The Portland daily press., 1895-12-03
oor of the House, had powerful attrac :


the scene on the floor and relieved to
some extent the dullness of the cham
ber A bunch Of exquisite iaoaueminot
roses, rising on long stems from an earth
ern jar and tied with pink ribbons was
one of the four hot house gifts resting
on Mr.. Reeds desk
AT noon the Rev. Mr.. Bagby, chaplain
of the last House, offered the opening
prayer. Then Mr.. Kerr, clerk of the last
House, called the members to order and
directed the clerk to call the roll of states
alpha betically. The roll was called and
54l members responded The clerk an
nounced that the first business in order
was the election of a Speaker to preside
over the deliberations of the house.
MI. Grosvenor of Ohio, rose and present.
ed the name Of Thomas Brackett Reed
| for the office Of Speaker
| Before he had finished handclapping
was started among the Republican mem
bers and for minute or SO the clapping
was kept up on the floor and was repeat
ed from the galleries
Mr.. Sayres Of Texas nominated Charles
f. Crisp OF Georgia.
The clerk asked whether there were any
other nominations, and Mr.. Kemp of
| Nebraska nominated John G. Bell Of
Colorado.
Messrs. Hopkins, Republican, of Illi-
nois, Loud, Republican, of California,
|
Erdmann. Democras, of Pennsylvania,
were appointed tellers, and then the yot-
ing proceeded.
The only break from the political traces
was when Mr.. Crane of Texas, Democrat,
cast his vote, not for Crisp. but for Mr..
Culberson of Texas, Democrat.
When the. roll callawa finished, the re-
suit was announced by the tellers as fol-
lows: For Reed, 1884; for Crisp, 95; for
Bells; for Culberson, l.; total, 1856 votes.
The clerk therefore announced that Mr..
Thomas Brackett Heed, reI r sentative
from the State of Maine, hav. n !, received
a majority of all the votes cast, is duly
elected Speaker of the House for the 54th
| Congress.
Messrs. Crisp, Grosvenor and Bell were
| designated by the clerk to conduct the
| Speaker ELECT to the chair, and as the
| four members marched up the aisle,
Messrs. Reed and Crisp, arm in arm
there was renewal of handclapping on
| the floor and in the galleries.
The oath Of office was tnen administered
to Mr.. Reed by Mr.. Harmer of Pennsyl-
vania, Republican, the member who has
had he longest continual service.
All these formalities having been OBJ
served the new Speaker made his open
ing address. He said
"Gentlemen of the House of Represen-
tatives: 1t will not be unbeooming in
me if | express to this assembly and
acknowledge to it that it is very agree
able to me to stand once more in the place
which | left four years ago. (Applause
and laughter OF the past, however,
shall not speak, for tho past can speak
for itself in words more fitting and suit
bio than any which can come properly
from my lips
we are not putting off the harness but
putting it on. Those who have acted
withHthe wisdom of the past may be fair
| ly expected to act with wisdom in the
| future. The pleasure associated with
| the honor you have bestowed upon me,
an honor which every American citizen
can appreciate, and for which give
cares and responsibilities will extend
themselves over many weary days. So
| far as the performance OF my duties
i affects the people OF the United States
ask their conside1ate Judgment. So far
as it effects the members of this House,
I ask the cordial cooperation of the gen.
tlemen of both.ssides of the chamber with
out which cannot hope to succeed, as
suring them that no effort on my part
will be spared to aid them in the per.
formance of their duties by that entire
impartiality which is their just due. y
loud applause.)
The oath of office was then admins
tered by tie Speaker to the members oi
the House.
i Both houses have adjourned till tomor
row.
i Washing ton, December 2 1t was just
20 minutes past /, when delegates from
the four territories, forming a specia
group, stood up in the House and tool
was then completed by the adoption Of
q resolution offered by Mr.. Grosvenor ol
Ohio, electing the following officers: Mr.
Mcdowell OF Pennsylvania, clerk; Mr.
1 Russell of Missouri, sergeant-at-arms
Mr. Glenn Of New York, door keeper
Mr McElrcy of Ohio, postmaster; Rev
Mr.. Conden of Michigan, champlain.
Democrat, of Texas, efecting present
Democratic holders of those offices, was
put to viva voce vote, and the Speaker
said, with amusing manner Of hesita
tion, that the noes" appeared to have
it, and then, after general laughter, hi
announced that the ''noes'' had it. The
newly elected officials then had the oath
administered to them.
Further progress was made by the
adoption of a resolution for daily meet
ings Of the House at 10 M, for notifying
the President and Senate of the sHous'
being in session and having elected it,
speaker and clerk, and for the appoint
ment OF committee to join like uOm
mittee on the part of the Senate to awai
upon the President.
Messrs. Payne of Ohio, Republican
Cannon of Illinois, Republican, and Crisf
of Georgia, Democrat, were appointed
such committee on the part of the House
Mr. Cannon. of Illinois, Republican
offered resolution thatsthe rules of the
House of the 51st Congress be the rules
of she presentE Congress. A question put
to him by Mr.. Crisp of Georgia. Demo
crat, whether the adoption of that reso
luton now, was intended to prevent any
report from the committee on rules and
any opportunity to discuss the rules, was
answered by Mr.. Cannon to the effect
that such was not his desire or purpose,
but of course he could not respond for the
majority of the House
1 Mr.. Dingley of Maine, Republican,
asked Mr.. Cannon whether 1t was intend.
ed that at the proper time, the rules
should he referred to the committee OIL
rules and ample opportunity be given tt
the House to discuss the report Of that
committee.
"Oh, certainly" Mr.. Cannon. returned
That will be entirely agreeable, y
said Mr.. Crisp, ~ do not wish in any
way to interfere with the adoption Of