The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-01-22


far as its effect on the proceedings Of yester-
day was concerned. 1t was saatber of small
Importance, but strict and impartial
ADMINISTRATION of the rules. and strict and
impartial observance of all forTnaisies in
legislative assemblies could never be a mat
ter of small Importance. They might ap-
pear trivial and unimportant, but they all
haG q useful purpose to subserve, and on
their observance depended not only regular
and orderly proceedings of the body itself,
but the freedom OF debate.
Mr., Vest took the floor and gave, as a
Justification Of his addressing the Senate
now, the fact that the shadow Of the ooture
rule rested on all that the senators might do
and say now. Then for more than an hour
it was apparent that Mfr. Vest was talking
and reading against time. and there were
not a score of senators present.
LEFT WITHOUT A QUORUM.
At o O'Clock Mr.. Harris suggested the
absence OF quorum.
A call of the roll showed the presence of
only thirty senators, and the sergeaut-st-
arms was brought into requisition. While
waiting for a quorum, two motions to ed-
journ were defeated. AT TAO o'clock a
quorum had responded and Mr..
Vest was about TO resume. when MIR.
Cockrell suggested that, although quorum
of senators may have answered, they were
| not now present. On another call forty-one
senator's auswered--four less than a quorum.
The sergeant-at~arms was again ordered
to request the attendance Of the absent
senator's.
In a quarter of an hour a quorum ap-
peared, and Mr., Vest resumed, At $40
| another roll call was necessary, and again
Mr.. Vest proceeded.
VESTS LONG TALK.
Up to IL o'clock the time of the Senate
rAS s.xf. A.
attendance of absent senators. aud In the
| delivery of Mr.. Vests speech In sec
tions. Whenever he seemed fatigued
some democratic senator would suggest
the absence of a quorum, call would show
| that there was not a quorum present; the
| sergsant-ar-arms would be sent 10 hunt up
senators in the cloak rooms and committee
rooms, and in the mean time MIR. Vest
would be enjoying rest. And thus ii went
| on until Mr.. Aldrich moved that the SER
| geant-at-arms be directed to compel the at
tendance of the absentees. Thet motion was
agreed to on yea and nay vote, and then q
motion to reconsider the vote was made by
Mr.. Gray.
| BLAIR A HIGH~HAEDED CHAIRMAN.
The presiding officer. Mr.. Blair, refused
| to entertain the motion; and Mr.. Gray ap-
pealed from that ruling, which appeal the
chair said had TO be decided without debate.
Then Mr.. Gray attempted TO make point
of order. but the chair declined to entertain
it; :; and as Mr.. Gray insisted on his right at
least to state what the point of
order was, he was directed by
the chair to take mis- seat. Several demo
Gratis declared that that was an outrage.
| Finally Mr.. Gray succeeded in stating his
point of order, which was that It was not
within the competency Of the Senate, under
its present rules, to make an order to com
a..
By this tirne quorum had been obtained
and the chair overruled the point of order
as "too late" From that ruling Mr.. Gray
appealed and on a question whether The
decision of the chair should stand as the
Judgment of the Senate, the vote was
Yeas 30, nays Z.
LEFT WITHOUT QUORUM.
As there was no quorum voting the rol
was again called. and this time forty-eig ght
senators responded. The vote was again
taken and the result was yeas 30, nays 8.
Another roll call produced quprum, but
on the next vote the quorum had slipped
away. AS the hour of midnight approached
there appeared to bs a falling aff in the
efforts of the sergeant-at-arms moi
being very successful in perslading Oh
compelling the absentees to attend Messrs
Mitchell, Stanford and Walcott made their
appearance In evening dress and Mr.. VOL
colt Immediately after having answered Il
his name, moved an adjournment
at 11:45 o'clock which motion wa
Rejected to "a. Finally, at midnight,
Mr.. Aldrich said that the record
would show that all of the republican sena'
tors who were In the city with one or two
exceptions) had answered 60 their name
on the various roll calls and votes
while only seven democratic SEN
ators answered at any time. A
there was not quorum of the republican
senators in the city, it was evident no busi-
ness could be transacted tonight, owinl
to the attitude Of the senator
on the other side. and the onl,
result OF protracting the session
now would be fatigue and discomfort tx
the republican senator's. With those fact
In view, he moved that the Senate do nov
adjourn. Mr.. Aldrich's motion was agreed
to without dissent on either side, and tn,
Senate adjourned until 10 O'Clock to-mor
row morning, the pending question bein;
still Mr.. Gorman's motions TO correct til
journal of yesterday.