Passaic City record., 1892-12-10
CONGRESS REASSEMBLES.
The Senate and House Form.
ally Organize for Business.
Scenes Attending the Opening Of
the Short Session.

The final session of the Fifty second Con-
gress was opened at noon on the appointed
day for assemblage, and with probably
brief intermission during the holidays will
continue until March 4, when new Con-
gress and new Administration will come
into existence. The Presidents message
was not ready for transmission, SO there
was nothing to do but to adjourn over until
next Fl day. An unQuestioned quo
rum was present in eacn branch, SO
that the routine work OF the session will no
doubt be promptly resumed after the Presi-
dents recommendations have been received
and read. A beautiful crisp winter day
ushered in the session, and long before the
hour of noon spectators began to arrive at
the House wing of the Capitol in order to
secure advantage OF seats in the gal
leries. Members also began to arrive
early and the scene presented on the
floor was q lively and bustling one.
In both Senate and House there was rare
display of beauty In the galleries AMI fow-
ers on the floor, for although it was gener-
ally understood that no business could be
transacted to-day, and that no communica-
ton would be received from the President,
it is the habit of the Washington women to
be in attendance on the opening ceremonies
of Congress, and to see that the desk OF her
Sharp upon the stroke Of 10 Vice President
Morton brought the gavel down, barely
missing circular shaped basket of roses
that rested on his desk, and the Sem
ate came to order. Chaplain Butler,
IN his prayer, referred feslingly to
the Presidents recent Affections. There
was surprisingly large number OF Sena-
tors present, seventy-one of the eighty
eight being ready for business. Among the
absantees were the two New York Senator'S.
After the opening prayer by the Chaplain,
Senator Morrill, presented the certificate OF
election of his colleague, Senator Rad
field Proctor: OF Vermont for the nnex-
pired term OF George F. Edmunds. termina-
ting March 8 1898, and for the ensuing term
OF six years. Upon the arm of his VEN
cradle colleague Mr.. Proctor, advanced to
the dais Of the Vice Presidents desk, and
Mr.. Morton administered the statutory
oath. Senator Sherman presented the Gus
tomary resolution instructinz the Secretary
to inform the House that the Senate was
Hale offered q resolution authorizing
the President to appoint committee OF
two to Join similar committee on the
part of the House to inform the President
that q quorum of each House was present.
and that Congress was ready to receive any
communication he might have to make. Tho
resolution was adopted and Messrs. Hale
and German were named as the committee.
Mr.. Sherman suggested that the Sem
ate should take recess until o'clock,
which was agreed to- On reassem-
bling the Senate received message
from the House of Representatives by
Mr.. Kerr, its Clerk announcing that q
quorum had appeared, and that it was
ready to proceed to business At 1:Sl
Senators Hale and German appeared, and
Mr.. Hale reported that they had performed
the duty assigned them. The President had
responded that he would send q message In
writing to Congress at the beginning Of to-
on motion of Mr.. Sherman, adjourned.
In the House, as the hands of the clodx
pointed to twelve, Speaker Crisp ascended
to the Speakers chair, and as his gavel
dropped q solemn hush followed the noise
and confusion The blind chaplain.
the Rev. DR.. Milburn, delivered brief
and impressive prayer. Two hundred
and twenty-four members having responded
to the roll call. the Clerk was ordered to
inform the Senate that the House was ready
to proceed to business A committee. COM
posed of Messrs. Springer, Forney and
O'Neill (Pennsylvania), was appointed to
join a committee OF the Senate
to announce to the President that both
Houses were in session AMI resdy to
receive any communication he saw fit to
make. Mr.. Payne. of New York, presented
the petition of John l. Davenport. Chief
Supervisor of Elections for the Southern
District of New York, for a hearing before
the bar of the House of Representatives,
sshe having been denied a. hearing
by committee of the Houss." 1t was re-
ferred to the Select Committee appointed
to investigate the administration OF United
States election laws in the city of New Y ork.
The credentials of John L. McLluren, from
the Sixth District of South Carolina: s. g.
Hilborn, from the Third California District;
Lewis b. Oneghan, from the Sixteenth Ohio
District; John B. Brown, from the First
Maryland District. and Sykes, from
the Twenty-fourth Pennsylv mia District
were read ami approved. The membars-
elect came forward and were sworn In. The
report of the Utah Commission, the report
of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Insti-
tuition and the report submitted by the
Board OF Managers of the Home for DISABLED
Soldiers were read by title and referred
At 1910, upon motion of Mr.. McMliin,
the House took recess for thirty
minutes in order to give thu COMMITTEES ap-
pointed to wait upon the PRESIDENT oppor-
tunity to report. At l:55 the committee
returned. and Mr.. Springer announced
that the commission with which they were
charged had been executed and that the
President would seni a communication
to the House next day. Mr.. English,
of New Jersey, announced the death
Of his colleague, the late Represents
tive Edward F. Mcdonald and stated that
at future time he hoped to submit some
appropriate remarks. He offere the usual
resolutions Of respect AMI asked that as an
additional mark of respect the House ad-
iourn The resolutions were adopted, ana
At I IN tha Ha11sa adiOurned.