Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-10-18

temptuously as the assistant leader Of the
democracy. The most amusing episode of
the afternoon was that of the triumphant
entry of ex-Speaker Reed upon the scene
He came into the chamber just when Sena-
tor Hill was arguing to show that a presid-
ing officer had the right to count a quorum
and a smile Of large avoirdupois wreathed
the features of the man from Maine as he
reflected that here at last was a public
democratic vindication of his ''czarism"
The jovial and rotund man who played
such a havoc among the non-voters in the
Fifty-first Congress sat on the back row be-
tween Senators Teller and Dubois and
talked playfully about the rewards Of the
patient and other good things. and he was
evidently nightly pleased with the situa-
ton. for he grew almost hilarious in his
smile as the thunder of the democratic
disturbances rolled around his ears
1t was altogether q Reed day.
Senator Gray took the floor after the con-
clusion of MIR. Morgan's speech. and out
lined his position as that Of one who would
like to see Senators counted to make a quo
rum. while he could not see his way clear
to making them vote. He spoke for nearly
half an hour. He pointed out the difficult
ties in the way of rules that would provide
the various loop-holes that have been worn
through the present rules. He denounced
all coercion upon representatives of the
states in the national legislature as a step
toward absolutism.
He was followed by Mr.. Hill, who made
his second speech of the day on the subject
OF counting quorum. He referred again
to the decisions of the Supreme Court on
the subject to sustain his contention that
the presiding officer has the perfect right
to count members who are present and re-
fuse to contribute to the quorum for the
purpose of doing business. He grew in
tensely personal when he replied to the
structures laid upon him by Mr.. Morgan,
who had paid his compliments to the New
Yorker in no uncertain terms, and had re-
fected upon the honesty of the New York
democracy in the matter of elections. Mr..
Hill resented this and sarcastically inti-
mated that of course there were no politi-
clans in Alabama, nothing but statesmen,
and that the Kolb case was in no way a
sample of dishonesty in election methods.
Senator Morgan gave an apt illustra ton
of how eloquently statesman can remain
silent under fire when Mr.. Hill turned the
stream of his satire upon his white head.
1T does not lie in the mouth of the Sem
ator from Alabama" vehemently continued
Mr. Hill. with the record OF the election
case of Mr.. koiD before him, to reflect upon
the honesty of elections in the state of New
York. The Senator has spoken of his life
lcng devotion to the Constitution. I had
supposed that for a brief period he was
supporting another constitution, but may
be mistaken
Senator Morgan was deeply absorbed in
the pages of the Congressional Record. and
did not see the angry fist that was being
swung through the air behind him. Mr..
Hills sarcasm would have cut through
nickel steel as he said:
And when he talks about dying at his
post let me tell him now that have heard
othe- men say they were going to die in the
last ditch, and they are all alive yet"
Just then the next chapter in the Record
was the most interesting thing in the world
to Mr.. Morgan.
Then Mr.. Hill made the Senate roar with
laughter as he said:
The Senator has taken occasion to speak
disrespectfuily of the decision Of the Su-
p-eme Court Let me tell him q story. A
lawyer, pleading before a country justice
read page of Blackstone, not for the pur-
pose, he said. of convincing the Justice. but
Of showing what fool Blackstone was.
cite the decision Of the Supreme Court, not