Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-02-07
MN SERGEANT'S MACE.
s Seldom Brought into Use to
Preserve Order in the House.
.,,,- nv orrr-c
nr CONGRESSIONAL EULOGIES
--,-s Worse thal Farcical and Always Clear
n. s-.s-E1,srtainiag Information Con-
-As Congressional Emblem Of An-
a- and P1s.-NC-t5m BalisriaSh.

--.h Congressional Emblem Of Au-
ar and P5s.-NC-t6m BalisrdaSh.
-.., ..--4m 20 t,s sunday Register.
..r,ysr0v, d. c., February ct
.,- often that the mace has TO be
H+ sr the House, but already this
--- DO has been necessary 20 call
,ra SerEeant-at-ArmS 10 hold up
bread emblem of authority in order
..--'..,-,r.. the submission Of obdurate
r-. No matter how excited a
-.--sr may become or how violent his
....r he would have 20 have more
l.---. -bau Congressman usually have
..--...s- this little silver eagle, perChed
.-rs~-.y on an artistically carved log Of
r-. fear OF bodily harm from some
---.syra whom be might provoke be-
-.-s reason. respect for the authority
- rra Sneaker, and regard iOv public
--.-f7a or public decency might be en-
..srg LOST 10 q member, and yet so
..--r- is the feeling OF respect for the
s-b-am that it would send a thrill Of
f----- II any member should fail 70 OBJ
sarys and acknowledge the power OF the
mare When Mr. Plckler became I'M
univ t7 his elOQueuce few days ago,
Efs.rriesr harUangUe was cut In the
--ssra ol a sentence when he saw the
s--srttrg wings of this bird that was
,tvrrcfug toward him so pOmpOusly in
,-afrrds of the SeTgeant-at-arms.
THH. emblem during the session OF the
House stands uuObtruSively on a little
rssa,tal beside the Speakers desk, and
t.s very existence is not thought OF until
t- Suddenly rises aud is swOOped down
rr1- the offending member, bringing q
rrsr % his cheek, silence 70 his tongue,
and srbdues him TO quiet, and some,
limos abfect attitude in his seat. It is
rary. rous in what respect the members
hold this emblem and with what feel
ir- 0f power the Sergcant-at-ArmS
t.a~s 10 along. The Fetish worshiperS
show no more respect for their home
made gods.
HOW IT Is USED.
When the Sergeant-at-ArmS is ordered
.7 B-5Guce the mace 70 preserve order,
be- holds it i'm both hands directly
RI front Of him, and with SOL
aru tread marches up to the
member who is 20 be put in subsection.
lis seldom that he reaches the member
r time to say what he has on his
tongue, but when he does, he holds the
mace 80 that the beak Of the silver eagle
comes close under tho nose Of the men,
hep. and In solemn tones calls upon him
% observe the emblem Of authority, and
commands him 20 preserve order IN
E--s3 Of the penalty. Should a member
disregard this solemn warning the Ser
c7aut-at-Arms would return 70 tue
srace I'm front Of the Speakers desk,
and call the attention Of the Speaker 10
the fact that the mace had been insult
cd. Thereupou, the member would be
Ca led TO the bar Of the House.
Ifhe 10 once yielded he might receive
nothing more than a severe cenSure and
r-yr.mand, a cenSure 70 be recorded in
Oh. Journal of the House; but should he
persist I'm showing disreSpect for the
mace. he would be heavily fined, and
might be expelled from the House.
There is hardly On act for which pun
.shment would come more severely and
more surely than steady diSrespect Tor
this emblem of authority.
CONGRESSIONAL FUNERALS.
Next 20 Congressional funerals, which
are themselves but one remove from
EH7rf0us wakes, there is nothing more
absurd i'm Congressional lie or congress
S1udl death, if you choose to thlnk OF
Sc this way, than the eulOgies Whlch IL
is deemed imperative should be pro-
rouaced on certain days in the House
aud Senate, in honor of departed states
men. It was a sensible proposition
which the House rejected during the
consideration Of the code OF rules, 10
have these elog!eS held on Sundays, II
they must be held az all. The an
that a certain day In the
week is 10 be given 70 the WORK OF
tearing open aireSh the grave otssome
member. is q signal for the House or
the Senate, as the case may De- 10 DC
empty and the galleries deserted.
Some member whose face Is haruIy
known TO his colleagues, whose services
are not recorded i'm red letters IN the
state book, whose name is not borne oy
arylaw, and whose career might never
have been remembered so far as those
outside OF his own little district are
concerned, dies during the recess o.
CONGRESS-. Some months Gtterward one
of his colleagues announces with SAD
and solemn voice that he Is dead. Inc
other members Of the House listen long
enough 10 catch the name and learn the
occasion of the announcements. Then
they ipscribe in their mental diaries
date FOR vacation or day TO be devoted
% private business.
WHEN EULOGY DAY COMES.
When the eulogy day comes, certain
member or members who have oeen
into the dismal task OF pro-
nouncing eulogies which they do not
feel, and, perhaps, upon stranger ap-
pear in the House like culprits before
the bar OF Justice, or schoo. boys VINO
are kept ia, while their companions
have a holiday. Men who are ordinar-
fly bold Of speech with great lung pow
e., and aggressive elOQuence, S0uueuly
change their voices 70 hypOcr't'cai
whine, and with a sad sing-song tone
weep out a half hour each OF regres
which they do not feel, Of praise whlch
they do not believe, and OF word-palnt- !
ing OF the hereafter which they kno"
nothing about. 49,,
The whole day Is given up 70 thlS
byp0critical ceremony, the participants
lu which are like the hired weCperS at a |
Semi-ciyllized funeral. When IL Is All
over those who have been compelled 20
eurogize and those who have been con-
strained 20 listen depart with a Ieei'hs
OF disgust az their own hypocrisy ana
perhaps with resentment against the