Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-06-21

knightly courtesy which is ever ready to
accord the full need of praise to q worthy
antagonist, 'the man absolutely corrus-
Gated"
The most remarkable exhibition of this
power was displayed during the second
night of the protracted. struggle, in par
liamentary encounter with Butler. The
tactics of the opposition were of course di-
rected to the preventing of vote being
taken on the main question and, when all
other means failed, resort would be had to
the making of dilatory motions, and calling
for the ayes and noes in accordance with a
practice that had prevailed, and continued
until Reeds accession to the Speakership,
and when this method would not longer
suffice, then the opposition members would
sit silent when their names were called, in
order to break a quorum. There is, as is
we'll known, rule which requires every
member to vote when his name is called, but
it had been uniformly held that the obliga-
tion of this rule rested entirely in the
Moral Power Of the Man.
Butler, however, backed by a number of
the strongest and most radical members of
the party, determined to test the right of
the House to enforce obedience to this rule,
and offered a resolution directing the
Sergeant-at-Arms to arrest Randall, who
was leading the opposition, and bring him
before the bar of the House to answer as for
contempt in refusing obedience to the
rule. Blaine fatty refused to entertain the
motion.
Butler cried out in his stentorian tones
'fWhatl does the Speaker of this House as
sumo the autocratic power to refuse to put
motion made in good faith by member of
the House?"
Blaine, towering to his full height, re-
piled in thunder tones: eyes, 1 take that
responsibility. My duty is to preserve
order, and preserve the organization of the
House, and such a resolution is disorganiz-
ing, and, if allowed, would turn the House
into mob. viii put no such motion"
The effect was tremendous, and his man
ner so overwhelming that no member dared
to take an appeal l never saw more
splendid instance of the moral power of one
man, and it was the more remarkable In
that it was set off against the moral power
of large number of the ablest men of his
own political party, and their acquiescence
in it was an unconscious tribute of their
admiration for the courage of man who
dares to do right in trying emergency.
One of His Peculiar Rulings.
As an instance of the clearness of his per-
ception and admirable method in ruling a
L
member got into an alteration with him in
regs I'd to a report made by General Albright,
chairman of special committee on Southern
outrages. There was, as was usual in such
cases, a good deal of wrangling about COM
ing to final vote, when the member re-
ferred to arose and gave notice that he
would call for vote at certain hour.
Blaine promptly declared, ''The gentleman
has no such right.
"Why not?" inquired the member.
Because" replied Blaine, "you have
not charge Of the report The father of the
child is entitled to its custody, and the
Chair will not recognize the right Of anyone
else to meddle with it"
AS an illustration of his remarkable per-
sonal magnetism, recall an incident that
occurred at the close of the last Congress
over which he presided. During the last
night of the session, Eldridge came up to
the desk and complained that he
Had Not Understood Motion
that had just been put and carried In the
midst of much confusion. Blaine, who had
become unusually wearied, replied, rather
snappishly for him: 81 can't help that;
you might have understood it if you had
given proper attention.
81 don't want any of your impudence,"
said Eldridge.
''Nor any of yours" was the quick re-
tort.
This was pretty rough on both sides.
The next day, when the hammer fell, after
a short, ringing speech by Blaine, announc-
ing the final adjournment, there was a spon-
taneous outburst of cheers from the thou
sands who thronged the floor and galleries,
followed by an impromptu, ovation, in
which the multitude pressed around him for
a final handshake, and prominent among
them was Eldridge, actually with tears in
his eyes. CLINTON LLOYD,
Copyright, 1891