Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-03-13
END OF CONGRESS- LII.
HOW THE LAST FEW HOURS OF
The SESSION WERE SPENT.
Exciting Scenes When the Hour Of
Adjournment Was Reached.
The Democrats Refuse "a Vote of
Thanks tn Speaker Reed.

A correspondent writes as follows OF the
scenes attendant upon the fnal session OF
the ffty-brst congress.
In the serate, appropriation bills were
passed in dull routine and there was very
little excitement. Messrs. Edmunds and
Morgan were appointed TO act as a commit
tee, jointly with two members OF the house,
TO inform the president that congress was
ready 10 ad .ourn. One OF the last acts OF
the house was 10 pass the conference report
on the bill for public building at Saginaw.
reducing the cost 10 $3.50, 900. MIR. Burrows
of Michigan, having taken the char, Mr..
Mckinley Of OHIO offered the following
resolutions: THAT the thanks of this house
are presented TO the Hon. Thomas Il. Reed
for the able. impart. al and dignihed manner
in which he has presided over the delibera-
tons and performed the arduous and i'm
portdnt duties OF the chair" MIR. Mills de-
manded the yeas and nays. The resolution
was agreed 10 by strict party vote-yeas.
l52; nays, ZIG. On the announcement OF
the vote there was an outburst OF applause
from the republican side. which was re-
doubled when Mr.. Mills inquired whether
this was part Of the funeral service. The
speaker made a reply in which he said:
Towards those who have opposed what
the ma or.ty Of the house have des red we
can have no unkindly or personal feeling.
Whoever offers battle To oil convict ons
and faiths must expect battle. and the vigor
OF the resistance must always bear some
proportion to- the vigor of the ons,t. To
members on my left with whom / am po-
lt!cdAy associated, | beg To- tender my
most sincere and heartfelt acknowledge
ments. No man ever received more un-
grudglng and uull.nch ng support or from a
band of men more patriotic. / am proud
TO acknowledge IN all that his been done |
have been one in the multi tudc, and that
the honors OF the fifty-irst congress belong
TO you alone. i now declare this house
adjourned without day"
Not an interruption marked Mr.. Reed S
address, which was distinctly heard in
every part of the house and CALLER es AS
he ceased speaking, and the sound of his
gavel upon the speakers table announced
the exp ration of the fifty-hrst congress,
a scene unknown in legislative history
transpred on the floor. AS one man, the
members arose 10 Their feet. Uttered
paper was thrown into mid-air by hundreds
of hands. Hanikerchefs were waved and
silk hats Were tossed overhead. The foor,
which but moment before had been 80
quiet, became "A scene of bewlderment and
confusion. The people in the galleries
looked on with establishment and arose
en- IN asse. Their establishment was turned
into amazement a moment later when the
notes of II. amp, Tramp, Tramp, the BOYS
are Marching arose above the din on the
republican side of the chamber. Grave
and revered men joined in the refrain until
its notes swelled 10 such volume as 10 COM
pleteiy I'LL the great hall. AS the notes
died away, there arose from the demo-
cratic side the strains Of America" which
was quickly caught up and sung with
dramatic effect by the democratic mem
bers. The correspondents then arose in
Their gallery and 10 the inspiring strains
of the 'Doxology," which seem Il TO
catch the house and galleries like wildfre,
sung out the ffty-frst con yress. At II
noon Father Basset amid the laughter OF
the crowded galleries, turned the senate
clock back five minutes, and at 1905 the
clock was turned back six minutes. AT
1910 the senate clock was again turned
back 10 minutes. AT l2:l5 tho senate
ad. owned. the clock in tho chamber in
dicating 1902.