The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-12-08
No Demon stratfon Either OF Dissent or
Approval When the Presidents
Message Was Read.
Mr.. CALL In GREAT HASTE
RESOLUTION OFFERED FOR THE
RECOGNITION OF A FREE CUBA.
Ex-Speaker Crisp's Death Announced
i'm the House. and Respect shown
TO His Memory by Adjournment.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.

Special to the indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON. Dec. THE last session
of the Fifty-fourth Congress began at noon
to-day. The opening proceedings were very
tame. the only approach to a sensation be-
ing the prayer of the Senate's blind chap
lain. Rev. Milburn, who stole march on
his reverend brother at the House end OF
the Capitol by injecting politics into his
invocation. The House chaplain, having
been called down several times last session
for trying to interest the'throne of grace in
current legislation. confined his prayer to
orthodox channels, but Mr. Milburn cut
loose with a review of the last campaign
and thanks of joy that the conservative
forces of society had overwhelmed the ene-
mics of law and order. incidentally he
prayed fervently for the recovery of Sena-
tor Allison, who is nursing a lame ear in
Dubuque. but he forgot to mention Senator
Voorhees,, who is i'm need of healing grace,
an omission which led free silverite coli
league of the Indiana Senator to call the
effort a ''gold-bug prayer
Senator Palmer. late hard-money Demo-
cratic candidate for President, was SUBJ
jected 10 no end Of good-ratured badinage.
The minute he entered the Senate chamber
he surrounded by colleagues who In
sisted on deuging him with extravagantiy
phrased compliments over his extraordi-
nary success as a White House racer. The
free silverites were especially profuse In
their expressions of high regard for the
Illinois Senator. He was good natured
through it all. The usually august Sena-
;ors and the crowds in the gallery enjoyed
the scene Immensely.
The Senate opened with crowded galleries
and with that accompaniment Of activity
and of greeting that usually attends the
reassembling of Congress. But the upper
branch of Congress never puts aside its
dignity and the meeting developed no
demonstrations of dramatic incidents. The
reading Of the Presidents message was the
feature of the proceedings. and beyond this
no attempt was made to enter upon the
business of the session. To many of the
foreign representatives occupying the diplo-
matte gallery the message had special in
terest and significance, owing to the part
they had taken In the conspicuous foreign
events to which the President referred.
Sir Julian Pauncefote, the British embas-
sador, and the new Turkish minister,
Moustapha Bey, were present. Senor De-
puy De. Lome the Spanish minister, was
not in attendance during the day. but two
of the secretaries Of the Spanish legation
casually noted the references TO the Cuban
conflict. Minister Hatch, Of Hawaii, and
Mr.. Cooper. the Hawaiian minister of for
eign affairs were listeners, although the
message contained no reference TO the Ha-
waiian islands The diplomatic gallery was
vacated as soon as the foreign questions
referred to- I'm the message had been read
On the floor OF the Senate printed copies
of the message were distributed, and these
gave the Senators opportunity TO read the
salient features instead of listening to
them. As a result there was scant atten-
ton after the reading had proceeded be-
yond the first half hour. The reading Of the
message covered one hour and fifty min
utes, and at its conclusion the Senate ad-
journed.
While the scenes attending the opening
Of the House were both brilliant and inter-
.esting in the crowds that thronged the
galleries and the conspicuous personages
present. the proceedings themselves were
dull and spiritless. being distinctively rou-
tine. The House met. the chaplain invoked
the divine blessing on the work of the ses-
sion, the roll was called, committee con-
ssting of Mr.. Cannon Of illinois, Mr.. Payne
of New York and Mr.. Turner of Georgia
was appointed TO wait on the President and
the latter's annual communication was
read. The reading consumed about two
hours. Ii was Mr. Cleveland's farewell
message, and there was much curiosity as
TO his views on Cuba, especially. but there
was no demonstration either of approval or
dissent throughout its reading. The holi-
day nature OF the day was saddened by the
announcement OF the death of ex-Speaker
Crisp. which Mr.. Turner, OF Georgia, for
mally made TO his associates Out Of re-
spect to the memory Of the distinguished
propriate resolutions, Immediately ad-
1ourned-