The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-03-01
Mr.. Tracey Says No, But the House
Pays No Attention.
SCENES AS EXCITING AS THOSE L
OF THE 51st CONGRESS.


yanished-Mr. Reeds Protest that the
Method of Proceeding Was Irregular
The House Adjourned Without Passing
the Rule Committees Order Shutting
Off Debate in Two Hours.
Washinton, February 2S.-In the House
today, Mr.. Bland moved that the House
take up the seigniorage bill, and that
general debate close at p. M. tomorrow.
No quorum appeared on the vote and
Mr.. Bland asked for the yeas and nays.
In the midst of the roll call, just after
the clerk had called Mr.. Bingham of
Pennsylvania, Mr.. johnson, Democrat of
Ohio, rose to point of order. He said
the rules required that when a members
name was called he should vote. He
made the point against the gentleman
whose name was just called that he had
not obeyed the rule.
The Speaker" The rules forbid a roll
call being Interrupted.
Mr.. Johnson-"Very well, will reserve
the point"
Before the result of the vote was an
nounced, Mr.. Livingston, Democrat of
Georgia, said he desired to submit a
motion. The rule, he said, required
members present, unless excused. to vote
upon every proposition presented to the
House. The gentleman from New YORK
(Mr. Tracey refused to vote. He de-
manded that he be brought before the
al. o,,I 1ain his rafIJCaI
Mr.. johnson said be had list of mem
bers who had violated the rule. He
offered to send it to the desk, but the
Speaker stated that the Chair could not
enforce the rule otherwise than by ap-
pealing to the membe to observe it.
The Chair was but the organ OF the
House, andswould never make rules un-
less authorized and directed by the
House. (Applause.) Mr.. Boatner, Demo-
crat of Louisiana, aruged in support OF
Mr.. Livingston's motion.
The Speaker stated that under the
rules, it was his duty to announce the
result of the vote. 1t showed no quoru n
present. In.answer of Mr.. johnson OF
Ohio he added that the gentleman could
not interrupt a roll call as he proposed to
do, nor could he be heard at the close of
the roll call. The result of the vote was
announced as yeas, 1869; nays. 3, i've
short. of a quorum. 1t was said that i've
supporters of Mr.. Bland failed to get
their votes in because they were not in
the hall of the House when called.
Messrs and Magner of the New YORK del
egation who had heretofore. refrained
from voting, voted in favor OF the prop
osition.
call of the House was ordered and
then motion carried dispensing with
further proceedings under the call. MI.
Bland renewed his motion, the yeas and
nays were called and quorum obtained
on the second call of the roll. Mr..
Tracey, Democrat of New. York, voted
aye, amid slight applause from the DEM
ocratic side, his purpose being to move
reconsideration. The announcement OF
the vote by the Speaker as III yeas to
Z nays evoked hearty applause from the
Democrats and Populists.
Mr.. Cultivate, Democrat OF Ohio, and
Mr.. Tracey, Democrat of New York, de-
manded recognition. the former to pre-
sent an order from the committee on
rules limiting debate on the bill and
amendments TO two hours and the latter
TO move reconsideration of the vote
inst taken, Mr.. Outhwalte was given
the floor. but Mr.. Tracey interposed
motion to reconsider. MIR. Cultivate de-
manded the previous question on his
motion for the passage OF the order limit
ineEdebaue The yeas and nays were
ordered without division. After name
or two was called, Mr.. Reed precipitated
an anry discussion which, for intensity,
eoualled the famous scenes in the 51st
Congress, when he, AS Speaker, was
counting quorum. He suggested that
the roll call was out of order as the last
vote did not disclose the presence of a
quorum.
The Speaker By what authority does
the gentleman from Maine make this
statement?n
Mr.. Reed-"I was inform ed by the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Tracey
that he kept tally and it did not show a
quorum voting"
The Speaker-The gentleman from
New York is not the keeper of the roll
for the House. (ApGlause.) The CLERK
will proceed with e..call.
Mr.. Reed, persisting amid the cries OF
regular ORDER" stated that when
mem ber arose and suggested thai an
error was committed he was enblGieu 70
respectful treatment from the Chalr anu
the House.
had it? There has been no IS. suggessloh ei ',no
that the vote was impeached by the gen
tleman from New York. Ii one Is maze,
the Chair will be glad to have 1t ex,
amined in the interests OF rlghb ana
truth"
While this colloquyswas proceeding
members rushed down tne alsiGe " cno
centre. Mr.. Cultivate and Mr. McMliiln,
Democrat of Tennessee, asserted That
Mr.. Tracey accepted the correctness e? OF
the vote by moving to reconsider It, HIS
remedy was to have the vote recapltu-
| lated This he had failed TO DO Inc
| confusion became so great, mem pers
shouting at each other and the Char,
| that the Speaker su spended proceedings
until comparative order was restored.
| Mr.. Reed stated that ne had been out OF
| the hall while the roll was being called,
attending meetingsof the committee. on
| rules, at which he understood he was to
| have an opportunity to be heard on the
| order reported Mr.. Tracey Informed him
| that Quorum had not voted, and he
! felt it his duty to call the attention OF
| the Chair and the House to it, that the
error might be corrected. If one was
| made. ~,
After some remarks by Others Mr.
| Tracey said he kept what he bellevec
| was a correct tally, and it showed, only
ia votes He would not -impeaeh sths
| accuracy of the official count.
| Whereupon the storm subsidized and the
| roll call proceeded.
| Mr.. Reed called the attention OF The
| Chair to-the fact that the clerk, after
| calling Mr.. Talbot, Of South Carolina
| returned and called Mr.. Stockale OF Miss
l of O r