Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1891-01-08
GOING lEHIED THE RETURNS.

cpuDlt0AnA In the HOUSE rAay1n&
Desperate Game-An AdJournmont
Taken Until january go.
| HARTFORD, Jan Slate yesterday
afternoon Representative Root of Wa
terbury moved that the returns be re.
ferred to the joint committee on can
vass Of votes. Speaker Paige ruled the
melton out of order, the house not
being informed that joint committee
existed. Mr. Root then moved that the
returns be Immediately transmitted to
| the senate in order that the body might
raise . committee on canvass of votes.
That motion was voted down by a party
vote and MIR Root then moved that a
committee be appointed to bear the re-
turns into the senate in order that the
senators might examine thena> After a
half dozen parliamentary tangles had
been Strengthened out, NJ. Roots motion
that the clerk Immediately transmit the
returns was passed, and a few minutes
later the roll of manuscript rested on
the desk of the senate clerk.
just before adjournment Mr. SAKE of
Waterbury made a speech, in the course
of which he called upon the speaker to
enforce the rules of the house excluding
outsiders from the floor of the house.
He said lobbyists had swarmed over the
house all day. AS he made no motion
no action was taken or needed.
When the returns reached the senate
they were referred to q committee con-
sisting of Senators Pierce, Fox and Shum-
way. At Z O'Clock the committee re
ported that they had performed the
duties assigned, and Senator Holden in
troduced a resolution declaring the
democratic candidates for state Offices
elected, and after a long debate it
passed, substitute resolution intro
dnced by Senator Shumway, the minor
ity representative on the senate COM
mittee, and declaring that apparent
errors on the face of the returns should
be Investigated, having been defeated.
After the adjournment of the house
the republican members of the general
assembly met in caucus and unani-
mously nominated Senator. o. II. Platt
to succeed himself as United States SEN
ator from Connecticut.
To-DAY's DoINGs.-
The great question to-day, since the
senate declared that Luzon B. Morris
had been elected governor, by the face
of the returns, is, did the republicans
commit a blunder in allowing the re-
turns to be transmitted to the senate,
thus passing out possession Of a republi-
can house into a democratic senate
The general opinion is that blunder
has been made. Tho senate acted under
legal advice in refusing to appoint q
committee to confer with q committse
of the house. An idea prevails that an
attempt will be made shortly to inaugu
rate Governor Morris and his colleagues.
William G. Case, attorney for the repub-
licans, says that no mistake has been
made, as nothing was to be gained by
keeping the returns in tho house. Sena-
tor Cleveland, democrats, says no at
tempt will be made to seat Morris I'M
less the house concurs with the senate.
Judge Stoddard, attorney for the demo-
Gratis, is of the same opinion.
. THE HOUSE.
After the house assembled to-day Mr.
Walker wanted the rule enforced in re-
gard to keeping outsiders off the floor.
Speaker Paige thought himself COM
, petent to manage the matter in the
usual way. No motion was offered.
A resolution was passed authorizing
the committee on contested elections to
sit during recess and go behind the re-
t turns.
, Upon receipt of the canvass of votes
from the senate, with the refusal of the
senate to appoint committee to act
with q committee of the house, Gardner
| Green offered a resolution raising a
special committee of the house to can
, vass the vote on its own account, with
power to go behind the returns, take
evidence and sift the whole matter. He
said that this action was necessary be-
= cause the democratic s. nate had viola
ted all precedent in refusing to appoint
joint committee.
Mr. Root of Waterbury, said it was the
republicans who were taking the un-
. usual course, in keeping out Nicholas
Staub, who had received a majority of
4 600. He would as soon expect an
3 Arkansas cyclone as that the governor
r ship question should be settled to-day.
+ 1t could be done by weeks of perSever-
= ance and argument.
: MIR Muller of New Britain, called for
the reading of the returns affecting
: comptroller, and it was done.
, Mr. Judson of Stratford, after charg-
: ing the senate with breach of faith, said
q that if the committee the republicans
? proposed to appoint found that Judge
. Morris and his colleagues had been fairly
elected, the house would chserfully CON
. cur with thS senate, bnt if the commit.
g ties reported that they had not been
D elected, then the house would proceed
to elect according to the constitution.
7 Until this is done, said the speaker
business will be blocked.
8 Mr. Hotchkiss, of New Haven, said
t the democrats would not oppose the ap
a pointment of committee to do what the
: senate committee had done, but they did
r decidedly object to appointing = com.
mittee to go behind the returns.
Mr. Hotchkiss endeavored to obtain the
floor, but was ruled out of order. Upon
his persisting in stating his point, he
Y was summary ordered to his seat, and
n an amendment offered that the investi.
It cation of the committee to be raised by
d the house shall not affect the Office OF
Q comptroller, was defeated.
l. Three roll calls, resulting in the usual
party vote of 133 to lit were necessary
before the special committee was fully
equipped and empowered to begin the
a work of going behind the returns.
t The plan of the majority in the house
, is for the committee to hold court and
decide that the prohibition ballots
q thrown out by moderators, are legal, and
t that Judge Morris and perhaps some OF
q the other democratic candidates have
failed of an election. Consequently the
house must proceed to 60 into joint
9 ballot with thase senators who will ioin