The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-07
HOUSE OPENS ON THE HOUR.
SPEAKER REED Uses a GAVEu
SENT FROM TENNESSEE.

Desks of Many Members Decorated
with FIOwers-A Toy Lamb That
| BIeats Under Pressure Sent to Gen.
GrOEvenOr by the Wool Growers
AssOcintiOn-Five New Members
Sworn in-Committee of Three Ap-
pointed TO Wait on the President.
Presidents Message Listened ia
with Close Attention.
Washington, Dec. 6..-The haIl of the
House of Representatives presented an ans
mated appearance long before the hour
of noon had arrived The surrounding
corridors were filled with jostling, moving
crowds and before II o clock the encirclins
galleries, which overlooked the floor, wera
black with people. The hall buzzed with
the subdued hum of conversation as the
members exchanged greetings and chatted
IN groups. The leaders, who were eagerly
pointed out from the galleries, were as
usual slow In putting in their appear-
ances. Statesmen. like ordinary mortalss
| have an eye for dramatic effects.
Chairman Hit of the foreign affairs
committee and Chairman Walker of tha
banking and currency committee. whose
into the public eye during the session,
were early on the floor, mingling with their
colleagues.
The floral tributes for the members
were numerous. and in some instances.
| imposing. one which attracted probably
more attention than any other on account
of its unique character, graced the desk
of Gen. Grosvenor of Ohio. It consisted
OF huge tree of yellow chrysanthemums
and American Beauty roses, under the
nodding branches of which stood an i'm
nocent looking toy lamb. 1t was a trib-
ute from the National Wool Growers AS
ISOLATION Some one discovered that un-
der the administration of pressure to a
portion Of the lambs anatomy 1t would
give forth sound resembling bleat and
much amusement and merriment followed
| this disclosure
| The representation of huge gavel in
| white and red carnations stood upon the
| speakers table. Among others who were,
! remembered with floral offerings wera
zen, wheeler OF Alabama, Mr. Dovener
| or West virginia, Mr.. Dalzell of Pennsyl-
| yania, Mr. Stone of Pennsylvania Mr.
/ Henderson of Iowa, Mr.. Lacey of Iowa
and MIR. Dayton of West Virginia.
Al fifteen minutes before noon the floor
was cleared of all persons except mem-
Bailey OF Texas, the leader of the minor-
ity, and SILVER Doi,ar" Bland of MIS-
souri, entered the hall together.
MT Dingley the floor leader of the
| House, smiling and affable as ever came
in Just before the speaker appeared
As the hands of the clock tolnted to
| IL, Speaker Reed. attired in a black cut
! away coat and wearing a red tie pushed
through the green baize doors from the
| lobbies and ascended the rostrum
| One crack Of the gaVpI euhdua1 fbe .1isx
| ON the floor and the conversation in the
| overhanging galleries. The gavel which
| the speaker called TO order with, was pre-
| sented by j. c. Griener sheriff Of Knox
| county Tennessee, who sent 1t In the
name of the "stalwart republicans of East
| Tennessee" IL was formally presented to
| the speaker through H. Clay Evans the
| commissioner of PENSIONS The gaVel s
made of apple tree wood, which grew be-
| side the log house in which Admiral Far
ragut was born. This house stood al
| Loves Ferry on the Tennessee river six
| miles below Knoxville.
In the deep silence which followed the
| calling of the assembly to order, the pray-
er Of the eminent English divine, Rev.
| Charles A. Berry of Wolverhampton.
Eng, who delivered the Invocation, was
| solemn and impressive. The speaker then
| directed the clerk to call the roll, and this
| consumed a half hour
In the diplomatic gallery were Mr.. Les
fevre, charge d'affaires, and other attach-
es of the French embassy; Senior Corea.
charge d'affaiTes of the Greater Republic
| of Central America, and other diplomats.
and in the executive gallery, reserved for
| the President, were a number of the ex-
| ecutive household, who were admitted on
| cards from Secretary Porter.
on the floor were number of ex-mem-
| bers.
The roll call showed the presence of 30r
members. There were five vacancies from
H. t-F.v
| ana the credentials of the members elect
were read by direction of the speaker who
| then administered the oath of Office to
| them. They were of f. NJ Grifffths dem,
| successor to the late Judge Holman in the
| Fourth Indiana district; II. s. Boutill, rep.
| OF Chicago, who succeeds Edward II.
| Cook, deceased James Norton, dem. oe
the Seventh south Carolina district, who
| succeeds John l.. McLaurin, now a sena-
| tor; George p. Lawrence, rep, of the First
Massachusetts district, who succeeds ASH
! ley b. Wright, deceased, and J. N. Griggs
dem, OF the Third New York district who
| succeeds Francis u. Wilson, who resigned
| to accept the position Of postmaster at
| Brooklyn. The latter's credentials had
not yet arrived, but the oath was admin-
| istered to him by unanimous consent
On motion of Mr. Hopkins, rep, Of IllI-
nois, the clerk was directed to notify the
| Senate that the House was ready for bus
| mess, and on motion of Mr.. Dingley. the
/ floor leader, a resolution was adopted for
! the appointment of a committee of three
| TO join the committee of the Senate to wait
| on the President and inform him that con-
| gress was ready to receive any communica-
| ton he desired to make. The speaker se-
lected Messrs. Dingley of Maine. Grosvenor
| of Ohio, and Bailey of Texas for this hon
| or.
On motion Of Mr. Henderson of Iowa a
member of the committee on rules, the rule
at the extra session for three-day adiourn-
ments was vacated. and daily sessions to-
| begin at noon each day were ordered
| There being nothing to do but await the
| reception of the Presidents message. the
| House then recessed until 120 O'Clock.
| When the House reconyened another re-
| cess of twenty minutes was ordered
/ When the House reconvened at lao
| O'Clock, the committee appointed to await
/ upon the President came down the central
aisle and Mr. ningley reported that the
| committee had performed its mission
\