The Portland daily press., 1898-03-29
HOW CONGRESS RECEIVED 1T.
The Presidents Message and Report
Presented Yesterday.


Itwas 0uiet-Referred to Committee
on Foreign Relations-Con gressm an
Simpkins' Dea tn Announced.
Washington, March 28.-Except on the
occasion of the Inauguration of President
no such crowds as surged through the cor.
ridors and stormed the galleries for ad-
mission have been seen at the Capitol in
a quarter of a century as were present to-
day. Public interest in the findings of the
board of inquiry appointed to investigate
the disaster which sent one of Uncle
Sans noblest war vessels to the bottom
of Havana harbor and sacrificed the lives
of 26o brave American sailors, was at
white heat. At daylight this morning
people were already seeking entrance to
the Capitol and hours before noon, when
the two houses convened, the marble
stairway were choked with pushing,
jostling people pressing toward the gal
lsries. Not an inch OF space remained IN
the public galleries at nine O'Clock,
though long lines of people stretching
down the stairways to the lower corridors
continued to press forward. Within a
were thrown open they, too, were COM
pletely filled with the exception OF those
reserved for the diplomatic corps and the
families of the President and Cabinet.
On the floor there was almost as much
excitement as III the galleries, although
the full synopsis of the report which was
printed by the Associated Press this
morning has taken the keen edge OFF the
anxiety with which the members awaited
the reading of the official fin 1ings OF the
| board. Upon the desk of tne late Repre-
sentative Simpkins of Massachusetts, who
died suddenly Saturday night, wreath
OF Easter lilies interviewer with tulips,
crocus and lilies OF the valley. cast an air
of sadness over the vast ssemblage.
| Fifteen minutes before the House con-
vened the floors were cleared. The dip
! lomatic and executive galleries shortly
afterward were opened and before the
gavel fell at noon, not seat was vacant.
Chairman Dingley. Mr.. Bailey and the
other leaders entered the hall without
demonstration. AT exactly twelve the
Speaker called the House to order. Amid
the impressive silence that followed, Jhe
blind chaplain delivered q solemn prayer
which rang through the ball like warn
ing. He referred to the storm clouds that
hung above the country threatening to
break at any time. He prayed God to in
terpose His power that these clouds might
pass away leaving us in peace and tram
| guilty.
While the Journal was being read,
Chief Executive Clerk Pruden appeared
| with the message.
| Th thronged galleries were hushed as
| the chief clerk carried the document down
| the main aisle and placed it on the
| Speakers table, Speaker Reed, himself,
broke the large red seal Of the envelope
and handed it to the clerk, at the same
time announcing in a clear, distinct
voice: IA message from the President OF
| the United States. -
When the reading OF the message was
concluded, wave of applause swept over
the floor and galleries. TheSpeaker 1mme-
diately announced the reference of the
message to the committee on foreign re-
lations 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
| inquiry had accompanied the message
containing the information that the re-
| port and testimony had been transmitted
to the Senate
stWould it be in order to ask unanimous
consent to set apart Wednesday for the
consideration of the messages" asked Mr..
| McMiIlin, Democrat of Tennessee.
'Tho Chair thinks not" replied the
Speaker.
Meantime Mr.. Walker, Republican Of
Massachusetts. was on his feet and when
recognized, he announced, as dean of the
delegation, the death of his colleague,
Representative Simpkins. The usua
resolutions were adopted. and the Speaker
appointed the following committee to at
tend the funeral: Messrs. Gillet, Mccall
Moody and Lowering of Massachusetts,
Cousins of Iowa; Foss of Illinois, Lit
tauer of New York; Newlands of Nevada
and Berry of Kentucky, to attend the
funeral and then at 1918 p. M, the
House, as further mark Of respect, ad
journed.