Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1892-10-15
STEVENSON'S TOUR.
New Light Thrown Upon the Force Bni
Conspiracy.

Special Correspondence.
NrW YORK. OCT. lO.-In this city the
camraign of Adlai Stevenson in North
| Carolina has been watched with much
interest. Senator David b. Hill speaks
Of 10 IN the warmest terms. Mr.. Steven
son made the force bill vital issue. The
character Of this bill was surpassed by
the violence II the measures adopted in
The house of representatives 10 pass IL.
70 was not until after the campaign Of
1855 that the Republicans showed their
hand They ! ew that by the official
returns they had three majority in the
next house. The second session Of the
| Fifueth congress which was Democratic,
met in December following the election.
/ On Fob. l3, 1857, the Smalis-Elliott con-
! tested election case came before the
house Henry Cabot Lodge. in a speech
/ on behalf sf Robert Smalls, openly an
| nounccd that the Republicans in the
/ next house intended 10 pass "a force bill.
/ They would have control Of both houses
/ and the executive department OF the
/ government for the first time in years.
/ Mr.. Crisp. of Georgia. asked Lodge il
/ the Republican party claimed the right
/ 10 put troops at the polls under the pre-
/ tense that they were wanted 10 secure "A
/ fair election. He replied that they did.
Mr.. Harrison foreshadOwed the force
bin I'm his inaugural message in less than
three weeks afterward. He also advised
the passage Of such measure In his first
message 10 Tom Reeds congress, which
met in December, 1889. The Republican
majority in shat congress meantime bad
been increased 10 eight 10y the admission
of North and South Dakota, Montana
and Y ashington into the Union. The
force bill cOnspiratOrs were not satisfied
with this majority. IL was too small
for them 10 pass the bill desired There
were Confederate soldiers among the
Republican members who would not
vote for IT, To insure the passage of the
bill they determined to increase their
majority in the house by throwing ont
Democratic members and placing Re-
pubicauS in their seats. To DO this the
most tyranuical measures were adopted.
On Jan. %, 1890, before the house had
adopted any rules, the contested cleo
ton case of Smith against Jackson was
called Judge Jackson had been re-
turned from West Virginia by forty
four onDial majority. The instant the
case was called up Mr.. Crisp, Of Geor-
gia, raised the question OF considera-
tiou. " ben the vote was taken the
Democratic members, seeing that the
RcIubucaL, had no quorum, refused TO
vote. IurreupOn Tom Reed, acting, as
be claimed. under general parliament
tary law" counted enough Democrats
present and not voting 70 secure
quorum This was in violation Of prece-
dents set by Speaker Blaine and others.
1t was the first time that IA speaker had
assumed this power since the foundation
Of the government.
Nj Crisp appealed from the action Of
| thcs kerr and Mr. Reed, acting still. as
| be claimed, under general parliamentary
/ law, refused to entertain the appeal. He
| also refused TO entertain motion To- al
| jo.u, claiming that it was dilatory
motion and that under parliamentary
! law hc had right to DO so.
Thus, by the tyrannica and unconsti-
! tutlouai ruling Of the ~ aker, the Jack
! son case was forced before the house.
| Judge Jackson was ousted from his
| seat, hut In" Republicans furnished a
quorum of lG5 votes TO oust him. They
were afraid TO do it 10y counting Demo.
Gratis present and not voting, because
this would give the judge an opportunity
10 appeal to ~&supreme court upon Tom
Reed rulings under general parliament
tary law.
BY the ousting Of Judge jackson the
Republican majority IN the house was
increased 10 ten.
Fearing that they would be unable 10
obtain voting quorum in the other con-
tested election case the Republicans
were forced To adopt rules for the gov
ernmeut of the house. One of these
rules gave the speaker the power 10
colut those present and not voting 70
make quorum. But this very rule
WAS adopted under the ruling Of the
speaker that he had right under par
lameu'ary law 10 count such a quorum.
The rules were adopted on Feb. IA.
On Feb. - Nr. Pcudlrton, another Dem.
ocrat from West Virginia, was turned
ont OF his seat by four votes less than
NNA'l 'Ialls AN'.''A COUNTING tllDuIu Df.llD-
Gratis present and not voting TO make
quorum. Pendleton's official majority
was 10. The Republican majority in
the house was thus increased to l2.
On March Mr.. Cate, of Arkansas,
was uu-catcd. His Official majority was
IBIS. The Affirmative vote showed 2l
less than a quorum. The Republican
| majority ina the house was thus increased
/ 10 IS.
Ou March 90 Barnes Compton, a Dem
ocra'c member from Mary land, was nm
/ seated. iii. official majority was lsl.
/ The affirmative vote was less than a
quorum. The Republican majority In
. tine house was increased 10 lG.
ON April II George u. Wise, n Dem
ocraJic member from Virginia, was I'M
seated. Ill, official majority was 3Gl.
/ The affirmative vote was 43 less than a
/ quorum. The Republican majority was
| thus Increased TO H.
on .'nua Louis W. Turpin. a Demo-
/ cIt ..'u Alabama, was uuseated. His
| official aJrr s. was 1913. The affirm
atIvr ,.t, was thirty-soven less than
quorum The Republican majority had
tru- la,u increased from three 10