The herald., 1895-03-05
The Flags Lowered Upon the
Fifty-Third Congress
THE CLOSE OF THE SESSION
Parting Words of Thanks to Speaker
Crisp of the House
Kindly Sentiments for the Retiring Officers
Loudly AppIauded-cIosing Acts
In Both Houses

Washington, March AT noon today,
after a continuous session of forty eight
hours, interrupted by an occasional re-
cess, the flags above the capitol were
lowered and the Fifty-third Congress had
passed into history. In the House the
end was not marked or marred by any un-
pleasant incident. All the appropriation
bills were out of he way when the House
convened at 8 o'clock this morning, the
time dwindled away until II o'clock, the
only feature being a rather brisk debate
on the results to follow from the project
ed monetary conference. The usual COM
mittee was sent to the President to inform
him that Congress was ready to adjourn,
and the other formalities of the end of
Congress were gone through with. The
concluding minutes were in the nature Of
a love feast. The best of feeling pre-
vailed.
The resolution of thanks to the Speak.
er, which came from the minority, was
offered today by Cannon in a very grace
full speech, bearing testimony to the high
appreciation in which the presiding Off
Ger was held by the Republican minority.
Wilson of West Virginia responded on be-
half of the majority, and Simpson o.
Kansas represented the Populists, join.
ing in the expression of thanks for the
courtesies and kindnesses extended bv
the Speaker.
Ali the kindly sentiments were applaud.
ed, and when Crisp himself assembled the
rostlum to return thanks and deliver his
parting words, the demonstration was ter.
rife.
fho ,o1, rf H.
fore delaring the House adjourned, he ap-
pointed Mr.. Culberson of Texas, Mr..
Hit of Illinois and himself members OF
the monetary commission. His own ap-
pointment was by resolution.
AS the Fifty-third Congress came to an
end the Doxology was sung by the cores
pondents in the press gallery.
At noon the United States Senate closed
its final session of the Fifty-third Con-
gress amid crowded galleries, congratula-
tory resolutions, parting word from
President Cleveland and brief valedic-
tory from the Vice-President.
The wonted dignity of the Senate was.
preserved to the end, except for the rush
of business incident to the last hours of a
session.
The Senators were at work by o'clock,
after having remained in the chamber
until a. m.
They clearly showed the fatigue of the
long session, lasting from Saturday noon,
and their ranks were too thin up to IL
O'Clock to accomplish anything beyond
informal business. By that time there
were few vacant seats on the floor and
the galleries were literally packed, the
crowds filling the Senate, pushing into
the aisles and overhowing in long lines
down the corridors and stairways.
Many members of the diplomatic corps
occupied the gallery reserved for them.
By 10 o'clock the last formalities f/the
two remaining appropriation billstthe
naval and general defciency-were con-
sidered and started to the executive
mansion.
There was no disposition to keep up
the debate and two efforts to consider
questions affecting the Bering Sea were
cut off by objections. A feature of the
last moments of the session was the
tumultuous laughter which greeted the
announcement of Mr.. Voorhees, of the
committee to wait on the President, that
the latter rendered his congratulations to
Congress on the close of theirilabors.
Vice-P President Stevenson closed the
session with few well chosen words as
he stated the work of the Fifty-third
Congress passed into history.