Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-03-05


no precedent IN the present session.
On one side was Speaker Crisp and or The
other ex-Speaker Reed. As might natur
ally be presumed the yexed question was
no quorum, the constitution and legal sig
niicance of this term was the subject Of
controversy. The entire day had been con-
sumed in desultory conversation on unim-
portant private bills, and Kilgore of Texas
made motion that the house take a recess
till s p. m. On division the vote stood So to
81. Enloe demanded tellers, and they be-
ing refused, raised the point of mo quorum
voted.n
1.-THE gentleman from Tennessee said
the speaker, "makes the point of no quo
rum on the motion to take a recess. The
chair will have TO appoint tellers.
THE gentleman does not make the point
Sof no quorum" interposed Reed. He
makes the point that no quorum voted"
Under the rules of the house and under
the present administration of the house, -
said the speaker, "a gentleman is not pres
ent unless he votes" Applause on Demo-
cratic side.
THAT shows q new speaker has been
elected and a new system adopted since the
last congress, . was Reeds reply.
THAT shows the present occupancy of the
chair will endeavor 10 enforce the rules of
the house as they now exist, retorted the
speaker.
Nevertheless the speakers quickly re-
piled the ex-speal1er the observation
1 made is entirely correct, namely, the
point the gentleman from Tennessee
made was no quorum voted, while the
speaker states the point he made was no
quorum My observation, notwithstanding
the retort Of the chair. was entirely cor
rect"
"Perhaps it is" said the speaker, 'ebut
1t is entirely out of order" Democratic
.sTf,e a1+ira,,, co,,-ac+ ,, ,,a,.sie+o5 taa5
"and therefore the chair has no right to
make such remarks"
''The gentleman is correct, : but at the
same time out of order" observed the
speaker.
4 was entirely in order when I called
the attention of the chair to the facti
THE chair thinks not"
Entirely in order" persisted Reed.
1.-THE chair thinks the gentleman is en-
tirely out of order'' reiterated the speaker.
'There is no occasion for such reply.
The point was made not by the gentleman
from Maine but by some body else, a point
OF no quorum. The chair entertained the
point, wherupon the gentleman from Name
made the suggestion -
'And thereupon, " interposed Mr. Reed 81
said to the chair the gentleman made the
point Of no quorum and the chair
no quorum, which is a different
proposition, and I had the right to call the
attention of the chair The chair had no
right to make such a retort even if it was
supported by disorderly applause upon his
side. which he permitted
The chair will state there is no distinc-
ton under the present rules of the house be-
tween point of no quorum and no quorum
voting. The distinction between these two
points. no quorum and no quorum present,
was mad under the rules of the last con-
gress."
81 want to say, - said Enloe, ''the speaker
is abundantly sustained by authorities in
making retorts to gentlemen on the floor"
THE chair does not intend to recognize
that replied Crisp:
During the coloquy between the speaker
and Reed both gentlemen appeared to lose
some degree of their customary equa-
nimity and the retorts, though couched
in polite language, was characterized by
earnestness and some degree of warmth.
After the Crisp-Reed colloquy the house
took a recess till O'Clock, the evening ses-
sion TO be for the consideration of private
pension bills, bills removing political dis
ability and bills removing charges of de-
sertion.
The second night session for the consid-
Grafton of private pension bills proved no
more successful than the first. kflgore of
Texas was on hand with his point of no
quorum, and after roll call the house ad-
journed.