The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-02-21
THEY ALL HAD EXCUSES.
uEMBKRs or gHE CAUCts ~ Gus
ToDI or sERG GKANT-AI-ARMs.
Mr. Bland Has "a Very Tough job In His
Efforts TO Secure Quorum -tilibus-
tsring In the House.

Mr. Apsicy, OF Maine, and Post. OF Hi
nois. who were In custody Of the sergeant
alarms. demonstrated that they were
present and voting yea, and were re-
leased.
In order that the House might nave
accurate knowledge of what hau pet"
done under tho order Of arrest 'hs 'p''
ar sid the Scrgcant-at-A would MAKE
a report a.,os ,hat
-, the warrant issued 20 him ycster-
.dav b, had sent thirty-seven teiesrahs'
a. which thirteen responses had oeeh
-. These showed FIVE members AT
home sick and ten en- route 10 the Capi-
,ol and members had been placed unoet
..rr,st as follows. Messrs. Apsley, daru-
ner. Hilborn. Lucas Marvin, Iost, ana
randall The fact that they were all Re
pubiicans led Reed and Burrows TO In
ouire whether or not any Democrats had
been included I'm the Speakers warrant or
,shether the efforts Of the Sergeant-at-
Arms had been restricted altogether 10
Republicans. Later Mr.. Grosvenor kep.,
Ohio asked If warrants had been Issued
for the arrest Of the Democrats VINO
failed 10 attend the caucus yesterday
evening. The Republicans named (eXcepl
Messrs. Apsley and PosD appeared before
the DdT or the llUUcff anu h'' l+NrN-
ines attracted the attention OF the mem
hers 70 an unusual degree.
"what Excuse Have You?'
They thronged the pit in front of the
clerks desk and tested with the unfortu-
nate victims Under point OF order
the Speaker put them back IN
their seats. The Speaker said to the Re-
uublicans. "You are shown to have been
tho House without leave.
What excuse have you TO ohery
The responses were as follows:
Bv Mr. Gardner: The statement Of
the Speaker is not one of fact. ! was
not absent from the House, as every
roll call but one In the record this morning
demonstrates And on that roll call l
came 10 the clerks desk and called at
trntion to the fact that 1 was present
and responded 10 my name.
The Speaker: The Chair endeavored TO
secure information from every possible
source as 70 the status OF the members
included In the writs of arrest and
regrets that any error should have oc-
Cured The gentleman will be excused.
AIr Hnborn: | was present i'm the
House until 1 T. NJ. and went TO one
of The departments on important bust
ness and spent the afternoon there. That
is ai the excuse / have
AIR. Hilborn was excused.
Air. Lucas. / was present until 3
J.. A. and asked the gentleman occupy
iue the chair (Nir. Outhwaite) to have me
excused; supposing this would be- done /
lcft.
Air. Outhwaite confirmed the statement
and explained his failure to have the
gentleman excused by saying he lost
hi voice while In the chair yesterday.
Alr. Lucas was excused.
MIR Marvin ] must traverse the return
OF the Sereeant-at-Arms-l was excused
for ten days ON the OH instant. on ac-
count of illness. which would relieve me
of the duty Of attendance until this ses-
sion Of the House.
Alr. Marvin was excused
Mr.. Randall: ] was engaged with the
subcommittee of the Committee on Naval
Affairs from lp.30 yesterday morning un-
an the hour of adjournment ! responded
10 my name ON every roll call but one.
4 Commites of the whole.
on the suggestion Of the Speaker. that
Air. Randall be- excused, Mr. Bland said
of course be would not object eNcusing
the gentleman but he desired 20 enforce
the suggestion that quorum would
never be- obtained until members stayed
in their seats in the House. and not in
the committee rooms This brought Mr..
Cummings. chairman of the Committee
fII ahAANi .AAANIirs 10 lliE rect Win iiAt lN-
mark that the Committee on Naval Al
fairs was sitting every day under special
permission TO sit during the sessions
of the House. And Mr. Enioe 'Dcm..
TennD remarked that he supposed the
chances Of a quorum were not diminished
ly the absence of the gentleman from
Massachusetts UtandalD. After The can
Of the committees for reports. Mr. Bland
moved that the House resolve itself into
70 "A Hgia the Illl
10 coin The seigniorage of the bullion IN
the Treasury, and that general debate
thereon be closed in ten minutes.
ON seconding Mr. Bland's demand for
the previous question ON this motion. the
House diVided-li7 10 o. and Mr.. Bland
demanded the yeas and nays. These were
ordered and the call resulted. Yeas, 1b2,
nays. 5-twelve less than a quorum.
ON this vote the following Republicans
voted with the Democrats. Aitken, Bow
ers 1Ca). BrOderick Do0litue, Funston,
lfartman. Linton. Marsh. Moore, Muir
rtv. Post and Sweet-l2. Populist-Bak-
or Kan1 Bell (COl) Boen. Davis ana
KEN. The negative vote was com
posed of Everett ONeil. pigOu, Rusk
AMI Hall lAiinn)-all Democrats.
SIR Bland moved "A call OF the House,
ana i was ordered showing 26i members
present.
,nothor vote on Mr.. Blands motion
was theu begun. 1t resulted. Yeas, l'b;
lsNf. 5-lS less than a quorum and q loss
of from the first vote.
second call of the House was or
dored.
THE csl Of the House disclosed the
presence 0f 80 members-S more than on
fNc nrst call. II was stated that 3
Democrats were present who did not vote
o1 he previous call for the yeas ana
Nf1s.
Struggling for a Quorum.
Nr Bland offered resolution revok
ine all leaves 10 committees 10 sit during
tne sessions OF the House. except 10 the
Committee on Appropriations. He said
i VAS very evident that 50 long as these
leaves existed, II would be practically
impossible 10 bring a quorum into the
House.
The resolution provoked brisk dis
cussiOn. Messrs. Bynum and Reed making
The point Of order against II that under
call OF the House resolu ion could not
BE- entertained, not being a proceeding 20
obtain the presence Of a quorum. Mr.
Reed further pointed out that the call
had just demonstrated the presence OF
quorum. which OF itself would take the
resolution out OF the category Of proceed
ings 70 obtain one
Alr. McGreary objected 20 the resolu-
ton because II excepted only the Com
mittee on Appropriations from it's opera
uon. while there We're other commit
ices engaged In the preparation OF the
appropriation bill, as well as the Com
mifiee ON Appropriations
Tho members OF these committees +"