Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1893-08-18
EXTRA Session begun.
THE FIRST MEETING OF THE
FIFTY-THIRD CONGRESS.
Scenes on the Floors of Both Houses
on the Opening Day-No Business
of Importance Transacted in the
Senate-The Representatives Or
ganize With Crisp as Speaker.

ganize With Crisp as Speaker.
| Only routine business was transacted on
| the first day OF the extraordinary session Of
the Fifty-third Congress, called by President
Cleveland for the purpose of enactng legis-
| lation to relieve the alarming financial con-
dftion of the country. The Senate al
| iourned very abruptly on receiving
| the announcement of the death OF
| Senator Stanford. which occurred
! month ago. and the House spent the day in
| electing it's Speaker and choosing the seats
| that the Representatives of the new Congress
| will occupy. At the White House President
| Cleveland awaited the coming OF the usual
| committees from the Senate and House to an
| nounce to him that Congress was ready TO do
| business. and was prepaI ed to reply to them
! that he would at once communicated the two
| Houses in writing. His message was COM
! pleted, and the Office carriage stood at the
| door to convey the private secretary to the
| Capitol with the important document. The
| Congressional committees did not arrive,
however, and the message was locked up IL
| the White House safe.
| In the Senate, Just before the stroke of
| noon, the Vice-Presidents gavel fell. andtbe
| Rev. Mr.. Butler opened the session with
| prayer The Vice-President then directed
| the Secretary to read the proclamation OF
| the President converting Congress to ex-
| traordinary session, and the document
! was read by Mr.. McCook. the outgoing Secre-
| tary. Mr.. Quay, who had been absent
| during the last session of the Senate. and had
! therefore not taken the oath qualifying him
for his new term. had the oath now admin
| istered to him. as also had Mr.. Pasco. re-
| elected by the Legislature of Florida since
| the close of the last session. The Vice
| President laid before the Senate CON-
munication from Mr.. Beckwith, Of Wyoming,
| saving that, owing to a combination Of
circumstances over which he had no control,
ne had been obliged to hand in his resigna-
| ton to Governor Osborne, OF Wyoming. of
| his appointment as United States Senator.
| The communication was placed on file. On the
| suggestion of Mr.. German the oath Of office
| was administered to the new Secretary of the
Senate, Mr.. Cox, who was escorted to the
| desk by the retiring Secretary, Mr. McCOOk.
| Resolutions We're then offered and agreed to
| to inform the House of Representatives that
a quorum of the Senate had assembled and
| was ready to proceed to business to notify the
| House and the President of the election Of
| Mr.. Cox as Secretary ofthe Senate, fixing the
| daily hour of meeting at noon, and for the
| appointment of committee Of two Senators
| to Join a like committee on the part Of the
| House to wait upon the President and in
| form him that both Houses are in session and
| ready to receive any communication he
may be pleased to make. Messrs. Har~
| ris and Sherman were appointed as
| such committee on the part OF
the Senate. Mr.. White then rose and said
| that it was his painful duty to announce the
| death of his late colleague, Mr. Stanford. He
| should, at a date to be fixed hereafter,
! quest the Senate to set apart day for such
| remarks in regard to Mr.. Stanfords memory
| as might be deemed proper, and should con-
| tent himself now with moving, as a mark Of
| respect that the Senate do now jOurn. The
| motion was agreed to, and the Senate, at
| u 20 adjourned.
| In the House of Representatives quarter
| before II the floor was cleared Of persons
| not entitled to the privilege of being present
| during the session. and at noon Clerk Kerr
| called the members to order, and the extra
ordinary session of the Fifty-third Congress
| began Then the Clerk read the Presi-
| dents proclamation summOning Congress
! to convene in extra session and i'm
| mediately afterward proceeded to call the
| roll. Three hundred and thirty-six mem
| bers having responded to their names, the
| Clerk announced that there was more than a
| quorum present, and that the first business
| in order was the election of a Speaker Mr..
| Holman as Chairman ofthe Democratic eau
| GUS rose and said that he had the honor to
put in nomination forthat high office the Hon.
| James F. Crisp. of Georgia. The laugh
! ter caused by this slip of the tongue
| had hardly abated before it was renewed.
when the Clerk fell into the same error and
| announced that ''James" I. Crisp had been
| put in nomination. Mr.. Reed. OF Maine, was
placed in nomination by Mr.. Henderson. the
| Chairman of the Republican caucus. Then
arose Mr.. Ken and amid general laughter,
| speaking for the third party, presented the
name Of Jerry Simpson. of Kansas. The vote
resulted For Crisp, 214 A.; for Reed, 122 for
! Simpson, 7. The announcement was
greeted with loud applause Messrs.
| Holman, Reed and Simpson were
| appointed committee to escort the Speaker
to the chair. AS Mr.. Crisp assumed the
| gaveI a sudden hush fell upon the House.
| In a clear but moved voice the Speaker said.
| Representatives Profoundly grateful for
| this mark OF your confidence. I shall try to
| be in some degree worthy Of it by an honest
effort to discharge the duties Of the
| Office on which l am about to enter
with fidelity, with courtesy, and
with the strictest impartiality. Gap
| piause.) [ am now ready to take the
oath OF office" The oath was impressively
administered by the father of the House, Mr..
| offered by the blind Chaplain of the last
House, the Rev. Doctor Milburn. The work
| of administering the oath of office to the
| members-elect was then entered upon. In
| squads of two dozen they, as their names
| were called took their stand in the area in
| front of the Speakers desk, and with right
| hand raised sWore to obey the Constitution
and the laws of their country. Then the
| Democratic officers were elected as follows.
James Kerr, Clerk Fl. W. Snow, Sergeant
alarms; A B. Hurt, Doorkeeper'
| uel W. Hadaway, Chaplain. When
the drawing for seats was concluded,
it was ordered that the daily hour for the
| meeting of the House would be II N. Mr..
Grosyenor announced the death OF his col
| league. Mr. Enoch, of Ohio, and as mark
of respect to the memory of the deceased the
House at g. 80 adjourned.
| The Senate.