The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-04-18

WASHINGTON. April 1.-THE House
was precipitated at once, upon the open
Ing OF the session to-day, into an ami
mated. not to say bitter, controversy
over the proposition to count quorum.
Immediately after the chaplain had con.
cluded the Lords prayer, Catchings got
the door and stated that, by direction OF
the committee on rules, he would with
draw the report of the committee, made
last week, proposing to fine members for
unexcuSed absences and failures to vote
This being done, he offered tho reso.
luton agreed upon by the committee as
substitute for the Diamond rssolu-
tion referred to the committee by the
Democratic caucus last Friday, by which
the Speaker shall appoint two tellers,
who shall tell the names of at least
enough nembers present who during
the roll call do not respond to their
names, and also provides that every
member shall be present within the
hall OF the House during it's sittings,
unless excused or necessarily prevented,
| and shall vote on each question put,
unless he has direct personal or pecu-
mary interest in the event of such
| question. and on roll call, should he
not vote, he shall ans wer "present.'
When it had been read, Catchings
| asked unanimous consent that the pre-
vious question on the passage of the
resolution be considered ordered, and
that debate be closed in an hour and
! half the time to be contr olled by the
| Speaker OF the House.
At once there was opp )sition mani
tested on the Democratic side, and so
| much confusion existed that tho pro.
ceedings could not be distinguished at
the Speakers desk. Wells (Dem Wis
| objected to restricting debate to such q
limit. Bryan Dem, Neb } appealed to
Catchings for two hours debate Mr..
McMillin Dem, Tenn joined the
ranks OF those who asked for two hours
debate on q side.
After further discussion Catchings
changed his request for unanimous
consent so as to fix the vote at i o'clock.
Burrows offered as subs titute for
the rule presented the rule in force in
the Fifty-frst Congress as presenting
the views of the minority. This was
agreed to and the rule was read.
Catchings request for unanimous con-
sont WAS then submitted, and Wells
| (Dem., Wis., objected. Catchings then
moved that the previous question be
ordered on the passage of the resolu-
ton. On division the vote was Yeas, l2S:
nays, 0S. The Republicans generally
voted against ordering the previous
| question. The yeas and nays were do.
manded and ordered, resulting: Yeas,
| 40; nays, 100; the previous question
| was ordered.
Burrows stated that the rule reported
| by the committee and the substitute
offered by him both contained tho
| principle Of counting a quorum, differ
ing only as to detail Not desiring to
| embarrass or delay the adoption of the
| principle by the House, desiring rather
that the Democratic majority should
have an unobstructed opportunity to
indorse the Fiftyfrst Congress, he
would withdraw tho substitute.
The debate was opened by Catchings
in brief explanation Of the rule, say
| ing it was tho result of the action OF the
| caucus of last Friday.
Russell (Ga.) lamented the humiliat
| ing spectacle presented to the country
| by the Democratic majority of the
| House, with seventy or eighty more
votes than the Republican and thirty
| nine moro than q majority, finding
themselves unable to do BUSINESS with.
out calling to their aid the exceptional
and revolutionary demands of the Fifty
| first Congress.
| Mr.. Reed said: ~ do not desire to ad-
dress the House again upon the general
| subject. This scene here to-day is a
| more effective address than any could
make. The House is about 30 adopt the
principle for which we contended in the
Fifty first Congress-, and is about to
| adopt it under circumstances which
show conclusively to the country it's
| value No words that | can utter can
add to tho Importance Of the occasion. /
congratulate the Fifty.third Congress
| upon the wise decision that it is about
| to make" (Applause on the Republi.
| can side.)
Cultivate spoke in favor OF the pro-
| posed new rule. Cummings opposed it.
The debate was closed by Ca, chings.
who pointed out the necessity for the
adoption OF the rule.
| The vote en- the passoge of the reso.
luton was announced TO have been:
Yeas 2l2, nays AZ; so the resolution was
agreed to. This announcement was re.
| ceived with loud applause on tho Re-
publican side, and many Of the mem bers
surrou nded Reed and congratulated him
upon tho final triumph of the pru ciple
for which ne had so long contended
The next order of business was the
reading Of the journal of yesterdays
| proceedings. This being done, the pend
! ing question being the motion Of
Springer to discharge the order Of ar
rest Of absentees made by the House on
March &c, Reed offered as a matter OF
| privilege as affecting the interests of
the whole House, resolution declaring
that tho order OF arrest to have been in
violation OF the constitution ard rules
| OF the House, and therefore void.
After some debate the chair ruled
| that tho resolution did not constitute
such question OF privilege as would
| operate to GUST tho motion OF Sprinper