The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-01-23

nouncing what he styled the revolutionary
methods Of the democratic senators, quoted
from a speech delivered by Senator hill OF
Georgia while a member Of the Senate de-
nouncing as revolutionary the action of the
republican senators In refusing to vote upon
the army appropriation bill.
MIR. Stewart inquired whether the SEN
ator from Rhode Island believed that it was
proper upon any measurel for the senators
70 sit silent and refuse to vote.
Mr.. Aldrich replied that IN his opinion It
was not.
Mr.. Stewart inquired whether it was
proper for the Senate to violate its own
rules. democratic laughter
BOUND TO FOLLOW THE RULES.
Mr.. Aldrich answered that that was a
question he did not exactly understand.
When bill was under consideration the
body was bound to follow the rules it had
adopted until they. were changed. 1t was
clearly the right OF the Senate, under the
constitution and in accordance with the
provisions Of the unwritten law in every
country, to change its rules. Continuing to
comment upon the action OF the democratic
senator's, he denounced that action as revo-
lutlonary in the highest degree. 1t was
within the range of possibility for the sena-
tors on the other side to prevent for a time
land possibly for all time) the transaction
OA Duolhosos <AuOtkoE bUlUk ukcClOb6u DH
yesterdays proceedings was that the rule of
the Senate did not prevent dilatory tactics
IN THE POWER OF THE MINORITY.
The republicans knew that under the
present rules they were completely in the
power of the minority. A nominal ma
jorIty of the Senate sat on the republican
side and was held responsible for the legis-
lation. But with responsibility should come
power. II the majority had no power to
legislate on any subject except with the
consent Of the minority, the responsibility
did not properly belong TO the ma ajority.
be then went on to enumerate the i'm
portant bills pending in the Senate, which
must be passed before March 4.
HARRIS OFFER.
Mr.. Harris-If you move to proceed to
the consideration Of the appropriation, or
any of those bills you have mentioned, you
can get unanimous consent on this side.
Mr.. Aldrich-That is exactly what have
said. If we yield to the dictation Of the
minority and let il say what legislation
shall be considered, everything is all right.
Mr.. Aldrich concluded by formally NOV .
ing that the Senate proceed to the con-
sideration of his resolution submitted
Dec. 30.
A FIGHT FOR THE FLOOR.
Messrs Harris and German arose aud ad-
dressed the chair.
Mr.. Aldrich-I do not yield the floor. /
ask that my motion be submitted to the
Senate, and that the resolution be read.
Mr.. Harris-It may be read as a part of
the senator's remarks.
Mr.. Aldrich-No sir. make a motion.
Mr.. Harris raised the point that Mr..
Aldrich was not IN order, and asked for the
reading of rule 8. The rule was read. It
provides that, the presiding officer having
taken the chair, the journal of the preced-
ing day shall be read and any mistake corr
rected, and that a motion TO correct the
journal shall be a privileged question and
shall be proceeded with until disposed of.
RULE READ.
Mr.. Aldrich called for the reading of rule
8. The rule was read. 1t is to the effect
business each day the Senate will proceed
to the consideration Of the calendar of bills
and resolutions, and shall continue such
consideration until O'Clock.
Mr.. Harris stated his point of order to be
that the correction of the journal was a
question Of the highest privilege, and that
the unfinished business this morning was
Mr.. Gorman's motion to correct the journal
of Tuesday.
the present hear discussion on the point Of
order.
HARRIS RESTATES HIS POSITION.
Mr.. Harris restated his position that the
unfinished business was Mr.. Germans
motion to correct the journal of Tuesday,
while the pending question was on Mr..
Gray's appeal against the ruling Of the
chair last evening on a point of order.
Rule required that that question should
be proceeded with until it was concluded.
Mr.. Aldrich addressed the chair, but was
met by an objection from Mr.. Harris that
debate was not allowed on the question of
order.
II had understood the chair to say,n said
Mr.. Aldrioh, ''that he would listen to
discussion of the question Of order"
Very well,". said Mr.. Harris, III with
draw my objection"
ALDRICH CLAIMS THE FLOOR.
Mr.. Aldrich stated his view of the parlia-
mentary position of the question, and sub
mitted that If there was any unfinished
business it was his resolution to amend the
rules, and that the question Of the correction
of the journal would stand until the resolu-
tion was disposed of. Even If Mr. Harris'
point of order was question OF privilege,
he (Mr. Aldrich) could not be taken off the
floor.
Mr.. Ransom argued that if the journal of
Tuesday was correct Mr.. Aldrich's motion
to-day was unnecessary and out of order,
because that journal would leave his resolu-
tion the pending question. But the journal
was admitted not TO speak the truth. 1t
recorded falsehood. 1t recorded a
parliamentary impossibility, and it was in
order TO step over it, to go around it, to
flank it, that the senator from Rhode
Island made his motion this morning. 1t
was coup de main to do away with the
journal Of the Senate.
STFwApT'z ARCUMrNT
Mr.. Stewart argued that Mr.. Aldrichs
motion of to-day could not be put without
violating the rules. He was reminded by
the Vice President that the question was on
Mr. Harris point of order, and retorted by
asking whether the Vice President proposed
to control his line of argument. He went
on TO argue that the approval or correction
of Tuesdays journal involved the right of
the senator to hold the floor after he had
obtained it.
The motion to correct the Journal was a
privileged question and had to be disposed
OF in tinfne. The proposed cloture rule
could never, he said, be adopted without
resolution Of the nature Of the proceedings
by which it had come before the Senate.
THE VICE PRESIDENT READY.
The Vice President signifed bis readiness
TO render ruling on the point of order.
The discussion, howevec, was not to be
thus stopped. Mr.. Cockrell stepped in the
arena of debate, declaring that il the re-
publicans established the precedent pro-
posed it would come back to trouble them.
Mr.. Sherman argued that even if the mo-