Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-03-06
CLOSE OF THE OLD CONGRESS.
Reed in An Interesting gRole-Complexion
of the New Senate.

of the New senate.
WASHINGTON, March 6-The closing
scenes of the Fifty-second congress were
sleepy ones. Both houses had been up ali
night and in the senate it was so hard to
and made a hot speech, in which he said:
u want to say on my responsibility as a
senator and man that the proceeding of
the last two hours is disgrace; disgrace
that in the expiring hours of congress a
sufficient number of senator's cannot be
held here to dispose of the public measures
necessary to be considered" 1t was 6:3O a.
m. Saturday before the senate took recess
and then only to $3.50.
Had Completed the Business
But the business was completed. All the
bills which had been in conference for so
many hours had been agreed on, and the
only thing done after $3.50 was the appoint
ment of the usual committee to wait on
the president, the delivery of the farewell
speech of Chairman Morton, which was
graceful effort, and the passage of resolu.
tions of thanks to the retiring president
and president pro tenn. OF course old Cap
tain Bassett solemnly performed the act of
putting the clock back, so that the senate
should obey the law and adjourn at u
L
p, m. Before the inauguration twenty y-five
new senators were sworn in, among them
Martin of Kansas, whose prima facie right
to seat is subject to contest. After the
Inauguration the senate adjourned, having
appointed committee to inform the new
president that 1t was at his service
All the states have chosen new senator's
either by election or appointment, to the
senate of the Fifty third congress, except
Montana and Washington. The Republican
governor of the former will appoint Re
publican to serve until the next legislature
elects, and a Republican is assured event
ually from Washington, the legislature of
that state heing largely Republican Count
ing the senators from these two states
therefore, as Republicans, the senate will
be composed of forty-siX Democrats thirty
eight Republicans, and four Populists
Reed Has His Revenge.
In the house, after the last conference
reports had been agreed to recess was
taken to 1880 and on reassembling the
usual last-hour committee to wait on the
president was appointed. Then Hatch took
the chair while Reed took his revenge on
those present who had denied to him the
courtesy always accorded speakers when
he closed his term with the Fifty first con-
gress and refused TO vote him thanks
He began by stating that the speaker was
the office not the man: that j: should be
respected, and that no factional or party
malice should ever strive to lessen the dig
nifty of the office or the esteem in which the
speaker was held.
An Example Not To BE Initiated.
He then proceeded: No attack, wheth-
er open or covert, can be made upon that
great office without leaving to the future
legacy of disorder and bad government.
This is not because the speaker is himself
a sacred creation. 1t is because he is the
embodiment of the house, its power and
dignity. If any efforts of that kind have
been made in the past, if at any time in the
heat of passion or the flush of resentment
over unexpected defeat an action has been
takeu which has been thus inimical tn tho
public good and the public order. let us
leave TO those who so acted the honor or
the shame, and in no way give to their
example the tiattery of an imitation.
Patriotism Above Partisansbip
"While, therefore, my associates and 7
have not forgotten the past, am sure that
speak the sentiment of them all when
say that the Republican party. without no
gard to what any other party NAV do. or
what any other party has done. will bnt
uess' oy the respectful behavior of each
ana every one of its members, this high
once. tApplause-l Therefore, placing
patriotism above partisanship, placing duty
ABOVE even just resentment. notwith-
standing we no nof approve of the pa-lia
asisAs>AS .iAs -. 49,. ...I.....