The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-07-04
REED B I. A LARGE FIGURE.
Efforts Of the Minority TO 1hWart aim
Now Becoming feehIs.
a CONTEST OF GIANTS aEcAlltu
Famous FiEht Of Democrats Undor
Crisp and others Against tho Auto.
cratic RHle ofthe Speak or In iii g
Fifty-frst ConEress Triumph Of q
Mastcr Mind.

AatysHTsb CoNEr6HA-Krlunlph Oh q
Mastcr Mind.
Washington, o. c., July 8, 1887.
Written for the Sunday Virginian by
E5s Amos J. Cummlngs.)
Speaker Reed Is still the colossal fig
tire in Washington. Neither the Ha-
waiian treaty nor the efforts to free
The efforts Of the minority to thwart him,
are growing feeble. In comparison to
the fight that was made against him in
the Fifty-f1rst Congress, they seemed
puerile. It was in this fight that Charles
z. Crisp developed his superb qualities
as leader. Richard p. Bland, Of Missou-
4 n. William M. Springer, of Illinois. J ohm
henry Rogers, Of Arkansas, William D.
Bynum Of Indiana and w. G. p. Breckn-
E1dgeof Kentucky were lieutenants, who
the Sneaker and annoying him. John G.
Carlisle was prominent in the fight at
the beginning, but his selection as Sem
ator from Kentucky sent him to the
other wing Of the Capitol, where he was
buried among the Senatorial grandees.
The situation then. though not the
same, was somewhat similar to the sit
uation today. In the Fifty-first Con-
sress the House Of Representatives be-
gan business without the adoption OF
.eHiiS . dISS Whatever. III the present Con-
gress It's action has been guarded by
the adoption sbf the rules Of the las,
House. This action gives MT. Reed
leverage which he did not have in the
Fifty-first Congress.
The adoption Of the ru'es of he las.
House. IN the Fifty-frst Cong-e;c, would
nave left the House at the mercy o. in
dividual filibustera. The sceEe:, of the
Fiftieth Congress. where business Was
1mpeded sometimes for weeks. wouit
nave been : repeated in the Ficty-ti:e;
In the Flfly-flrst the House was run
under general parliamentary law e.
more than two months, but the SHeake.
construed general parliamentary iaW
II was not until January z, 1850, tina: d
OF Maryland, now judge in the D!s:r!c
or Columbia, moved that the House so
INTO committee Of the whole on the Sta:e
OF the Union for the consideration of the
District Of Columbia appropriation bill!
under the rules Of the last House" 'Fht:
action aroused the minority It indicat-
ed that the majority intended to use the
rules Of the last House when 1t served
thelr purpose and to go without rules
and trust to the Speakers rendition OF
general parliamentary law at other
times. 37'1s
A1r. Breckenridge raised the question
or consideration. The Speaker refused
70 entertain It, saying that such cues
tlon could not be raised on a motion to
go INTO committee Of the whole There
upon breckinridge replied that II was
NOT simply question Of going into COM
mlttee OF the whole, but also a motion
Eor temporary adoption OF rules for The
government of the House. The Speaker
insisted upon his ruling, an appeal was
TAKEN. his decision was sustained by q
vote or a42 to 12O. Mr.. Bland, Of Mis-
souri, called for tellers the Speaker or
aered them, and Mr.. McComas and Mr..
siBreckinridgc had taken their places at
Z the mouth OF the main aisle, when the
yeas ana nays were secured upon the
demand of Major Mckinley. Then Mr.
McComas moved the previous question
upon his resolution. Mr.. Breckenridge
peing recognized, said: pending that
demand. I move that the House adjourn
until Thursday" The Speaker put the
aues,1on as motion to adjourn. and de-
ciared that it was lost When his a item
ton was called to the fact that the mo-
ton was Ito adjourn until Thursday"
ne replied that such motion was not in
order. and put the motion on the demand
ioE me previous question, declaring that
the ayes had It, ',z
All this was done under general parlia-
mentary law. The minority was as
founded, but contentcd itself with sup
pressed murmurings Thirteen days az
terWard. near the close OF the days SEES
syn, MT Biand moved that the House
and declared 1t lost. Mr.. Bland called
for division. The members rose and
tne Speaker counted them. He announce
cd yeas 81. nays 6S. Mr.. Bland question
eu the count, saylng'.let us have tell
Mr.. Bland insisted upon teilers. but the
speaker refused them. Then the Mis-
sourian demanded the yeas and nays
and the Speaker replied: 1T seems to be
100 late TO demand the yeas and nays"
business proceeded. mi -
thus IN the face Of his action on Jan
vary 4. appointing tellers, on January
~ the Speaker refused tellers on the de-
mana OF the same member More than
this, he refused to recognize demand
Ior the yeas and nays guaranteed by this
clause OF the, Constitutions THE yeas
and nays of the members Of either House
on any question shall at the desire OF
one-ffth Of those present be entered on
the Journal -
Such was the opening Of the great
nght or the minority OF the Ffty-tirst
congress. It was continued on January
~. The House was still without rules.
Mr.. DalZell of nsylvania. who is RI.
day prominent figure on the floor call
ed UP O resolution reported from the
committee on elections unseating James
a. n Jackson, representative from West
virginia. When the yeas and nays were
called only two Of the minority voted
making the1vote three less than a ono
rum. Speaker Reed. amid great confus
ION, named and counted enough of the
minority.sto make a quorum, and an
snounced that the House had agreed to
consider the election case. Among those
recorded present and not voting was Mr..
Outhwaite OF Ohio. He shouted:"I was
not present. when my name was called
and the chair Is. therefore. stating what
/; iss not true His name. however, went
a otst Nv 0st,r -