The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-06-05
The House Unseats a South
Carolina Democrat.
AND PUTS IN A NEGRO
Lockhart to Suffer the Same
Fate To-Day.
REV. MARTIN GETS HIS SEAT
The Minority Report in Favor Of Lock
hart Has Never Been Filed for
Consideration by the
House..

8aSn1ngCOn,Jun unC I'll ne mouse met
at II o'clock to-day, but 20 minutes
were consumed awaiting the appear
ance Of a quorum.
f The pending question was the vote
on the Murray-Elliott contested cleo
ton case from the First South Caro-
lima district which was debated yes
terday. The vote was first taken on
the substitute resolution, declaring
Elliott entitled to the seat. The res
olution was defeated, 4S-42. Party
lines were strictly drawn except in
the case of Mr. Parker, Rep., n. j.,
who voted in favor of Elliott.
The vote was then taken on the ma
iority resolution declaring Murray
elected and entitled to the seat. 1t was
adopted 1873.
Mr.. Murray, who is a colored man,
was escorted to the~bar of the House
amid the most vociferous applause of
the Republicans. The Speaker admin
istered to him the oath of office.
The Senate's request for a conference
on the House amendments to the Sem
ate's amendments to the General De-
ficiency Appropriation bill was agreed
to. The Senate amendment to the bill
for the retirement of commander y no.
NJ Quackenbush was agreed to.
Mr. Strobe, fRep., Neb, j. then call
ed up the contested election case of
Martin vs. Lockhart, from the Sixth
North Carolina district. "A great many
of the Democrats, in anticipation of
this action, had quietly left the Hall
for the purpose of breaking quorum.
Mr. Bailey, Dem., Texas), raised the
question of consideration against the
case and threw some light on the
course of the minority which, owing
to the continued objections of Mr..
KEN, Pop, Neb.), he said, had had
no opportunity to file their views. The
speaker thereupon submitted a. re-
quest for the filing of the minority re-
port to which Mr.. KEN promptly OBJ
iected. The vote on the question of
consideration was 90-15, in favor of
considering the case.
The Democrats succeeded in break
ing the quorum but their victory was
shortlived. In ten minutes enough
Republicans had appeared to make up
the quorum and Mr.. Strobe took the
floor in advocacy of the claims of the
contestant, Mr. Martin, who is Pop
u1ist. He gave notice at the outset
that he would demand the Previous
qnestion at 3~o'clock.
lon the face of the returns Mr.. Lock
hart had 444 majority. The majority
report found that Mr.. Martin had 300
majorityA
q MIR. Bailey (Dem., Texas, who in
tended to defend the claims Of the
sitting member, contenteds himself
with protesting against any debate be-
fore the minority report had been
filed II consider it waste OF time,
said he. ito argue this case because 1T
is evident that the majority have AZ
ready made up their minds to unseat
the sitting member without eXamin-
ing either the law or the evidence" He
.fhereupon Welded to Mr.. LoelShart, the
contestee.
/ During the debate Mr.. Cannon pre-
sented the final conference report on
the General Deficiency bill which was
agreed to without debate. AS finally
agreed to, the bill carries $l0,639,000,
or $4,000 less than as it passed the
Senate and $5,S46, 900 more than as 1t
passed the House.
Mr.. Lockhart then resumed the de-
fense of his right to seat in the
House. Mr.. Prince (Rep., Illinois,,
who closed for the majority, was in
terrupted by Mr.. Quigg (Rep., New
York;, who expressed the opinion that
the House should not be asked to vote
on the case until members had had an
opportunity to examine both sides of
the case.
Mr.. Prince insinuated that the mi
nority could have filed their report
If they had exercised. due diligence.
! Mr.. Bailey challenged this, bat
finally frankly admitted that as Mr.
KEN, Populist, was blocking the
way &o making up case which would
give seat to a Populist, he was wiliing
that he should be forced to take the
responsibility.
Mr.. Prince disclaimed any desire to
force vote on the case without giving
members opportunity to personally
examine the minority report and Gre
ated considerable enthusiasm on both
sides of the House by stating that be
would have the report read in its time.
The reading of the report consumed
an hour. At it's conclusion its was de-
cided not to take the vote until to-
morrow.
The conference report on the BILL
to pension the widow of the late Sena-
tor George Spencer, of Alabama, was
agreed to and at 5:45 p. m, the House
adjourned.