The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1894-03-01
DEMOCRATS IN CAUCUS.
NEW yoRk's IRAIToRous MEMBERS
DENOUNCED.

N'solut'oos Adopted Calling on Dem o.
rats TO Vote tor or Against tho ss,snior-
ago Coioago Bin and Form Quorum,
WASHINGTON, Feb. 10.-The Dem.
ocratic caucus this afternoon, which
was held immediately after the adjourn.
ment or the House at 4 o'clock, WAS
noticeable for two reasons. In the first
place. the utmost harmony existed
among the one hundred anu thirty gen.
tlemen present oa very materi al pro.
position having reference to the Bland
selgntorage bill; and secondly, for. the
severe criticism indulged in by the
members upon the action OF the
New York Democrats far the
past week and who were absent this af-
ternoon.
When the caucus met, Mr.. Holman
read the call, which showed that nine
ty members had affixed their signatures
to that document The roll was then
called and disclosed the presence Of one
hundred and thirty memoirs. When
the clerk had finished, 1t was obvious
that none of the Democratic members
VI "ho No" ! oAh ue!eRdllou WeTe pres.
ent, although number had been in at
tendance at Ithe session Of the House
J this afternoon and heard the call read.
The first speaker was Bland, the auShor
OF the pending bill. Bland offered the
: lowing preamble and resolutions
. Whereas, Thirtytwo Democratic
: members of the House are now absent
, from the city, and whereas, twenty
7 eight Democratic members of the
I | if,to
: fail to vote on the pending silver bill,
8 thus breaking a quorum.
! Resolved, first, That 1t is the duty of
: every true Democratic member Of this
8 House, now absent, unless on account
t OF sickness Of himself or family,to i'm
mediately return and discharge the du-
. ties or his office. .
L Resolved, second, That it is the duty
z of every Democratic member OF this
f House to attend the daily sessions
u thereof.
u Resolved, third, That it Is the duty of
9 every Democratic memOer to record
4 his vote for or against tho pending sill
: yer bill to the end that q quorum be
obtained, and said bill speedily dis
: posed Of, and the House proceed to
i other pressing business.
d, Bland then made an earnest speech
y IN support of his resolution and strong
;. ly censured the opponents of the bill
y for Obstructing legislation. lie especi-
/ ally antmadyerted upon those Demo
g Gratis who have co-operated with Re-
g publIcans in not voting and In pursu-
/ ing other questionable legislative meth
8 DDS. Bland was followed by Springer,
Il who also favored the resolution ana
appealed to absent members to appear
J. and vote at the SESSIONS ,of the House
b He pointed to the fact that during the
t contest Tor the repeal OF the silver pur-
Q chasing clause of the Sherman act, all
= Democrats opposed to that measure had
g promptly responded on every roll call
r had furnished the necessary quorum.
f and had contented themselves with
9 speaking and recorded their votes.
Q Springer appealed to the constituents
8 OF absent members to urge their men,
II bers by telegraph and letters to appear
a IN the House and vote on all questions.
lie had never known an occasion before
q when any number Of Democrats re-
8 fused to come to Democratic caucus
and to take counsel with their Demo
cratic brorhers. He regretted this not.
, only on account of the pending legisa-
r tlUn, but on account OF divisions and
: dissentions which would be engineered
IN every congressional district in the
/ land and make future success impossi-
, bic. The breaking Of quorum by
members ef a majority ought pot to
3 be resOrted to. 1t was a parliamentary
/ revolution, and would destroy the pow
? er Of the party In the majority to legis-
late.
, When Springer had concluded, BY
3 mum Of indiana, in brief speech, OF.
fered resolution fixing the failure to
make quorum on the Republicans.
He Offere this resolution as an amend.
l ment to the Bland resolution, which
: was still before the caucus. Instantly
8 the hall was filled with murmurs Of
t dissent, and the Bynum amendment
. was at once voted down by a large me-
s jority, the explanation being that the
t Democrats were responsible for the
0 breaking of the quorum, as they were
g the party in power, and 1t was their
d business TO see that Il quorum was pres
o ent.
' After Williams Of Mississippi had
spoken briefly in favor of the Bland
It resolution, a vote was taken and it was
Q adopted unanimously. Thereupon
, Bland offered another resolution, which
was as follows:
0 Resolved, That it Is the sense of
n this caucus that the pending bill shall
l. be the special order of business Of the
: House to the exclusion of all other bus.
s mess until finally disposed Of.
@ There was no objection, and the reso-
t luton was adopted.
It Boatner of Louisiana then took the
d floor with a resolution which was 50
J. radical that 1t was at once voted down,
: and furnished an excuse for motion
@ to adjourn that was Immediately car
d ried. Boatner's resolution instructed
Il the committee on rules to bring in an
9 order imposing special penalties for
s failure to vote and make quorum
8 and for absenteeism. 1t was quickly
II disposed of by vote of 81 to 42, after
which, upon motion Of Richardson, Of
Tennessee, the caucus adjourned.