The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1895-12-06
OPENING OF CONGRESS-.


sion. Promptly at noon on Monday the
Senate and the House were called to order
in their respective chambers amid the scene
of animation and excitement always mark
ing the opening of Congress. All Wash
ington lays siege to the Capitol Building
on opening days and Monday there was
added interest on account of the present
changes involved and the large influx of
new blood.
The crowd came through drilling rain,
mist and mud, in conyeyances, street cars
and in long lines afoot scurrying the many
entrances, choking the corridors and ele
vators and besieging the galleries far be-
You'd their capacity. But it was an order
ly crowd and the largely augmented force
of officers had little trouble in preserving
order and preventing confusion.
By 1890 o'clock, an hour and half be-
fore the time of meeting, the public CALLER
les in both houses were filled and an eager
crowd overlooked into the outer corridors.
Many ladies were in the throng, but there
weather costumes which usually give a
touch of bri ghtness to the sombre chambers.
The scene in the Fifty-fourth House of
Representatives, which body was called to
one. By 10 o'clock the marble corridors
were thrOnged with sight-seers and place
hunters, and before II o'clock the CALLER
les, public and private, were packed to the
doors. From the galleries the visitors
looked down upon an animated but con-
fused scene on the floor. New members,
old members, eX-members, and place-seek-
ers chatted in groups and filled the hall
| with roar of voices. On the Speaker
desk were great lunches of American
| Beauty roses, tied with streamers of red,
white and blue, and other floral pieces.
| Flowers were likewise conspicuous on the
| desks of various other members.
Mr.. Reed, for whom everyone was in
curing, had not made his appearance; but
| Ex-Speaker Crisp, who had taken a seat
| in about the centre of the Democratic side,
| was pointed out as he sat chatting to those
around him. At the conclusion of the roll
call Mr. Kerr announced that 341 of the
| $50 members of the House were present.
He also announced that no credentials had
been received from the Tenth New York
and the first Nevada districts.
Mr. Kerr then, in accordance with the
custom, stated that the first thing in order
was the selection of a presiding officer, and
| called for nominations for Speaker No
| nominating speeches were made. Mr..
Grosvenor (Rep., Ohio, chairman of the
Republican caucus, placed i'll nomination
| Thomas Bracket Reed of Maine; Mr.. Say
ers Dem, Tex) presented the name of
| Charles F. Crisp of Georgia, and Mr.. Ken
| Pop, Neb) placed in nomination John
| C. Bell of Colorado.
The names of both Mr.. Reed and Mr..
Crisp were vigorously applauded by their
respective party associates.
The result Of the vote was: Reed, 234;
Crisp, 95; Bell, 6; Culberson,1 1. Total, 1886
Mr.. Kerr's announcement of Mr.. Reed 5
election was greeted with a thunder of APP
plause.
| Messrs. Crisp, Grosvenor and Bell were
appointed a committee to conduct the
| Speaker to the chair, and soon appeared
at the main entrance, Mr. Reed leaning on
the arm of ExSpeaker Crisp, and Messrs.
Grosvenor and Bell arm in arm.
| Mr.. Reed, arrayed in long frock coat
and wearing dark fourth hand tie, stood
calmly and serenely with his hands clasp
| ed in characteristic fashion behind his back
until the House was quiet. Mr. Harmer
| rep. Pa.), the oldest member in continu-
Gus service present, came forward and adj
The latter then turned to the House
Looking into the sea of upturned faces he
delivered his inaugural. Slowly and dis
tinctly the words fell from his lips. At
many places his brief speech Was punctu-
ated with applause.
In acce. tinS the Sfeske-3.;o Mr.. Reed
said:
ut will not be unbccoming in me, |
hope, if | acknowledge to this assembly
that it is very agreeable to me to stand,
once more in the place which left four
years ago. OF the past however, l shall
not speak for the past speaks for itself
in terms more fitting and appropriate than
any words which could come from my
| lips. Nor shall l speak of the future, for
| Of l,,,, :,
putting it on. Yet, | think may venture
| to say of the future in the light of the
past, that if we do some things which for
the moment seem inadequate it may be
on many occasions may do SO again. Those
who have acted with wisdom heretofore
may be fairly expected 10 act with wisdom
| hereafter.
81 am sorry to say that the pleasure as
ISOLATED with the honor You have bestow-
ed on me, an honor which no American
citizen can fail to appreciate, and for
which give thanks, is but for the moment
tend over many days.
so far as the performance of my duties
affect the whole people of the United
States. | invoke their considerable iudg-
ment So far as it affects the members
of this House, | ask from both sides of
the chamber that cordial cooperation
without which | cannot hope to succeed,
assuring them that no effort on my part
will be spared to aid them in the perfor-
nance of their duties by that entire
impartiaity which is their just due
Exactly at u o clock the Nice-President
assembled to the presiding officers chair
and, rapping once, called the Senate to
order. With impressive tones the blind
chaplain of the Senate invoked Divine
blessing on the chamber, referring elo-
quently to the affiiction in the family of
Ex-senator Wilson of Iowa and to the
absence of Isaac Bassett, the veteran door
keeper of the Senate. who has grown gray
in half a century's service in the Senate
but who is now dangerously ILL.,