The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-01-24
DISCUSSING THE GAG RULE.
The Democrats Holding the Re-
publicans in Check.
Cookren Concludes His Strong Argument
Against Aldrioh's Cloture Resolution
and Gray Follows-NIr. Hoar Adds One
More ldoa to His Remayks.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 23.-[Speoial]-
The Senate mot at IL O'Clock in con-
tinuation of yesterdays session, and
| the Vioe-President Immediately reoog-
nized Mr.. Cockrell to proceed with his
speech, pending which Mr.. German
raised the point that there was no quo
| rum present.
During the call, Mr.. Chandler, Of New
Hampshire, who has been absent for
some days, made his appearance in the
Senate Chamber. Only thirty-eight
Senators responded, but at ITO o'clock
the requisite numb er to mako a quorum
t45) had appeared, (the last being AL
drich,) and business was proceeded with
Mr. Morrill, asked the consent to offer
resolution for the distribution OF pub
lie documents to agricultural colleges,
but MIR. German said he was compelled
to object to any business whatever OK
cept the regular order.
MIR. Cockrell thereupon resumed the
floor to continue his argument against
however, to Mr.. Hoar, who said that no
desired to add one idea to what he had
said last evening.
He regarded the pending PROPOSE
ton, he said, as he should if tho case
had arisen in the Supreme Court of the
United States. There was no ono who
would not recognize the Importance of
absolute, Tree. and untrammeled discus
sion in that tribunal. and that no mem
Der of that court should be curtailed in
stating his opinion to his brethren or in
suggesting any modification of any
Judgement expected to be pronounced.
Bu., ii it could be conceived of that
august tribunal that, in case of some
controversy, about to pass into Judgment
affecting the interests OF large portions
of the American people and exciting
their feelings, four members of nine
should undertake to read opinions alter
nately day after day, night after night,
and week after week-one taking turns
with the othcr-and having read all tho
decisions which had been made since
the foundation OF the government, and
In that way to prevent the action Of the
court altogether, or to postpone it until
the Judgment could cease to be effectual,
would anybody doubt that it would be
the duty of that great tribunal to intor-
pose, and to adopt some rulo that would
put a limit to the length of opinions, or
to the number Of arguments that should
lie made by minority?
That bench was certainly no more i'm
rortant, august or illustrious, and no
higher in constitutional functions than
the Senate OF the United States.
MIR. Cockrcll again took the floor and
resumed his argument against the clo-
ture rule. The article which he had
been reading at the close of his remarks
yesterday (lIoar's in tho Youths COM
panion) was, he said, an answer to what
Mr. Hoar said yesterday, and also to
what he said this morning, and nc asked
that the Senate should have it printed
as separate document in order that it
might be treasured up by the Senators
with other valuable documents and
transmitted to their children. He went
onto read and comment upon sentences
in the article.
And ono which Cockrell read with
emphatic communication was this: "If
any citizens o disposed to feel i'm pa tient
under this restaint of will OF majority
let them remember that it was in that
way that out fathers Laid foundations
OF this Government below frost" lie
commended that sentence to the prayer
fHl considerations of the distinguished
Senator from Massachusetts in his wild
and reckless impaticnce to do tho thing
he proposed.
Mr.. Cockre!l continued his argument
for some time and was followed by Mr.
Gray.