Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-05
ApAY IN CONGRESS.

House o. Representatives was called before
the bar of public opinion to-day to answer
the charges of irreverence to the memory
of departed representatives. Mr.. Stout, OF
Michigan, was the public prosecutor, ana In
the absence OF counsel for the defense, the
House pleaded guilty to the charge 1t was
in the historic days of Adams and Clay and
Webster and Calhoun that the practice OF
setting apart a day for the euloSy OF de-
ceased. statesmen was inaugurated. The
panegyrics of those men are still live in the
nations history as the ideal of American
oratory and now adorn the'pages of nearly
every school reader in the land. But as time
passed the custom of eulogizing the Illus
trious was gradually extended, until to-day
every member of the House has as his
posthumous heritage the right to have
day set apart for the special eulogy of his.
eminent abilities and qualities OF statesman
ship.
The eloquent and spontaneous orations Of
Webster and Calhoun and Clay have gener-
ally given place to studiously prepared re.
marks on the mental and moral character
istics of the deceased. As eulogy became a
duty instead of spontaneous tribute, the in
terest of the House and of the country in
these events decreased, until Memorial Day,
as it is now known, is regarded as day OF
rest and recreation; as a period when no one
feels it incumbent to attend the sessions ex.
cept the orators of the ccasion-generally
the colleagues from the State which the de-
ceased represented in life.
Sunday as Day for Eulogy.
The first declaration of the insincerity' of
such proceedings came from MI. Enloe, of
Tennessee, who desired to amend the rules
by providing that eulogies to deceased mem
bers shall be delivered ON Sundays and Sun
days only, on which day the ceremonies
shall be opened with prayer by the Chap
lain. These services, he said, were in the
nature of religious services, and no more
appropriate day could be selected for giving
tribute to deceased members than Sunday.
The amendment was seconded by Mr..
Morse, of Massachusetts,. He believed that
the memorial services were educ cational and
proper. and the Lords day was the most
suitable one that could be chosen.
Mr.. Stout, of Michigan, said: 81 am in favor
Speaker, to be in st. Louis when a funeral
cortege bearing the body of a member OF
Congress passed through the city. The news
papers on the next morning said that the
body was left in the depot while the Sem
ators we're talking about the Presidential
election in the rotundas of the hotels
gone to the theaterI suppose to assuage
their profound grief. Great laughter.] The
country should know whether or not we
are sincere in our professions OF respect to
IL
who are not sincere in their professions of
regret and reverence of the dead can stay at
home" [Applause.1
Mr.. Ray, of New York, opposed the amend
ment. 1t was evidently offered in the inter-
est of those persons who never attended
church, but who could come here on the
Sabbath day and listen to oratory.
A Whole Month for Memorials.
Mr.. Reed, of Maine, gave the information
that the consumption of time in the first
session of the last Congress for memorial
services was q days. This announcement
created great surprise, but was not diputed.
Mr.. Bergen, of New ersey, said he saw no
necessity for putting another day into the
week.
Although standing vote showed major
1ty OF Sc to 6S in favor of the amendment,
this majority vanished before the dreaded
roll cali, and the amendment was defeated
yeas 81. nays 155.
Mr.. O'Neill, of Missouri, offered an amend
ment making it obligatorX on the House to
consider the private cafendar on Friday.
Lost-yeas 81, nays Ill.
Various propositions were made having
for their object the abolition OF the re trio
the delivery of eulogies upon deceased
members, but they were all rejected.
Mr.. Reed, of Maine, offered substitute
for rule "a, relating to the order of business.
The only change proposed is that the morn
ing hour, (Which, under the code, is limited
to go minutes) may be extended ind definitely,
at the pleasure ofthe House. The substitute
was lost-yeas so, nays l04.
Mr.. Chapman, OF Michigan, offered an
amendment providing for Friday night ses-
sions for the consideration of private pen
sion bills. Agreed to.
In speaking to an informal amendment j.
D. Taylor, sent to the Clerks desk, and had
read, the letter sent by Messrs. Wise, OF Vir-
ginia: Henderson, of North Carolina, and
Randall, of Pennsylvania, to Speaker Car
Isle, asking for recognition to move a sus-
pension of the rules and the passage of a bill
for the repeal of the internal revenue taxes
upon tobacco.
Carlisle More Than Defended.
Mr.. Caruth, of Kentucky, said he did not
rise to enter into any defense of Speaker
Carlisle. His name and fame were we'll
known. No man had ever retired from the
Speakers chair who had the confidence OF
this country-without Iegard to party-in q
greater degree than had Hon. j. G. Carlisle,
Democratic applause.)
Mr.. Taylor said that he meant to make no
attack upon Speaker Carlisle. He pointed
to these letters only us an illustration OF the
great power which the rules conferred upon
the Speaker.
Mr.. O'Neill, of Missouri, offered an amend
ment requiring the Committee on Rules to
report back. within ten days, all amend
ments to the rules referred to. He did not
believe that when the code of rules was
agreed to- the House should bind itself hand
and foot. and have no power to amend it.
He did not propose without notice to put
his head in the halter. The amendment was
lost.
The consideration of the rules reported by
the Committee on Rules having been con
cluded, Mr.. Reed, of Maine, on behalf of the
offered as a substitute there
for the rules of the Fifty first Congress-
Lost, without division. The code OF rules
was then agreed to.
At Work With the New Rules.
Mr.. Savers, of Texas, from the Committee
on Appropriations, reported a bill to supply
a deficiency in the appropriations for the
eleventh census, and it was referred to the
committee of the whole. Also a resolution
an inquiry into the affairs of the
Worlds Columbian Exposition, stating that
he would call it up for action tomorrow.
MIR. Durborow, of Illinois, presented a sub
stitute, winch was ordered printed and
which will be considered at the same time
Mr.. Dickerson, of Kentucky, offered reso-
luton directing the Committee on Judiciary
to make an investigation and report whether
Congress has the constitutional authority to
appropriate money for the Worlds Colum-
bian Exposition. Adopted.
On motion of Mr.. Goodnight. of Kentucky
creation OF n fourth judicial district in the
territory OF Utah. The House adjourned un-
til tomorrow.
The Senate Does a Little Work
In the absence of Vice President Morton,
who has gone to New York for lew days
the Senate was presided over by Mr.. Man
derson, President pro tenn, to-day.
Mr.. Brice introduced n bill for the erection
of a monument at Bay, O., to COM
memorate the battle of Lake Erie in 1913.
Mr.. PETER offered a resolution, which was
agreed to, changing the day tor holding the
special service in honor of the memory of
Senator Plumb.
At IL O'Clock the Senate proceeded to ex-
ecutive business. When the doors were