Birmingham age-herald., 1895-03-05
THE GAVELS FELL.
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~~-~~~~~-~ ued until the first Monday in December, 1895, or until their successoFs shall be ap- pointed, and thet the committee on print ing as Il will be constituted in December, 1885, be authorized to sit during the recess.
 Resolutions of thanks to the vice. presi- dent and to Mir. Harris. president pro tenn, of the senate, for the ability, dignity, courtesy and impartiality with which they had presided over the deliberations of the senate during the present session, were of- fered by Messrs. Morrill,, republican, of Vermont, and Manderson, republican, of Nebraska, and were unanimously adopted.
 MT. Harris, in acknowledging the com pliment, said:
 sSenators, your indulgence aud kindly aid made tue duties of the president of the senate protempore easy. Accept my pro- found thanks for the resolution which you have agreed to.''
 MT. White, democrat, of California, offered resolution instructing the commit tee on commerce to visit the Pacific coast during the recess to examine sites for deep sea harbor there, and MT. Call tried to get up his Honduras lottery resolution.
 But MT. German remonstrated against both, and this brought about the scene above described. While MT. Wolcott was adding his contribution to the controversy and when the fingers of the dial of the clock indicated that the life of the Fifty third congress was within few minutes of it's close Messrs. Voorhees and Sherman took up a position in the main aisle to make their report as Q committee to walt upon tue president. MT. Voorhees made the report in these words:
 ''The committee appointed to wait upon the president of the United States and in- form him that the Fifty third congress is ready to adjourn sine die at 12 o'clock has performed that duty. The president said to us that he has no further communica- ton to make. He rendered his congratu- lations to congress at the conclusion of its labors.''
 There was something pertaining to the humorous in MT. Voorhees, manner while pronouncing the last sentence, as well as in the words themselves, which provoked an instantaneous and general outburst of laughter, applause and haDdclapping on the floor and in the galleries, in the midst of which the two senators returned to their respective seats.
 h the last moments of the session MT. Black kburn was appointed member of the committee on printing instead of MT. Ram som, resigned, and Messrs. Cockrell, Da- wis, Daniel, Hawley, Gordon, Quay, Berry and Sherman were appointed committee on the dedication of the National Military park at Chickamauga and Chattanooga.
 Mir. Call, democrat, of Florida, indulged in some closing remarks upon his Hondu- ras lottery resolution, which was going to failure by congress.
 When he came to pause the vice. -presi- dent rose and addressed his farewell re- marks to the senate.
 He said: ''Senators, the hour has arrived, fixed by law, for the termlnation of this congress. In the magnitude of the ques- tions determined and the ability with which they have been discussed the con- gress just closing has been surpassed by few that have preceded it. Since its organ ization two senators have retired by resig- nation, two by expiration of the terms for which they were appointed and four have been removed by the hand of death. This hour marks tho close of the long and hon. orable terms of service of senators who will be borne in grateful remembrance by their associates who remain.
 "For the courtesy uniformly extended me and for the resolution just adopted my gratitude cannot be expressed ia words. would do violence to my feelings If failed to express my thanks to the officers of this body for the fidelity with which they have discharged the important duties and for their assistance and courtesy to the presid- ing officer. With the fall of the gavsl the great debates and important legislation of the Fifty-third congress pass to the domain of history. now meks the official an- nouncement that the senate stands ad- journed without day.'
 As he uttered these last words the vice. president let the gavel fall and the session closed. The vice. president remained in the chamber for several minutes exchang- ing words of farewell with senators, of whom eighteen laid down their offices to. day-a much larger number than is usual at the close of a congress.
 The senators whose terms expire today arc Messrs. Butler of South Caro- lima, Comden of West Virginia, Carey of Wyoming, Coke of Texas, Dixon of Rhode Island, Dolph of Oregon, Higgins of Della ware, Hunton of Virginia, McLaurin of Mississippi. McPhersou of New Jersey, Manderson Of Nebraska, Martin of Kan sas, Power of Montana, Ransom of North Carolina, Shoup Of Idaho, Walsh of Geor- gia, Wash burn of Minnesota and Wilson of Iowa.
 The legislatures of Delaware and Idaho have not yet chosen successors tc Senators Higgins and Shonp.