The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-03-01
QUORUM FOR BLAND AT LAST.
His Notion CT sing Debate on The Silver
SeigniOEase Bill adopted.
4 STORMY SCENE IN THg HOUSE
when Reed Precipi ated an Angry piscus-
clos by Questioning the Presence OF
aOuorum--ou outhwsite's Motion.

said ought to be Il matter OF privilege IT,
3t were not. IL was read for information.
It rccited the Law requiring the Sergeant
at-Arms TO withhold the salary Of a rep
lesentativc who was absent except on ac-
count Of sickness Of himself or a member
of his family: that al this session OF
congress many members had been absent
and he called upon the Sefseaht-a AZ ilS
10 report whether or not me ia" l,i si,iS S
..s,.,.t NOD heen obeycd hy him, ana II ne
"a 80, ferelict therein. 20 report why
49,. - slsa asked ~ in his opinion the
law could not bc enforced TO iht0fm the
lJogee the reasons therefor.
Mr. Reed made the point mat the reso-
,utions dll lot present the matter Oh
.~ivue..e The WY in which II was drawn
,,.a slnlpIy a resolution asking an off,
-.~ of the House his opinion upon
ereaker crisp called the attention Of
Ar KncOre 90 the fact That the resolu-
fan contained no allegation that an oih-
l.- of the House had failed TO discharge
Sis duty under the rules or under the
law. which was necessary 10 make
,fvueged matter Il was simply reso-
isnon OF inquiry, directed 10 an officer OF
the House.
Mr. Kngore thereupon withdrew the
resolution.
Mr. Bland moved that the House 30
ito committee Of the whole upon MS
seigniorage BIZ. and that genera ueD''te
b. closed at 3 o'clock THURSDAY. On uns
-,7iiop The vote boy division was III to 2
Mr. Tracey made the point Of no quo
rgm. and the yeas and nays were called
To cotnpr4 Moabers 10 Vote.
before the result OF the vote was an
rounced MIR. Livingston N0em., Ca said
BE- desired 10 submit a motion. kuie O.
ta said reouifed members present unless
excused. 10 vote upon every proposlllon
rresented 10 the House. The sehuelhan
fron New York Oracey) had refused 10
vote and he demanded that he be brought
before the bar OF the House and explain
hls refusal 10 vote.
Mr. Johnson Dem, o. said ne had
liet ~ twenty-five members who had NO
lated the rule, which he offered 10 sehu
20 che desk.
Vbe Chair stated that the rule was well
known. The Chair could not enforce t"e
rule otherwise than by appealing TO mem
hers 10 observe II. The Chair was bu'
.he organ Of .ne House. and would never
yosfe "a rule unless authorized and directen
ia to do bv the House. (AppiauseJ
Air poatner argued in support Of l4iv-
fnrstou's motion. Il was, he said. an
EFFORT 20 bring a member 10 answer 10
q vilfui contempt and violation of the
rules. The House ought 10 determine
here and now whether or not IA mem
Der can defy It's rules.
The Chair stated that under the rules
il vgas his duty 10 announce the result
of the vote.
The result was. yeas. 1G9 nays, five
short of "A quorum. II was said that
1--WE supporters OF Mr.. Bland failed TO
get their votes in because they were NOT
in the nan Of the House when called.
These. in addition TO those recorded, Woulo
have made the quorum.
Messrs. Clancy and Magner. OF the
New York delegation, who had hereto
fore refrained from voting, voted IN
favor OF the proposition.
These proceedings had been watched
with the kcenest interest by members.
especially Republicans, AS having witttu
them the possibility Of history making.
When the Chair announced the vote,
however. and the incident was over,
the humdrum Of routine was resumed
and the members who had been eagerly
crowdiRg into the pit in front Of the
clerks desk faded rapidly away.
DIR. Bland moved a call Of the House.
ON this motion there We're. Nrst, a viva
N0ce vote. then "a vote by division third,
vote by teiiers-Biand and Reed Off
ciatng, and finally a vote by yeas and
nays. The latter resulted, yeas, 1S9 nays,
4 So the roli-cal was ordered. 1t show
ed 265 members present and responding
10 their names.
on the motion 10 dispense with further
proceedings under the can, the same pro-
ceedure was fOliOwed-four separate votes
being taken. ending with the yeas and
nays.
The call resulted: yeas. 1Ss: nays, .;
thus dispensing with further proceed
iugs
Quorum at Last
AIR Bland renewed his motion, and
the yeas and nays were called As the
roll can proceeded. IL became apparent
to many that quorum wouid be obtain
ed. aud members keeping tally crowded
about the clerks desk.
Mr. Tracey (Dem.. n " occupied
tbe seat at which for two weeks past
no has kept tally with the clerk on
roll calls, closely following the responses
90 the cali
When il was determined that "A quorum
had been obtained on the second call Of
the roll Mr.. Tracey voted aye, amid slight
applause from the Democratic side. his
purpose being, as afterwards appeared. 10
move q reconsideration.
The announcement of the vote Of the
Speaker. tH yeas TO nays. evoked a
round OF hearty applause from the Demo
Gratis aud Populists.
Messrs. OuthWhiic Dem. % and Ira
mandins recognition. the former 10 pre-
sent an order from the Committee on
Rules. limiting debate on the pending bill
ana amendments 50 two hours and the
latter 10 move Il reconsideration OF the
vote just taken. MIR. Cultivate was given
he hoor and the Speaker stated, after
putting the question, that Mr. Tracey had
interposed a motion 20 reconsider.
dr. Cultivate demanded the previous
question on his motion. buf the yeas and
Nays were ordered without d division.
Reed rseipira's Row.
After namc or two had been called
Mr Reed precipitated an angry discussion,
which Tor intensity equalled the famous
scenes in the Fifty-nrst Congress. when
Speaker Reed was counting quorums.
The gentleman from Maine suggested
that a roli-call was out OF order. inasmuch
as the last vote did not disclose the pres
ence OF a quorum.
The Speaker. by what authority does
The gentleman make that statement
Mr.. Reed: ] ain informed by the gentle
man from New York tfracey) that he
kept tally. and that it did not show a
quorum voting
The Speaker: The gentleman from New
fork Is not the keeper Of the roll for the
House ApplAnse) The clerk viii pro-
cesd with the call.
Mr. Reed. perslsting amid cries Of Reg
ular order" stated that when a member
arose and euggesfcd that An error had /