The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-01-21
AN EXCITING SCENE
In the House of Representatives
Over the Journal.
MILLS DENOuNCES SPEAKER REED
Personal Encounters Among Members Only
Prevented by the Sergeant-at-Arms-
Election Bill in the Senate.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 20.-In pursuance of
the policy of the Democrats of the House,
Bland this morning demanded the reading
OF the journal of yesterday in extenso.
The clerk having concluded the reading,
Bland made the point that the journal was
not read in full and demanded description
OF the various executive communications.
resolutions, bills and petitions which were
referred under the rules and not in open
House read.
The speaker ordered the clerk to
read this portion of the jour
nal. Its reading was not completed
until L o'clock. Then ensued enc of the
widest scenes of confusion the House has
seen during the present Congress. The
speaker having stated the question to be
the approval of the journal and having
counted ana stated an affirmative vote.
Mills, OF Texas, rising to a parliamentary
question, asked whether the proper cues
ton was not on ordering the previous
question. This query was based upon the
TACT that when the clerk finished reading
the nrst part of the journal (tne portion
usually read Mckinley, of Ohio, had de-
manded the previous question.
Inc speaker in response to the inquiry
stated this was the fact. but said the de-
mand was renewed after the readiug was
completed.
Mckinley corroborated the statement
Mills then expressed his wish to debate
the question of approving the journal. but
the speaker declined to recognize him on
the ground that the House was dividing.
Then the storm cloud burst With excited
gestures Mills strobe down the
aisle, and shaking his fist at the
speaker roared out a volume of
remuneration, accusing him OF practis-
ing fraud on the House. "You are perpe-
trating fraud on the House" he thun-
dereG, land you know it.' And his party
colleagues burst into a round of applause
and cheered and gathered around the cham
plon, but the speaker was immovable. and
amid excitement requested those opposed
TO approving the journal to rise. Phlegm-
atlcally he counted one, two three, and an
nounced the motion carried, 81 to 3. The
yeas and nays We're demanded by the Dem
ocrats and ordered, and as the clerk pro-
ceeded to call the roll Mills poured out his
denunclatlons. Again he accused the
speaker of perpetrating fraud upon the
House, and referring to Mckinley said ::
I'VE did not expect the gentleman from
Ohio to lend himself to such proceedings.
we rely on the gentleman from Ohio, for
we oeIeyed him to be an honorable gentle
man, and 1--WE knew he (indicahng the
speaker) was not"
Perkins, of Kansas, (sarcasticaIly)-And
he indicating Mills) is a gentleman.
Allen, of Mississippi-That is more
than can be said of some persons on the
other side.
Then as the clerk went on monotonouslv
calling the roll, Mills ignoring him, pro
ceeded substan TALLY as follows: ''You dare
not go before the country with such rev
pulmonary measure as you are proposing
to pass. We have a right under the rules
to debate the question of approving the
journal and you addressing the speaker)
are denying that right" Democratic
cheers.
Kerr, of Iowa-Such proceedings as this
are reasonable, and they are headed by a
man who helped treason before.
Mills-You are a traitor yourself to the
constitution and laws. You are trying to
surround the ballot box with bayonets and
deprive the people of their rights of repre-
sentation.
Then followed enthusiastic Democratic
applause while the Republicans crowded to
the bar OF the House and announced their
disapproVal by Kisses.
The House was a regular babel of voices.
excited and loud but unintelligible Cut
cheon, OF Michigan, stood in the centre
aisle and as Mills went on repeated with
Indignation and emphasis one word
'Bosh." Mills reply to this exclamation
was, Bring in another resolution of cen
sure, the NJ
By this time affairs had approached so
near to personal rupture between the gen.
tlemen on the opposing sides that the
speaker was obliged TO call upon the SER
geantat-arms for assistance and that Off
Ger, bearing the mace IN front of him, in
duced Mills to take his seat and the storm
passed away for the time.
Jhe journal was approved, yeas. 144:
nays, 103. McComas, of Maryland, moved
that the House go into committee of the
whole on the District of Columbia appro
priation bill. The motion was agreed to,
yeas, 1879; nays, 10Y, and accordingly the
House went into committee of the whole
on the bill indicated.
Hemphill, of South Carolina, acclaimed
against the election till The negro oues
ton was brought up by Richardson. of
Tennessee, who quoted newspaper extracts
relative TO the treatment OF negroes OF the
southern states. After long discussion.
during which no progress was made on the
bill, the committee rose. Adjourned.