Evening journal., 1893-05-22
CHAOS IN THE ASSEMBLY
Presbyterian Legislators Were
in Confusion This Morning.
BRIGGS WAS RUSHED TO THE FRONT

Sarcasm, wit aud Unpleasantness Cause
Parliamentary Confusion But Moder-
ator Craig is Equal to the Emergency.
He Quens the Noise BY Shouting
Don't You Try to Overwhelm Us at
This Stage Of the Game"
WASHINGTON, May 22.-Rev. Thomas
Bracken, of Wakeeny, Kansas, conducted
the half hours devotional exercises with
which the second weeks session of the
Presbyterian General Assembly was
ushered in this morning. Promptly at
8 80 Moderator Craig opened the assem-
bly, with word of prayer.
The special committee on Sabbath oh.
servance, of which the late Colonel Ell
liot f. Shepard was chairman from the
inception, submitted its fifth annual re-
port, which was read by Elder w. r.
Worrall, of the New York Presbytery,
Colonel Shepard's private secretary. The
committee expressed sorrow at the death
of Colonel Shepard The effort to secure
the opening of the Worlds Fair on Sun
day was recited, closing with a state
ment of the vote of Congress against it,
The report then proceeded: The i'm
portance of this action can scarcely be
over estimated. 1t is a greater triumph
than appears upon the surface. 1t has
given expression to the voice of the
people. The strongest of the Sabbath
sentiment has been tried and proved.
The people are unwilling to lose the
Sunday rest.
"The question Of Sabbath observance
has been very widely discussed. The
foreign element has been advised respect
ing the American Sabbath and its strong
hold upon our people The friends of
the Sabbath in Europe are rejOiced and
their hands are greatly strengthened.
But it is a matter of profound regret
that in all this contest the friends
of Sunday closing have received
little or no aid from the secular
press. 1t has been impossible, save
in few cases of notable i'm
portance, TO secure the insertion of
judicious articles in favor Of closing,
while whole columns have frequently
appeared against it. If we have sue
ceeded it is only because the Lords
Sabbath is on our side. Otherwise there
has been prodigious odds against US.
Briggs to the Front at Bound.
The Briggs question then came to the
lIOill ~ u D0uuQf anu ~ 1A4 n1N AAAAAT
gate the results Of the short struggle to
know when it was over that it was
chiefly the result Of a Misunderstanding
DR.. Young, chairman of the committee
on bills and overtures announced what
had been done with a number of over
lures from the presbyteries, twelve of
them relating to the Briggs case, having
been referred to the committee on
judiciary.
DR.. Young had scarcely ceased speak
ing when DR.. Herrick johnson, of Chi
cago, inquired what had become of the
overture from his presbytery on the
Briggs case, which overture besought the
assembly to refer this celebrated case
back to the synod of New York.
Dr. Thomas c. Hall, of Chicago, in
sympathey with DR.. Briggs, made brief
speech in favor of sending all resolutions
in the Briggs case to the judiciary com
mittee first, as all would eventually &,
there.
General Parliamentary Confusion.
Elder Eudaly, of Cincinnati, got th
floor and stated that the assembly ha'
to do simply with the law as it is, not a.
il ought to be. There was a genera
parliamentary confusion, various com
missioners attempting to get the floor
amid which the announcement was mad
that the Chicago overture had gone L
the judiciary committee. While tn
moderator was attempting to put tn
question, Dr. johnson remained upon hi
feet claiming the right to be heard.
Commissioner Cutcheon's Complaint.
Commissioner Cutcheon of Detroit
stated that there was an overture fron
L -, IN, Of fhof fon
he supported the motion to refer all tn
Briggs overtures to the judiciary CON
mittee. He complained that the mod
orator had not permitted him to speak
although he had been repeatedly .upo
his feet.
Mr.. Cutcheon said he would appel
from the decision of the chair, and wa
spplauded.
DIR. Young asserted that the moderate
could not see every man who ought to /
seen. Mr.. Cutcheon, who is PHYSICAL
one of the largest men ON the floor, II
torted that the failure to see him wa
possibly due to the fact that he was
small
Moderator Craig, in reply, said it mao
no difference how many times M
Cutcheon had been on his feet so long
he had not caught the eye OF the chat
He added: 81 never knew such an on
break while vote was being taken, "aI
this remark was received with loud a
plause.
DIR Craig Was short and Sharp.
The reference of the overtures to Il
Judiciary committee was carried and th'
DR.. Craig stepped TO the front of Il
platform. What he said was short al
sharp. Don't you try to overwhelm !
with such points at this stage of Il
game he said, emphasizing his remarl
by flourish of the gavel which he he
in his hand. This was greeted wi
cheers and the incident ended for &
time.