Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-03-31
BLAND FORCED TO GIVE UP
Free Coinage Receives a Set
back in the House.
A SCENE OF WILD EXCITEMENT
Crisp Saves Free Silver From
Utter Defeat.
His Vote Makes Tie on the Motion to
Lay the Silver Bill on the Table,
bland Ends Furious Fight by Moving
For an Adjournment---Anti-sii Men
Jubilant.


Jubilant.
WASHINGTON, March A.-The last day
of the debate on the Bland Free Silver
bill was one of excitement throughout.
The debate was opened by Mr.. Williams of
Illinois, a Democratic member of the COM
mittee on coinage, in favor of the bill, and
Mr.. Cochran Of New York, followed in
strong speech against the bill. Mr.. Cum
mings of New York, also spoke against the
bill, aud numerous speeches for and
against the bill followed up to o'clock, to
which hour the debate had been extended
on motion of Mr.. Bland. At 5 o'clock the
excitement reached climax, when a
motion Of Mr.. Burrows to lay the bill on
the table was lost by tie vote of las to
14S As the roll-call progressed and it be-
| came evident that the result would be
close every vote was listened to with the
greatest attention. When the call was fin
ished some opponent of the bill who had
kept tally passed the word around that the
motion TO table had been carried by a
majority of one. There was ripple of
applause, but it came too early. for after
| the vote had been recapitulated Speaker
Crisp said: "The clerk win call my name"
His name was called, he voted NO" and
| the vote was tied.
AN ANALYSIS OF THE VOTE.
An analysis of the vote by which Mr..
Burrows motion to table was lost revealed
several interesting facts. Mr.. Rockwell
| of New York, who was understood to be
acting under instructions from Senator
Hill. voted no. Mr.. Vincent A. Taylor of
Ohio, who is opposed to the passage of the
bill, voted against tabling, and when re-
monstrated with by other Republicans, de-
clared that he was determined to do all in
his power to compel a vote on the bill
| To ha
bers on record. OF the Maryland mem
bers Messrs. Page, Rayner. McKaig and
Stump voted TO table the bill Mr. Rusk,
who would have voted the same way was
compelled on account of illness to leave
the House before the vote was taken, and
he was paired with his colleague from
Maryland, Mr.. Compton, who would have
voted with the free coinage men. Consid-
ernble comment was occasioned by the
fact that Notwithstanding that New York
has insisted on taking the lead on the floor
Of the House in opposition to the Bland
bill, two of her delegation, Mr. Stahlnecker
and slr. Campbell, were not present. Mr.;
Stahlnecker was paired. but MIR. Campbell
was not. If he had been present, or had
taken the trouble to secure pair, the bill
would have been killed.
THE sILvERITEs SURPRISED.
The result of the vote was a reverse for
the opponents of the bill, but 1t was not a
reasslring victory for the free-coinage
men, for Instead Of a majority of twenty
or more, they had escaped defeat bya tie.
The effect was to reverse the position Of
the two sides, and the advocates of the bill
Immediately began to play for time and
make lilibustering motions. The OPP
ponents of the bill were not slow in taking
advantage of their position, and refused to
adjourn or take a recess After these dila-
tory motions had been voted down, Mr..
johnson of Ohio, who had been in his
seat. with Senator Brice at his side, moved
to reconsider the vote by which the motion
to lay the bill on the table was lost. He
had voted against this motion, and his
change of front was evidently suggested
by Senator Brice.
THE SPEAKERS MISTAKE.
After Mr.. Bland's motion to table Mr..
Johnsons motion had been lost, the roll
was called on the latter, and the Speaker,
without giving time for any one to call for
a recapitulation, announced the vote again,
l4S to 14S, another tie. Instantly the
House was in the greatest confusion,
members demanded recapitulation, and
several of them who had kept tally in.
sisted there was an error in the vote. The
Speaker held that the vote having been
announced a recapitulation could not be
had. Republicans and Democrats all over
the House protested, but in vain. The
Speaker was as immoyable as ever Mr..
Reed was in the memorable 51st
Congress. Finally Mr.. Reed obtained
recognition, and he explained that he
understood that previous to the 5ls,
Congress the uniform practice hnd been to
| recapittilate, unless by unanimous consent
the recapitulation was dispensed with. In
! the 5lst Congress he had declined tu
allow recapltulation when the object was
to filibuster, but never had he done so on
the ground given by the present. Speaker
Mr.. Crisp seemed to realize that he had
made a mistake, and he suggested that by
=, unanimous consent the vote could be re-
capitulated. Mr. Corkran asked unani-
nous consent. there was no objection and
the recapituation showed that the clerl;
had failed to record two members who
had voted in the affirmative. Tins changed
the result to 100 to 14S, and the question
; then recurred back to the original motion
of Mr.. Burrows to lay the bill upon tho
j table. -
INTENSE EXCITEMENT.
The vote progressed amid intense excite
| ment and when it was concluded it was
: apparent that though Mr.. johnson anc
, one or two other recruits had Joined tho
opponents of the bill few others who
: had voted before had left the hall and tn,
vote stood ii5 in favor of LAYING on tn,
, table to 148 against. Before the announce
ment was made, however, Mr.. Outhwait,
of Ohio, amid the greatest confusion, de
! clared that Mr.. Donovan of Ohio, whC
was recorded rs voting in the negative
had not been present during the roll call
lie asked il the error in the tally was I,
. decide the question. Mr.. McRae of Arkan
. sas demanded to know whether the CLERK
!, or the gentleman from Ohio, Mr.. Outh
!. waite, was to keep the record Of the vote
C in the House. Members crowded in til,
c aisles and in the open space in front of tn,
: speakers desk shouting and gesticulatins
I wildly. Finally Mr.. Dugan of Ohio
managed to make himself heard and dc
!; clared that he had seen Mr.. Donovan leav
l ing the House during the call, but aftel
7 his name had been called. This statement
: did not allay the excitement and tho
Speaker was forced to call upon the ser
| geant-at-aIms to clear the aisle. Assistant
/ Sergeant-at-arms Hill lifted the silvei
{ mace from its pedestal and advanced tc
the centre aisle The emblem of tn,
=, authority of the House was greeted with
! shouts and members hurried to their seat.
| and then in answer TO n question from MIR
/ Breckenridge of Kentucky the Speaker an
4 nounced that the vote of Mr.. Donovan
would not affect the result, This satisfiet
the House and the vote was announced.
MR.. RAYNER TAKES A LEADING PART
The question then was upon Mr.. Bland't
motion for the previous question on til,
bill and pending amendments. Filibuster
, ing motions to adjourn and to take re
J cess were interposed. The Republicans
: would not join with the anti-free-coinag
4 Democrats in these notions or the bill
: could have been defeated by an adjourn
1 ment. Mr.. Rayner of Maryland took
! leading part in the fight and resortei t,
! every expedient known to parliamentar,
!. law to gain an advantage for thi
opponents of the bill. He measured tn
: | pfrnnoth of tho Onnpeir,tr ctHac and 40 ri, ,