The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-02-02
TUESDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 2, 1892.

of the House shall not be In order after the
previous question, unless it shall appear
from an actual count by the
Speaker that q quorum Is not present. The
Constitution of the United States provided
that majority of the members should con-
stitute quorum. How aquorum was to
be ascertalned was not declared. but no
one could deny that the moment the pres
ence of a quorum was discovered. that mo-
ment the body had legislative capacity. he
cared not how that quorum was disclosed.
Two or three times during the present ses-
sion the point mo quorum" had been
raised. hen q quorum was actually pres
ent. This trouble and delay might be
avoided by his amendment.
ALDERsoN's CHARGE AND REEDS REPLY.
Mr.. Anderson of West Virginia made no
issue with the gentleman from Maine [Mr.
Reed that the officers OF the House were
faithful and would do their work honestly.
But it would not be disputed that during
the sessions of the Fifty-first Congress the
Speaker counted a quorum by counting
gentlemen who were down stairs in the
bath-tubs. in order that the Republican
majority might carry out what 1t Intended 70
do, as against the expressed will of the
people. Take. for instance. the case of MIR.
Forman of Illinois who had been counted
to make q quorum when he was not In the
District of Columbia. He Dir. AldersOn]
was not here to say that hats and umbrel-
las had been counted to make up quorum,
but to say that empty space had been count
cd time and again. His amendment was
not intended as a reflection upon the pres
ent Speaker upon the committee on
rules, but was intended as rejection on
the dolngs, and actions, and tyranny, and
arbitrary will of the last Speaker and the
Republican brethren who had stood at his
back.
Mr.. Reed replied to the specific statement
H. H.
ginia to the effect that Mr.. Forman of Ill
inois had been counted to make quorum
during the last Congress when. in fact, be
was absent from the city. This statement
he admitted was correct. The gentleman
from Illinois Mr.. Pay sonl then occupied
the chair. and he had made an error In the
count. There was no method of counting
q vote or the presence or member that
was not liable to error and mistake; and
there had been repeated instances under
the rules of the present House when not
only were members recorded who had not
voted. but members who had voted were
recorded enormously. These errors would
exist under any system.
After further debate Mr.. Cochran of New
York took the floor. and his remarks. with
out going to the extent of upholding the
unlimited right of the Speaker to eOunt a
quorum, advocated such a rule as would
permit the House to transact business
when there was q quorum present and re-
fusing to vote. He would favor the clos
ing of the doors during every roll-call. He
would give to the House, either through
the Speaker or upon motion OF any men,
ber, the power to compel any Representa-
tive here to bear that part of the Legislation
which his presence gave him. and which
was accorded to his presence and not to his
voice. (Applause.l The House had right to
take an absent member by force and bring
him to the bar. 1t had the right to punish
him. Was not that counting him for one
purposef And if he could be counted for
the purpose of punishment. could he not be
counted for the interests of the govern
menti Could that Representative, after
having been arrested and released or pun
ished, remain here silent and in open con-
tempt of the House, and was the House
powerless to count himf He Mr.. Cockran1
believed that the House had right to
count quorum In any way 1t saw proper.
[Applause.
Mr.. Anderson of West Virginia withdrew
his amendment and the question was taken
on Mr.. Burrows's amendment. The yeas
and nays were ordered, pending which the
House adjourned.