Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-01-05
MEETING OF THE LEGISLATURE
Ludlcrous Position Of House OF
Representatives. an
DEMOCRATS DEpLORE IDLENEsS
Details of Tuesdays Funny
Session.
Stand Of the Senate Relative to the Selection
Of M Enrolling Cierk--BurtOn-s Maui Cou-
tesr-Numerous Biunders Made by Hepub-
ticans.

Dover, Jan. 4.-The first General
Assembly elected under the new Con-
stitution was put in ludicruus light
yesterday by the neglect Of the Re-
publicans to effect permanent organi-
zation OF the House OF Representatives.
The Democratic Representatives at
tempted to force them to perform that
work, but they were prevented by the
superior number of their opponents. A
series OF Republican plumbers and the
nervousness of the Republican mem
bers added to the absurdity Of the pro-
ceedings of the House. The activity
of the Senate was in decided contrast
to the slowness of the minor body.
The Democratic members Of the House
went to the hall of the House Of Rep
resentatives at 10 o'clock in the morn
3 ing, but the futile conferences OF the
Republicans delayed the calling OF the
House to order for organization until
1926 o'clock in the afternoon, and
even at that late hour the Republicans
were prepared only to effect tenn
porary organization.
The first Republican blundor was
Representative Davis motion to "elect
Representative Burns for temporary
clerks instead Of to elect him item
porary clerk for the day." which limit
was put on Representative Jenkins
election as temporary Speaker. The
second blunder occurred when Repre-
sentative Kitchen moved that Judge
Pennewill swear in the Representa-
Jenkins began to swear in the Repre-
sentatiyes. elect, Walter II. Hayes. an
Addicksite, stood ready to assist him,
but William Michael Byrne, du Pont
Regular Republican. hastily assembled
to the Speakers platform and, elbow
ing Mr.. Hayes aside, thrust upon the
presiding officer his assistance, which
was accepted. Representative Robert
son Numbered when he moved that the
clerk of the House be instructed to
\ notify the Senate that the House would
inform the Senate when the House
was ready for business. Representa-
tive Donahoe raised the point that the
House, not being ready for business,
could not act upon such a motion,
and Representative Robertson did not
press it. Representative Kitchen blund-
cred again when he moved that the
House adjourn while Representative
McNulty's motion to proceed to nomi-
nate and elect permanent officers was
pending. The vote on Mr.. McNulty' Is
motion was as follows:
No Messrs. Kitchen, Burns, Robert
son, Ewing, Frizzel, Dennison, Hushe.
beck, Theodore #. Clark, Lattomus,
FAIRIES, Herring, Tharp, Frazier, Davis,
Buell., Short, West, Hunter and Haz-
gard 10. "a 1iG
Yes = Messrs. Donahoe, McNulty,
Taylor, Satterfield, Jester, Jenkins,
(t.fftpohot, Wu on1
James b. Clark--14
. Representative Donphos's amendment
to adjourn until74 p. m. was defeated
by a vote Of IS to IA. The vote on the
amendment was like the preceding
vote, except that Messrs. Davis and
FAIRIES voted in the affirmative. Messrs.
6atterfield and Jenkins voted in the
negative and Representative Theodore
; III Clark had left the room.
Senator Salmon, in acknowledging
his election as Speaker, said:
Senators and friends: appreciate
the honor which you, by your votes,
have conferred upon me by the election
as Speaker of this honorable body.
ITO tho members of my own party
who have honored me by their suf-
frages, when others could have been
selected we'll qualified for the office Of
\ Speaker, extend the assurances of my
cordial appreciation. need hardly
say, gentlemen, that matters Of the
supremest Importance will come before
You for your consideration. The recent
adoption of our new Constitution has
made it incumbent on the Legislature
of Delaware to meet the new condition
Of affairs with gravity and careful
deliberation. 1t will be my sole aim,
G,,nnlyar ~ tha 10 10 10 II,
every way the efficient deliberations oil
this honorable body and to apply in
every instance uniform rules OF fair
ness and impartiality. To my friends
of the opposite party, extend the
most cordial greeting, and beg them
to belieye that, should any error occur
id the rulings of the chair, that al
least they will not be intentional mis-.
takes Gentlemen Of the Senate,
thank you. The Senate is ready fol
business.
ENROLLING CLERK NOT ELECTED.
The Senate did not attempt to elect
an enrolling clerk until afternoon.
Senator Pyle had nominated Herman
Il. First. Senator Pennewill had nomi
mated, John G. King, tellers had been
appointed and the votes had been col.
lected, when the Senate ascertained
that the new Constitution provides
that the enrolling clerk shall be &C.
lected by joint resolution. Then, the
nominations were Withdrawn.
The failure to elect A. II. Polk, the
Democratic caucus nominee, for at.
torney to the Senate caused consider
able surprise. No reason other thar
that mentioned in yesterdays dis.
patches is given.
There is considerable speculation as
to who cast the blank vote for Senator
X Blakely, the Republican nominee fol
Speaker protempore of the Senate.
The general impression is that Senator
Knox cut him. Z, las
BuRToN-MAULJ CONTEST.
In his contest for the seat occupied
by Senator Franklin @. Maui, DIR.
Hiram r. Burton makes the following
allegations;
First That ballots were mistakenly
rejected BY the election officers In the
Fifth Senatorial district of SUSSEX
county, which would have given him Q
majority in said district.
Second - That ballots were mis-
takehly received and counted which
had not been stamped as the law re-
quifed.
Third-That ballots were mistakenly
received and counted that did mo-
have the initials of the CLERKS writer
across the backs.
Fourth That ballots in the SeconG
Election district of the Tenth Repre-
sentative district were mistakenly re
iected as being wrongly folded, when
in fact, said ballots were properl.
folded as the law required, but that