Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-02-24
Wilkes SENSATION.
He Proposes a Curb for Fu-
ture GEARS"
THE CONSTITUTION TO BE AMENDED

So That Presiding Officers in Congress
May Be Thrown Into the BastiIe, If
Necessary-National Council of Women
Miss willard Discusses ParneII's Pee
cadilIo and Rejoices at Its Effect on
the "Uncrowned King Congress in
Session at Night-Onicial Notes.
WASHINGTON CITY, Feb. 24-Wike of
Illinois introduced in the house yesterday
the following resolutions:
Whereas, The frequent falsfications of the
journal of the proceedings of the house of rep
resentatives of the Fifty-first congress by the
arbitrary action of the speaker and notably by
his unwarrantable action on the Goth day of
February, in the matter of the count of Messrs
Turner of Georgia, Clements, Crisp, Blanchard,
Wilson of Missouri, Whitelaw, Fithian, Geary.
Oates and other members of the house as pres
ent and not voting for the purpose of making
the record show an apparent quorum to do
business, when in fact there was not quorum
required by the constitution of the United
'tates, and when in fact such members were
Tot present nor within the hall of the house at
he time; and
Whereas, In that connection the arbitrary,
he tyranical, action of the presiding officer of
he house, and his political associates on the
loor, on the 2lst day of the same month in re-
. iusing to allow or entertain a motion for the
purpose of correcting the Justification made
In the journal of the proceedings of the pre-
vious day, so as to make it conform 70 the
facts in the premises as they were clearly es
tabllshed and made to appear: and
Whereas, These arbitrary, unlawful, and I'M
constitutional acts were done in pursuance of a
plan concocted by the leaders of party just
overthrown by an overwhelming majority OF
the people at the polls, and in the closing hour
OF their power, to install for life into new fed
eral judicial offices then and there being created
for that purpose a number of repudiated and
defeated candidates of the party at the election
in defiance of and against the will of large
majority of the voters of the country-north
and south, as well as east and west-an of these
unlawful and unworthy official acts making il
apparent and patent that the injury threatened
To the liberties of the people and to constitu
tional free government, by the arbitrary anG
unlawful action of the chair, may becom,
calamitous and irreparahle and insomuch a.
there seems To be no compulsory restraining
power in existence except through the actor
OF the majority in the respective bodies, which
Is usually in political sympathy with its presid
ing officer;
Therefore. be il resolved, That the commit
tee on judiciary be, and is hereby instructed t,
report to the house forthwith Joint resolu
ton of congress, submitting for ratification al
amendment to the constitution providing
plan for the Impeachment and removal from
Office, with suitable penalties or for the trial
either upon indictment or information in tn
courts of the District of Columbia, or the su
preme court, of the speaker or presiding office
of the house, or the president or presiding on
Ger of the senate who shall wilfully falsify o.
falsely make up, alter or change or cause O
permit the same to be done by the clerk of TIL
body over which the party offending may pre-
side, or by any other person, the journal of il
proceedings, either by counting or enterin,
therein as present, or causing the same 10 III
done, the name or names of any members VIII
shall not in fact be present at the time, for tn
purpose of making quorum, or otherwise; o
by any other means or for any other purpos
whatsoever. The said amendment TO the con
stitution shall provide that such offense sha
be high crime or misdemeanor with sue
penalties by fine or imprisonment, remova
from Office, and disqualification for holding OF
flee as the committee may deem proper wit
the character of the offense or crime indicated