Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-03-05


enthusiasm, sat down and comparative
| quiet once more prevailed. 1t was IL 80
when sharp. penetrating voice from
under the gallery was heard to say:
Gentlemen" The confusion which had
! previously reigned on the floor ceased as
| if by magic. Members who were strolling
about the hall, or reclining on sofas, hur-
ried to their seats. Five hundred faces on
the floor and thousands in the galleries
turned to Speaker Reed when second
time, after pause of a minute, he said:
Gentlemen" He looked the born leader.
In a closely fitting Prince Albert coat,
buttoned to the top, standing squarely on
both feet, with gavel in hand, in clear,
emphatic manner, with earnestness in his
voice, he pronounced his valedictory as
speaker of the Fifty-frst congress
The Valedictory Address.
The speaker said: After two long and stormy
sessions, in some respects unparalleled in a hun
dred years, the house of representatives of the
Fifty first congress will soon pass with COM
pleted record into the history of the country,
and its works will follow it. What we have
done Is in a large measure political Whatever
is political arouses the sternest, the most turbu-
lent, the most unforgiving passions of the hu-
man family. Political action can never be
justly viewed from a near standpoint. Time
and distance are needed for ripe Judgment,
and the verdict of history is the only verdict
worth recording. To state in language which
would seem to be adequate the achievements of
the house, would not be suitable to this time OF
to this place.
Let By-Gones Be By-Gones.
1t Is at least not needful here to now rekindle
old disputes or fan the dying embers of strug-
giles past and gone. Whether we have dis
posed of questions of finance with the wisdom
OF broad craftsmanship time will surely show
Whether in the things we have done and the
things we have attempted for the furtherances
OF human liberty, we were actuated by high
and honorable motives, viii be visible to all tn
world at no distant day Our actions need -
catalogue, and all enumeration and praise ny
ourselves would he in vain. If our deeds do
not praise Us, our words can not
Confident of the Verdict
Confident as am Of the verdict of time on
what we have done, l am stiIl more confident that
the highest commentator that will be given us
in future, will be not for what measures we
have passed, valuable as they are but because
we have taken so long a stride in the direc-
ton of responsible government. Having dem
onstrated to the people that those who have
been elected to do their will can do it. hence
forth excuses will not be taken for perform
ance, and government by the people will be
stronger in the land
A Graceful Conclusion.
Towards those who have opposed what the
majority of the house have desired we can
have no unkindiy or personal feeling Who
ever offers battle TO old convictions and faiths
must expect battle, and the vigor of the resist
ance must always bear some proportion to the
vigor of the onset
To the members ON my left with whom am
politically associated, I beg to tender my most
sincere and heartfelt acknowledgements No
man ever received more ungrudgng and IN
finching support, or from a band of men more
.---r@~ -
that has been done have been but one in the
multitude, and know that the honors of the
Fifty first congress belong to you alone. now
declare the house to be adjourned without day
A Medley of Song.
AS the speaker spoke his last words
pandemonium broke out. Cheers rent the
air from both sides, hats were flung into
the air, Kerr of Iowa started marching
Through Georgia" and the galleries Joined
O'Neill OF Missouri started the Bonnie
Blue Flag" but got no great help. and
Coleman of Louisiana started out on
america" and the house cheered and
sang by turns. Then the press gallery
started out singing the doxology, and the
house cheered them. Burrows took a
cigar from his mouth and endeavored to
force "John Browns Body" on the house
but the galleries would not have it, and
the press gallery downed the michigan
der" with "Listen to My Tale of Woe" and
Goodbye, Congress, Good bye
Closing Scenes in the Senate.
The scenes that marked the end of the
congress in the senate were of a much
quieter nature than those occurring in the
house. Packed galleries-packed almost
to Observation-Disclosures the closing
scenes, and men, women and children
gathered in the corridors outside the GAL
lery doors making vain efforts to obtain
admission TO the favored precincts. The
wives, daughters and other members of
the families of senators thronged the
private galleries, and the diplomatic gal.
lery, which is usually but sparsely occu-
pied, even on interesting occasions, con-
tanned number of members of the dip
lomatic corps. All the senators were
present, many of them saying farewells to
their colleagues, and most interest GEN.
tering on those who would not be present
when the secate met again.
Bassett Performs His Act.
AS the hands on the dial of the senate
clock pointed to five minutes before noon.
it appeared as if for the first time in tie
memory of this generation the amusing
little scene of old Capt. Bassett's march
to the locality of the clock with long
white wand in hand in order to put back
the minute hand to suit the emergency of
the occasion, was to be omitted Those
who imagined so, however were amusing
ly disappointed, for the rener-.
able gentleman, wand in hand,
with his characteristic gait, sol
EMMY strobe up the central aisle
amid the hardly-suppressed laughter of
thousand spectators, and turned back
by about three minutes the hands upon
the dial. Once again and third time
still, the time-killing operation was per-
formed, and finally. when the thing was
overdone he stalked back for the fourth
time and advanced the hands few min
utes. But this could not go on forever.
Just before IL o'clock arrived, the chair
man, Vice President Morton arose, and
with few graceful words of thanks and
goodbye. declared the senate adjourned
for the Fifty first congress sine die.
REVIEW OF THE SESSIONS WORK.
Summary of Important Measures Psssed
by the Fifty-irst Congress.