The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-03-05

house pending the determination Of the
question as to his right to his seat -
the house, arose from his old seat down
near the front on the Democratic side,
and loudly asked for recognition.
''Mr. Speaker" he called.
| The speakers face was flushed slight
| ly, but he looked straight ahead as if
! he did not hear.
'I ask unanimous consent to sheal
for five minutesi" shouted the general
But the speaker disregarde6 him. Every
eye was now riveted upon the eirninu-
tive figure of the grizzled old veteran
| of two wars.
| The situation was intensely dramatic,
but Mr.. Payne. the floor leader Of the
majority, hurried to re rescue. He
moved a recess for ten minutes.
Pending that l ask unanimous con-
sent to speak for three minutes" de-
manded General Wheeler.
| The speaker then turned toward him
| for the first time, aud, looking straight
! into the gray eyes of the general, ig-
pored his request completely, putting
the motion of Mr.. Payne and declaring
it carried.
AS the hands of the clock pointed to
seven minutes to 12, although it was
really three minutes past the hour, the
committee appointed to wait upon the
president marched down the aisle.
| The speaker had retired to his room
and Mr.. Payne, the speaker pro TEN,
was in the chair. Mr.. Dalzell, in the
! center, announced that the committee
| had fulfilled its duty and the president
had made reply that he had no further
communication to make.
"The president requested US to state,'
! he continued, that the fifty-fifth con-
gress had performed its extraordinary
duties manfully and he requested me to
extend to each and every member his
best wishes for his safe return to his
home"
Great applause greeted this an
nouncement.
SPEAKER REED THANKED.
But five minutes remained. In it was
enacted one of the most dramatic
scenes ever witnessed in the hall of
! representatives.. Mr. Payne summoned
Mr.. Dockery CDenl. MOI, to the chair
and he in turn recognized Mr.. Bailey,
the minority leader in this congress, to
present the resolutions thanking the
speaker for the impartial manner in
which he had presided over the delib-
erations of the house. A great hush
fell upon the vast concourse in the gal
leries as Mr.. Bailey began to speak.
Mr.. Bailey said: ct is an admirable
trait of the American character, and it
is one which will tend to the perma-
nence of our institutions, that no mat
ter how We may contend against each
other over our differences of opinion
each is always ready to accord to the
other whatever praise may be deserved.
This commendable spirit has led some
shallow men to criticise us because
they could not comprehend how we
could so strenuously combat the prin-
cipleS of our adveRsaries and still re-
Spect those adverSarieS themselves.
These men do not know that large
majority of the men in every party of
this country sincerely believe that a
large majority of the men in every
other party are earnestly anxious TO
promote our country'S welfare. Cap
plause) And it is out of this broader
spirit that a custom has grown which
is as old as the house itself, that in
the closing hours of every session there
shall be offered a resolution like that
which 1 now send to the clerks desk"
The resolution was read as follows:
Resolved, That the thanks of the
house are rendered to the Hon. Thomas
B. Reed, for the able, impartial and
dignified manner in which he has pre-
fected the arduous and important du-
ties of the chairman"
The reading of the resolution was
greeted with tumultuous applause.
"NIr. Speaker" continued Mr.. Bailey,
Eve have not always agreed with the
distinguished occupant of the chair,
and we have taken more than one oc-
casion to emphasize our dissent; but
remembering the momentous questions
which have confronted US in this con-
gress, and remembering too, the in
tense excitement which they aroused
throughout the country, as well as in
this hall. the wonder is that those occa-
sions were so few, and in this hour of
impartial retrospect l do not hesitate
to say that he mas been as fair to US
and our side as any of US, were our
positions reversed, would have been to
him and his side" loud applause.)
The chair called for a rising vote.
Every member was on his feet and the
resolution was unanimously agreed to
amid prolonged applause
REEDS RESPONSE.
Mr. Dockery, when the applause had
subsided, appointed Messrs. Bailey,
Bell (Pop., Colo) and Payne to escort
the speaker to the chair. A moment
later, as the speaker emerged from the
lobby, escorted by the committee, the
cheers that greeted his appearance
made the rafters ring. Slowly the
speaker ascended the rostrum. Grace
fully Mr.. Dockery informed him of the !
action of the house, and then relin-
Quished the gavel to him.
As the speaker faced the house, the
stiffness of death settled down up it.