The Indianapolis journal., 1891-02-22
CLOSING HOURS OF CONGRESS.
Exciting Scenes That May Be Expected Ne,
Week-Sunday Dissertation.

Exciting Scenes That May Be Expected Next
Week-Sunday Dissertation.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, Feb. q. - Washington is
preparing for an exciting close of the Fifty
first Congress. 1t is probable that the last
forty-eight hours of this session, which ends
at noon on March A. and consequently q
week from next Wednesday, will be as ex-
citing as have ever been witnessed in the
great halls of Congress. Only by antici-
pating exceedingly nervous scenes and
only by the rule that it is the unex pected
that happens. can the most exasperating
moments be averted. 1t is not often that
one party scores positive majority in the
entire federal complement in Washington.
The Republicans have often had the presi-
dency and one or the other branch of Con-
gress; but they have not often secured both
the presidency and both branches of Con-
gress at the same time within their his
tory. 1t will be remem bered that when
President Arthur the executive
mansion the Republicans had absolute con-
troll of the Forty seventh Congress. 1t was
then that the tariff was revised for the first
time in many years. There was a great
deal of important legislation enacted. but
Inuch more reached the very verge of cons
pletiOn and then failed. The close of the
Forty-seventh Congress was as wildly ex-
citing as a tumultuOus mass-meeting In
revolutionary days. The Sergeant-at-arms
in the House was for hours at
time sitting silently beside the mace or
marching through the aisles OF the
chamber with that emblem of order
and authority in his hands. Often did the
Speaker direct the Sergeant-at-acms to
compel members to be in order Speaker
Reed has had greater control over the
Il
pr0Dable that the man from Maine will be
more successful In preserving order than the
gentleman from Ohio although both gen.
tlemen In controlling large bodies are of
the same general disposition.
1t is almost a custom To keep Congress in
continuous session all night and during all
of Sunday whenever it ends it's existence
before the middle of the week. This Con-
gress, expiring as IL does at noon on
Wednesday. will likely refuse to take an
adjournment for any considerable length
of time after the close of this month, and
Will probably continue right through Sun
day. 1t undoubtedly looks barbarous TO
the Christians in the country tor the Con-
gress to be in boisterous session at a time
when the church bells throughout the land
are ringing for religious services. 1t is
lamentable commentator upon the legis-
lative branch of the country that members
of che House stand upon the floor of that
national body and participate in the most
exciting and exasperating debates fire.
quently shaking their threatening fists at
each other and uttering innuendo at the
very moment when sacred hymns are being
sung in the churches and fervent prayers
are going up from thousands of ,pnlpits
The question may arise IN some minds
how such proceedings can be made lawful.
in view of the national as well as State
Sunday laws Sessions of Congress. run
ming through Sunday, appear of record in
the proceedings of Saturday. session of
Congress would be continuous and would
appear of record on the first day of the
meeting were it not for the daily adjourn
ment. A session Is continuous until there
is adjournment. A recess does not break
legislative day. Generally when Congress
remains In continuous session. during It's
closing days there IS an adjournment at
noon on each day, and then u minute
or two later the body meets in an
other legislative day. This corrects the
journal and keeps the record straight.
When there is a continuous session through
Sunday. the Congress, or the body of it
which keeDs In session. takes an adjourn
ment just before II o'clock noon on Mon
day. and the legislative day which begun
at noon on Saturday ends Thus the leRis-
lative day of Saturday is of forty-eight
hours duration.
When the Republicans entered upon their
duties with the conveDing of the present
Congress In December, 1889. they had mani
fold duties to perform. They were pledged
in their national and State platforms to do
certain work. As much OF this has been
done as was possible Although the House
adopted code of rules which it was be-
lieved would give the majority absolute
control of that body, there were divisions
between the East and West within
the party lines which made it almost
impossible to enact legislation in the exact
form which the party had pledged There
have been as many promises kept as pcssi-
BILE. and as many fultllments of promises