The critic. (Washington, D.C.) 1890-1891, 1891-01-21
SENATE,

and attempted 70 yield the floor to Mr..
Butler. Mr.. Hoor objected, and as II re-
quires unanimous consent for one Sena-
tor to yield the floor to another, Mr..
George was compelled to resume his
speech, beginning with the remark
when Columbus discovered America"
This created ripple of Senatorial laugh
ter. After talking three-fourths of an
hour longer he yielded to Mr.. Aldrich to
call up the cloture resolution.
Mr.. Morgan, who had been in the cloak
room, came out at this juncture.
suspecting that some arrangement had
been made between Mr.. George and Mr..
Aldrich he wanted to know whatit was so
he could object to it.
In themeantime the following proceed
mgs had been had:
Mr.. ALDBIcH. / move the consider
ntion of the resolution indicated by me.
Mr.. MORGAN. / wish to know what Is
the proposition now.
The VICE-PREsIDENT. viii the Senator
from Rhode Island state his motion
again?
Mr.. ALDRIoH. move that the Senate
proceed to the consideration of the rcso-
luton submitted by me on the 10Th of
December, and which was under consider
alton during the morning hour this morn
ing,
The ViCE-PREsIDEYT. The question is
on the motion made by the Senator from
Rhode Island. Putting the question:
Mr. MORGAN. Mr.. President
The YIcE-PREsIDENT. The ayes appear
TO have It.
After some further alteration the Vice
President stated that "the pending ques-
ton is the resolution offered by the Sem
ator from Rhode Island"
Mr.. Aldrich then moved that the Senate
adjourn. Mr.. Ransom endeavored to rise
TO point of order, but the Vice-President
put the motion to adjourn, which was
agreed to, Mr.. Ransom wildly waving his
arms and endeavoring to secure recogni-
ton to state his point of order.
After the Senate had adjourned Mr..
Ransom stated his point of order with
great emphasis to the Senators who yet
fingered about. 1t was this:
That the Vice-President had never fin
ished stating the result of the vote on Mr..
Aldrich's motion to take up the cloture
resolution, and had failed to. announce
that the motion had prevailed. That,
therefore, II was not carried and the clo-
ture resolution was not before the Senate.
This afforded too fine an opportunity to
move an amendment of the journal, and
thus gain time ON the Elections bill, to be
missed. SO, when Secretary McCook be-
gan, at 1918, to read as usual, q synopsis
of the journal, Mr.. German very promptly
demanded the reading in full, with the
significant remark:
II want to hear this journal read"
While the reading was proceeding Mr..
German demanded that the Secretary read
more deliberately as he desired to follow
it closely. The reading occupied thirty
minutes.
German moved to strike out that part of
the record which declared that Mr.. AL
drich's motion to proceed with considera
ton of the cloturc rule was determined
sin the affirmative" The Senator from
Maryland explained that he did not make
this motion for the purpose of interfering
with the cloture rule but simply to have
the record conform strictly to the pro-
ceedings of the Senate, so that an entry
could not be made to declare n motion
carried when the vote had not been put
to the Senate.
Mr.. German, in further explanation Of
his position, read from the Congressional
Record the exact language of the debate
which ensued prior to adjournment, as
published above.
Proceeding to debate his motion, Mr..
German referred to the cloture resolution,
and maintained that the people would
politically cruelty the party that should
pass such q measure. If IL was intended
to pass it, however, there was no right to
violate the law which governs the Senate.
It would not do in this free land of ours,
NDtIt tutIt 10 tlSluTDhllCtS III tNtIN Walk
OF life; when three or four Legislatures
are threatened by force, for the Senate,
presided over by the Vice-President of the
United States, to say: II will ignore the
law.n
Mr.. German warned Senators that il
they did it would set the example for any
lawless man to trample down the Consti-
tuition of his country or the laws of his
State. He begged Senators to pause, and
urged that they respect the rights of each
other and the rules that are provided for
the transaction of its business.
Mr.. Spooner asked Mr.. German if he
would permit him to ask question.
Mr.. German said he would il the Sena-
tor had unanimous consent
Mr.. Butler lin accordance with the de-
cision of the e-President yesterday,
that interruptions could not be recognized
without unanimous consent objected.
A colloquy followed, during which Mr.
German urged that the Senate give the
Senator from Wisconsin unanimous con-
sent to ask him question.
Mr.. Spooner would not request unan'
imous consent to ask the question.
Mr.. Aldrich stated that there was nc
question Of practical importance involved
in the motion of the Senator from Mary
land; that the morning hour would begin
at ii o'clock and his resolution in regarC
to the change of rules would then b.
clearly before the Senate, and he (Aldrich
had no objection to amend the record as
the motion of the Senator from Maryland
contemplated.
Mr. German retorted that his motion
involved very great question of practi
cal Importance.
at was question whether in this grea
body the rights of representatives of thu
States shall be preserved or stricken
down." and he desired the ayes and nay
On his motion.
Mr.. Sherman desired to hear from th,
Chair whether or not the motion to taxi
up Mr.. Aldrich's resolution was passed
The Nice-President corroborated thu
Congressional Record, which showed tina
he had not declared the vote carried.
A discussion then ensued on the practice
Of Senators having their names enteret
ON lists for the guidance of the Chat
during the tendency of debates, Durlni
the course of the debate several Senator
attempted to put questions tospeakers. II
each instance Senator Butler objected, OF
the ground that the Chair had yesterda!
taken him of the floor by deciding tina
one Senator could not yield the floor T.
another Senator without unanimous con
sent.
Finally, while Mr.. Cochrell was speak
ing Mr.. Edmunds attempted to aid tn
Senator in n matter of reference, where
upon Mr. Butler again objected maxim
point of order that the Senator from
Vermont was out of order
Mr., Edmunds desired the point of orde
decided.
The Vice-President stated that his dc
cision of yesterday was erroneous, in 5
far as il held that Senator speaking ha
no right to yield to another Senator witt
out unanimous consent, and the ruin
was modified to that extent,
Further discussion ensued, durn
a,,hch Mr.. Butler took occasion 10 r,
view the action of the Senator from MAJ
sachusetts (Hoar) yesterday in deprivin
him (Butler) Of the floor under the ~
sumption that he had taken the floor fo
an indefinite period to perpetrate q frau
upon this body, He did not intend
reSt ouintly un1pr that inlnutntiOn nm