Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-28
THE MESSAGE READ
Congress Receives the Report on the
Maine Inquiry.
INTENSE INTEREST In BOTH HOUSES
Corridors and Galleries of the Cap
itoI Thronged.
REPRESENTATIVES, ADJOURN

Except on the occasion of the inaugura-
ton of a President no such crowds as
surged through the corridors and stormed
the galleries for admission have been seen
at the Capitol in a quarter Of a century.
Public interest in the findings Of the board
of inquiry appointed to investigate the
disaster which sent one of Uncle Sam S
nObleSt war vessels to the bottom of Ha-
vsna harbor and sacrificed the lives Of 2G0
brave American sailors was at white heat
At daylight this morning people were al
ready seeking entrance to the Capitol and
he urs before noon, when the two houses
convened, the marble stairways were chokej
with pushing. jostiing people pressing to-
ward the galleries. Not an inch of space
remained in the public galleries at 0 o'clock.
But long lines of people stretching down
the stairways to the lower corridors con-
tinued to press forward. Within a few
minutes after the reserved galleries were
thrown open they, too, were completely
hilei, with the exception of those reserved
Tor the diplomatic corps and the families
OF the President and cabinet: Admission to
these galleries was strictly by card. Many
distinguished persOnages were in the gal
leries The hall buZzed like beehive with
the sound of myriads of voices. On the
floor there was almost much excitement
as in the galleries, although the full synop-
sis of the report which was printed by the
Associated Press this morning had taken
the keen edge off the anxiety with which
merlbors waited the reading of the official
findings of the board.
Upon the desk of the late Representative
Simpkins of Massachusetts, who died sud
denly on Saturday night, a wreath of East
er lilies interviewer with tulips, crocuses
and lilies of the valley cast an air of sad
ness over the vast aSSemblage.
F1fteen minutes before the House of Rep
resentatlves convened the floor was cleared
10 nV,1
shortly afterward were opened and before
the gaEel fell at noon not seat was va
cant. Altogether there was an unusually
large number of ladies in the galleries. and
their say spring costumes added much to
the bri!liancy of the notable scene. Chair
man Dingley and Mr.. Bailey and the other
leaders entered the hall without demonstra-
ton. AT exactly l. o'clock the Speaker
assembled the rOstrum and called the House
to order.
Prayer for Peace.
Amid the impressive silence that followed
the chaplain delivered a solemn prayer
which ran through the hall like warning.
He referred to the storm clouds that hung
above the country. threatening to break at
any time. He prayed to God to interpose
His power that these clouds might pass,
leaving us in peace and tranquility.
Yet If war must come" he prayed, "in
vindication of truth and justice, mercy and
iiS4it' iiCip Us " NC pIepdTeu WIFI Drain ana
heart and Drawn to meet it. To this end, he
with the President and the cabinet, our
councillors and all officially connected with
the affairs of state
There were no preliminaries While the
journal was being read Chief Executive
Clerk Pruden appeared with the Presidents
message transmitting the report of the
Maine court. The thronged galleries were
hushed as the clerk carried the document
down the main aisle and placed it on the
Speakers table. Speaker Reed himself
broke the large read seal of the envelope
and without so much as looking at the
same time announcing in clear. distinct
voice: "A message from the President of
the United States.''
The Message Read.
No presidential message was ever listened
to with such breathless interest. Members
sat with intense drawn faces straining to
reach every word.
When the reading of the message was
concluded a wave of applause swept over
the floor and galleries. The Speaker imme-
diately announced the reference of the mes
sage to the committee on foreign affairs
under the rules.
Mr.. Bailey, the democratic leader arose
and said he understood the message would
take that course, without debate under the
rules, but asked If the report of the board
OF inquiry had not accompanied the mes
sage.
the message contained the information that
the report and testimony had been trans
mitted to the Senate.
Would it be in order to ask unanimous
consent to set apart Wednesday for the
consideration of the message?" asked Mr..
McMillin (Tenn).
THE chair thinks not" replied the
Speaker.
Meanwhile Mr.. Walker of Massachusetts
was on his feet, and when recognized he
announced, as the dean Of the delegation.
the death Of his colleague Representative
Slmpklns The usual resolutions were
adopted, and the Speaker appointed the fol-
lowing committee to attend the funeral:
Messrs. Gillette. Mccall, Moody and Lover.
ing OF Massachusetts, Cousins of Iowa.
Foss of Iowa. Littauer Of New York New
lands of Nevada and Berry of Kentucky.
At 12:1S pm. the House. as a further MAJ
OF respect, adjourned
Rush to the Senate.
BY 8 O'Clock people were waiting outside
OF the Senate wing, and when the doors to
the Senate galleries were opened at
o'clock the rush for seats began Within
an hour every available inch in the Senate
public galleries was occupied, and the re-
served galleries were packed to the doors
by IL o'clock.
Thousands of persons who arrived long
before the Senate convened failed to gain
admission even to the upper corridors of
the Senate. SO great was the jam
In the diplomatic gallery were Mr. All
rer Mckinley the Presidents brother. and
Mrs. SiSsbee. The attendance Of senators
was unusually large. 1t was quite evident
that the individual members Of the BODY.
despite the disnified reserve in which MANY
OF them were wrapped. were quite as deep
ly interested IN the proceedings as was
the general public. Every senator at the
Capitol was in his seat when the gayel
of the Vice President fell.
AT l2Ol Executive Clerk Pruden deliver
cd 10 the senate the message Of the Pres
ldent.
AS Major Pruden was recognized by the
Vice President there was a hush in the
chamber. majority of the spectators ex-
pecting that the message and report were
TO be read Immediately to the Senate.
Routine business, however, was taken I'D
for a time.
At 1912 Mr. Morgan (Ala-) rose and de-
manded the reading Of the Presidents
message.
Instantly there was hush in the cham
ber-a hush SO profound that q whisper
might have been heard in the chamber.
Reading the Message.
Vice President Hobart at once laid the
message before the Senate and It's reading
was begun.