was taken, aud on q motion to lay
the appeal ON the table the ayes and
noes We're taken and less than quorum
voted; but the speaker again counted
the members not voting. and decided
the motion agreed to, and his ruling
thereby sustained.
The constitution provides that ma
lOrity Of each house shall constitute a
quorum to do business, but u smaller
number may adjourn from day to dgy
and may be authorized to compel the
Attendance of absent members IN such
manner and under such penalties as
each house may provide. Another
clause of the constitution require. each
house to keep u journal of lis proceed
ing5 and provides that when Ouc.l NTH
Of thu members present dcsirrit, thuayes
and noes shall bO taken ON any question
and entered on the journal. Since tho
beginning Of the government under the
constitution, more than 100 year, ago,
he housr ot representatives. and senate
have uniformly construed the tirst clause
Of the constitution quoted above To- mgau
q majority uf all members must be- pres
cnt and actually participate in the trans
action Of business, and that Whenever
upon u call of the ayes and noes 1t ap-
pClryd from the journal, which Is the
only official record, that less than the
constitutional quorum voted ON any
propositions tho vote WAS q uullity ard
nO further business could be done until
the requisite number appeared and
voted. In uulcr to secure certainty aud
stability In the administration ot law,
10 Is the rule in our Jurisprudence that
when u particular construction OF
the constitution or statute has been
for long time uCyuicsgcd in not only
by those whose duty il Is to exc
cute it, but also hy those whose pcr-
,Oual and property rights are affected hy
IL, the courts will recognize 1t us the true
construction, Even ii this were au orig
inal question 1t would not be difficult
tl show thut the practical construction
0t the constitution which has prevailed
In the house and senate for over hun
drcd years D.. tho correct one. Speaker
Reed himself. when ia the minority ou
the iluur of the house, stated thu true
meaning and true philosophy uI the con-
stitutiuu wncu lac said The uunsulJI-
lioual idea vt apuurIm 10 not the pres
ouCC OF u majority Of all the members Of
the house. nut % WIluri'y OF the mem
hers present and PARTICIPATING IN the
business OF Tia" huuso. IT., not their
visible presence, but thrir Judgment and
vote. which the constitution calls for
General Garfield, Mr. Blaine, Mr.
Conger, Eulcsou and Other eminent re-
puhlicaus have taken the same position.
Whom, therefore, the present speaker re-
pudintcd this settled Construction OF the
constitution We consider II our duty, ~
part of the representatives. Of
the people, to enter our protest
in every form available under the
circumstances. We uru not Cunt"nling
ior the right ut the minority to govern,
as the supporters of tue speaker have on.
dcuvorId To- make the county believe.
On the contrary, We are DENYING the
Hgnt vi the minority to eject members
from their seats or to pass laws for the
government Of tho people. undCr the
constitution majority of the members
OF the house constitute u quorum tu do
business, and We are simply Insisting
that less than majority shall not do
business. We arc COntgnding that the
majority shall take the responsibility
which properly belongs to them, ana
shall come into the house and ynta IL
they desire TO control the proceedings.
And We are protesting against thcir right
90 carry their measures by counting Us
when We do not vote. The claim OF tho
majority that they have the right to gov.
crn the house without attending its scs-
Aions and taking part in the conduct ol
its business is toopreposteroust require
reiutation.
at must 10 evident to anyone who
understands the position taken by the
democratic minority Ia the house that 1t
can not possibly result in any injury to
the country or in any injustice to the
the majority. Its only effect will be to
compel the republican majority elected
by the people TO assume tile rcsponsibil-
ity imposed upon them. ON the other
hand, no one can ioresee the evils that
may result from the Inauguration OF
the practice OF counting votes not cast in
order TO nuke q quorum. Under IL a
minority OF the nlemDcrs-elect to the
house aud senate may puss the most ty.
rannical laws for the oppression of the
people, and tho most corrupt laws Tor
the spoliatiou of the puUliC treasury,
Whether SO intended or not its direct
tendency "a to break down the barriers
heretofore existing for the protection OF
citizens against the enCroachments OF
The power and spoliation Of the treasury,