The Washington critic., 1890-02-04
The Address.

EX-Speaker Carlisle has prepared
statement of the position of the Demo
Gratis in the House. 1t will be pre-.
sented to the Democrats to-day for their
signature. He says:
The present situation in the House of
. Representatives Is so anomalous, and the
unprecedented decisions of the Speaker are
so full'of danger to the integrity of future
legislation that we consider it our duty to
submit brief statement of the facts In Or
der that the propriety of the course we
have taken may be fairly determined.
The House met on the I'd day of Decem-
Der, 1899, and Immediately organized by the
election of Speaker and other officers. On
the same day, by resolution of the House,
the Speaker was authorized to appoint a
committee on, rules, and the ruiz OF the
last preceding House were referred to that
committee. ~
Although nearly two months b I'VE elapsed
since the Committee on Rules was ap-
pointed,it has made no report upon the
matters referred to 1t, except the partial
one made on the 9th of December, and con-
sequently the House has been compelled to
conduct its business without any rule or
system, except the general parliamentary
law, as construed by the Speaker. y y
This is the first time in our history that
legislative assembly, or even public meet
any considerable period without q regular
code Of rule prescribing the order Of its
proceedings.
THE sPEAKER ARRAIGNED.
The Speaker has repeatedly during these
extraordinary proceedings refused to enter
tain parliamentary motions that have been
recognized as legitimate ever since the Gov
ernment was established, and when at
tempts have been made TO appeal from his
Il. \. ~. Al
question to the House. BY his arbitrary
rulings, sustained in some instances by less
than a quorum, he has subverted nearly
every principle of constitutional and parlia-
mentary law heretofore recognized In the
House.
THE QUoRuM-voTING MATTER.
On Wednesday, January 20, the Commit
tee on Elections called up a contested cleo
tion case, and The Democratic members de-
termined that in the absence of rules 1t
should not be considered II they could pre-
vent 1t by any proper parliamentary pro-
ceedings. Accordingly they raised the
question of consideration, demanded the
YEAS and nays, and on the call of the roll
refrained from voting. Theresult was that
less than constitutional quorum voted;
but the Speaker, in violation of the uniform
practice of the House for more than CEN
tury, proceeded to count members who
that the House had decided to take the
case up,
THE CONSTITUTION IN THE CASE.
The Constitution of the United States
provides that majority of each House
shall constitute a quorum to do business;
hut smaller number may adjourn from
day to day, and may be authorized TO com
pei the attendance Of absent members IN
such manner and under such penalties as
each House may provide.n Another clause
of the Constitution requires each House To
keep journal of its proceedings, and pro-
vides that, when one-iifth of the members
present desire it, the yeas aud nays shall be
taken on any question and entered on the
journal
Since the beginning of the Government
under the Constitution, more than hun
dred years ago, the House Of Representa-
tiyes and the Senate have uniformly con
strued the first clause Of the Constitution
quoted above, TO mean that a majority oil
ali the members-elect must be present and
actually participate In the transaction ol
business, and that whenever, upon call OF
The yeas RDd nays, II appeared from ths