The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-01-19
FIGHT AGAINST QUAY
Has Precipitated Fight Against
\ Lieutenant Governor Goblin.
ADJOURNED The JOINT SESSION


= Harrisburg Jan. 19.-The feeling be-
tween the candidates, their managers
and their followers In the great battle
for United States senator has been in
tenslfied by the rulings of Lieutenant
Governor Goblin at yesterdays joint
assembly of the senate and house. Mr..
Goblin refused to entertain an appeal
from his decision ruling out series Of
rules regulating the procedure of the
conference, and declaring the assembly
adjourned when three-fourths of the
senators and members voted otherwise
Mr.. Gobin's ruling was made after the
first joint ballot for senator had been
taken. which resulted as follows: NJ.
s. Quay. 112; George A. jerks, 81; John
Dalzell, 10; G. W. Stone, o; John Stew
art, .; George +. Huff, s: E. A. Irwin,
3; c. Tubbs 4; Charles T.. Rice 2; C.
L. Smith (Philadelphia), l.; A. Markle,
I; g. A. Grow. /; j. F. Downing, 2.
Necessary to choice, 1875.
The anti-Quay Republicans and DEM
ocrats We're hurriedly called together
after the joint conference adjourned by
Senator William Finn, chairman of
the antiQuay organization in the gen.
eral assembly. Representative Ward
r. Bliss, of Delaware, was chosen
chairman and Representatives Thomas
J. Ford of Allegheny and George H.
Dixon of Elk were chosen secretaries
A roll call showed 1856 members and
senators present. OF these five Re-
publicans who voted for Senator Quay
participated in the meeting, and indi-
Gated their sympathy with the move
ment. They were Representatives
Hersch and Yates OF PHILADELPHIA,
Mackcy of Lackawanna, Nesbit OF AL
leghcny and Baldwin Of Delaware. A
committee Of seven was appointed to
prepare a series of resolutions to be
submitted to an adjourned meeting
which was held last night in the hall
of the house of representatives This
committee consisted of Senators Flinn
of Allegheny, Sproul of Delaware
(Reps.). Heinle of Centre Dem.), Rep
resentatives Young of Tioga, Koontz
of Somerset Reps.), Dixon of Elk and
Tow of Philadelphia (Dems).
The hall of the house was crowded
with legislators and politicians last
evening when the meeting was called
to order by Chairman Bliss. He stated
the purpose of the meeting was 10
hear the report of the committee, and
that 1t being an adjourned meeting NJ
roll would be called. Mr.. Finn pre-
sented the report, and Mr.. Fow, Of
Philadelphia read It. The report first
gives the rules which We're presented
20 govern the action Of the joint assem-
bly,. and then proceeds:
Whereas, the said presiding officer
refused to entertain said resolution and
ruled that said motion was not then in
order, although the right to prescribe
rules for It's government not incom-
patable with the constitution and laws
of the commonwealth Is Inherent in
every deliherative assembly, and is
matter of the highest privilege, aud
Whereas, the said presiding officer re-
fused TO entertain an appeal from said
ruling, although promptly and properly
made. and
Whereas, subsequently at the same
session Of the joint assembly the said
presiding officer refused to entertain q
call for the ayes and nays upon a mo-
tion to adjourn, in violation of the
rules of both houses and of the prece-
dents established in former joint as
semblies. although the same was de-
manded by Il large number of the mem-
bers present before the chair had an
nounced the decision of the assembly
upon said motion to adjourn and sum-
marily ruled against the manifest will
of clear majority of the joint as.
sembly (as the presiding offices well
In bai t.,c a id tpint nSsprphlv thon
stood adjourned.
Resolved, That the said rulings upon
the part of said presiding officer were
revolutionary in character, clear vio-
latiOn of the right of the members of
said joint assembly, a menace to the
orderly conduct of its business and de-
serve the condemnation of every law
abiding citizen.
Resolved, That The said joint as
sembly has the undoubted right to
adopt rules to govorn It's own pro-
Cedure and to have a record made OF
yeas and nays of the votes of its men,
bers upon any orderly proposition sub
mitted for the decision of the assembly.
Resolved. That it is The further un-
doubted right of the said joint as
Bembly, under the constitution and
laws Of the commonwealth, to organize
itself by the election of a presiding
officer, none being provided for by law.
And although the said joint assembly
aCquiesced in the action Of the lieuten-
ant governor in presiding over its de-
alterations, although no part of his of.
t1cial right or function, nevertheless we
assert the inherent power of the said
jOint assembly, If necessity shall al
any time require, to elect presiding
officer, and to change him at pleasure.
The resolutions are signed by 10 sen.
ators and 100 representatives.
In explaining the resolutions Mr..
Finn said there was no law or consti-
tutiona mandate that allows the lieu
Henant governor to preside at a joint
assembly of the senate and house to
elect United States senator; it was
simply matter of courtesy.
General Koontz, of Somerset, argued
that the Lieutenant governor had no
more right to preside over the joint as
sembly than one of the page boys on
the floor, except as custom.
Representative 1Iasson, of Venango,
said his Democratic colleagues felt 1t
was their duty to aid the Independent
Republicans in repelling the encroach-
ments upon their privileges.
A motion was offered by Senator
Martin, of Philadelphia, and adopted,
that the committee of seven be con-
tinued. with power to call the inde-
pendent Republicans and Democrats
together any time the necessity arises.
Senator Fow read an article of the
constitution to show that Mr.. Goblin,
who was brigadier general In the vol
unteer army. has no right to preside at
the conference. The section follows: