St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-02-05
New Rules of the House In
Force and Business Will
Now Begin.
Private Pension Bills to Be
Considered at Evening
Sessions.
Official Funerals and Post
humous Eulogies Given
an Airing.
A Grunt Of Thankfulness in
Vainglorious Vein From
a Busted Nabob.

WASHINGTON. Feb. 1.-THE house of
Representatives was called before the
bar of public opinion today to answer
the charge of irreverence 10 the mem
CRY of departed representatives. Mr..
Stout, of Michigan, was the public
prosecutor, and in the absence of
couSel for the defense the house plead
ed guilty 10 the charge. 1t was in the
historic days of Adams and Clay and
Webster and Calhoun that the practice
of setting apart day for the eulogy OF
deceased statesmen was lnaugurated.
The panegyrics of those days 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 illustrIOuS dead was
gradually extended until today every
member of the house has as his pos
thumous heritage the right to have a
day set apart for the special eulogy of
his eminent abilities and qualities of
craftsmanship. The eloquent and
spontaneous orations of Webster and
Calhoun and Clay have generally given
place to studiously prepared remarks
en- the mental and moral characteristics
81 tbs deceased. As
EuIOgy Became a Duty,
instead of spontaneous tribute, the in
tereSt of the house and of the country
in these events decreased until memo
rial day. as 1t is now known, is regarded
rs a day of rest and recreation, as
period when no one feels it incumbent
to attend the sessions except the orators
of the ccaSion-generally the col
leagues from the state which the de-
ceased represented in life.
The first declaration of the inSincerity
of such proceedings came from Nj. En-
loe, OF Tennessee, who desired TO amend
the rules by providing that eulOgies to
deceased members shall be delivered
Sundays (and Sundays only, on which
day the ceremonies shall be opened
with prayer by the chaplain. These
services, he said, we're in the nature of
religious services, and no more apprO-
pirate day could be selected for giving
tribute TO deceased members than Sun
day. The amendment was seconded by
Mr.. Morse, of Massachusetts. He be-
heved that the memorial services were
educational and proper, and the Lords
day was the most suitable one that
Ould be chosen.
unefalS.
81 am in favor of this amendment"
said Mr.. Stout, of Michigan. II hap
pened once, Mr. Speaker, to be in st.
Louis when 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 senators were talking about the
preside initial election in the rotundaS in
the hotels laughter and the younger
members were gone to the theater-I
suppose to asSuage their profound
grief. [Great laughter. The country
should know whether or not we are SIN
cere III our professions of respect to the
dead. Let US meet on Sunday and those
who are not sincere in their professions
of regret and reverence for the dead can
stay at home" Applause.
Mr.. Reed, of Maine, gave the infor-
nation that the consumption of time
In the first session of the last congress
for memorial services was tWenty-four
days. This announcement created
great surprise, but was not disputed.
Although a standing vote showed a ma
1ority of SO to 6S in favor of the amend
ment, this majority vanished before the
dreaded roll call, and the amendment
was defeated-ycas, 81; nays, l55. Va
riOus propositions were made later, hav-
ing for their object the abolition or the
restriction of the custom Of setting
apart days for the delivery of eulogies
upon deceased members, but they were
all rejected.
Mr.. Chapman, of Michigan, offered an
amendment providing for Friday night
sessions for the consideration OF private
pension bills. Agreed to.
The Rules Adopted.
The consideration of the rules re-
ported by the committee oil rules hav-
Ing been concluded, Mr.. Reed, of Maine,
OH behalf of the Republicans, offered as
substitute therefor the rules of the
FIfty-trst congress. Lost, without di-
vision. The code of rules was then
agreed to.
Mr.. Savers, of Texas, from the COM
mittee Oil appropriations. reported a
bill to supply deficiency in the appro-
priations for the eleventh census, and
1t was referred to the committee of the
whole. Also, resolution direct
Of the worlds Columbian expo" expo,
sition, stating that he would
call it up for action tomorrow. Mr.Dur-
borrow, of Illinois. presented a substi-
tute which was ordered printed and
which will be considered at the same
time. Mr.. Dickerson, of Kentucky, of
fered resolution directing the commit
tee on judiciary to make an investiga-
ton and report whether congress has
the constitutional authority to appro-
pirate money for the Worlds Columbian
Exposition. Adopted.
On motion of Mr.. Goodnight, of Ken
lucky, senate bill was passed to pro-
vide for the creation of fourth judicial
district in the territory of Utah. The
house adjourned until tomorrow.