The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-01-02
ON HTS DIGNITY.
SPEAKER JONES RESIGNS AND ;
THEN REcoNsIDERs IT..

SPEAKER JONES RESIGNS AND
THEN .REcoNsIDEas IT.
Vote Of Want of Confidence and Resigns,
The House Calls Him Back-A Dramatic
Scene.
COLUMBIA, s. c., Dec 22.-The
night session in the House started off
without incident, and there did not
seem to be the least prospect of any
thing occurring beyond such as is us
ual to the end of a legislative session,
such as conference reports, ETC., but
it is always the unexpected that hap
pens" and it did happen and in
this wise. <sl
The majority of the House wants
$5 per diem for this season, claiming
that the salary reduction bill should
not affect them. if it did not affect the
State officers. The Senate and mi
nority of the House favor 81 per
diem, and to adjust the differences be-
tween the two Houses conference
committee was appointed. On the part
of the House Speaker Jones appointed
at the morning session Messrs. Brea-
zeale, Thomas and Whitmire, and at
the night session this committee rec
commended an agreement with the Sem
ate. This report did not suit the S.
men and they claimed that it did not
reflect the sentiment of the majority
of the House, and Mr.. Cooper of Cole
ton offered a motion that the House
proceed under rule 16to elect COM
mittee Messrs. Breazeale, Thomas,
Winkler and one or two others opposed
the motion as slap at the Speaker, or
as one that might he SO construed,
even if not so intended by the mover.
The motion of Mr.. Cooper was put
and carried by a vote of As to A, and
then followed one of the most sensa-
tional incidents of the session. Pend
ing the announcement of the vote
Speaker Jones had called Mr.. Breazeale
to the chair and when the vote was
announced, he at once stepped cut on
the floor, and in a clear ringing voice,
said: 'sMr. Speaker, I have the honor
to tender my resignation as Speaker
of this House"
The scene that for few moments
followed this announcement battles de-
scription. For moment there was
dead silence and then Mr.. Bacot, adj,
dressing the temporary presiding Off
Ger, said: 'sMr. Speaker, I move that
this House do refuse to accept the {.
Speakers resignation" The motion
was put and carried unanimously,
and the voice of Speaker Jones was
heard again, declaring. that he would
no longer serve as Speaker, and mo-
ment or two later he retired from the
hall Then for few moments there !
was scene of confusion and the House
did not seem to know what to do in
the dilemma that confronted it. Some
half dozen or so moved that the
House take recess for fifteen minutes,
but this was voted down. Mr.. Thomas
moved oreconsider the Cooper resolu.
ton and this motion would. have gone
through Like fash, had not Mr..
Cooper taken the floor and withdrawn
it.
Mr.. Gary then offered, q resolutien
that the House appreciated >the disin-
guished services of the Hon. Ira B.
Jones as its Speaker and had eYJ
confidence in bis ability and integfgy,
and requested him to reconsider ? re-
signation. This was adopted anl- z
mously and conveyed to Nh. bones
through Messrs. Otis, Good yn ana I
Cooper, as a committee from e House.
In few minutes they retlqned Wltn
him, and as he reentered the hau ae
was received with loud applause, hl 5.
which the galleries joined.
Upon resuming the chair Speaker
Jones said that he appreciated the
great honor they had dcne him u re-,
calling him to the iSchiar1nQ
very deeply this expression of th
kind feelings. He had felt that
vote on the passage of Mr.. Coop,
resolution offered under the pecul
circumstances was vote of want
confidence, for which the rules off
House permitted such resolut
He had never known one such pas
in the history of legislation in
State, and he had too much .pridd
occupy the seat of presiding OH
over House that lacked confdencf
him. All men were liable to mista
and he was glad to know that he
mistaken the sentiment of the
This ended this dramatic>
and from that time forward ev
went on smoothly. Anew co
sisting of Messrs. Cooper, TownseH<
and Floyd was appointed. I
At few minutes to twelve, the ap-
preparation and per diem bills and
Several other measures being still in
the hands of the conf Sfeaee-e committee
the House adjourned until O'Clock ,
to morrow morning, by which time
the engrossing department will be up
with its work and an agreement be-