Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-03-08
111 Z4D1EV1119
ADJOURNMENT Of CONGRESS-.
Notable Scenes During the Last Hours OF
q Notable Session.

Notable Scenes During the Last Hours OF
Notable Session.
The sessions of the Fifty-6fth con.
gress came to an end last Saturday al
noon by constitutional Limitation. Both
the house and senate had been in cor.
tinuous session since Friday morning
and during the whole night. Even
! then it was necessary to turn back the
official clocks in order that there
might still be time to complete certain
formalities that had to be complied
with.
During the last quarter of an hour,
General Wheeler, who had not previ-
ously taken part in the proceedings
on account of his questionable status
as member, sought recognition. He
asked to be allowed just ten minutes,
The speaker pretended not to hear
him. He continued to call vigorous
ly, and Floor Leader Payne relieved
the situation by moving a recess fol-
10 minutes. General Wheeler then
asked for three minutes; but the
speaker put the recess resolution and
it was carried. The balance of the
story of the last minutes of the expir'
ing congress is told in the Associated
Press dispatches as follows:
As the hands of the clock pointed
to 7 minutes to IL, although it was
really then 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, 10
the centre, announced that the com.
mittee had fulfilled its duty, and that
the president had made reply that he
had no further communication to
make. "The president requested us
TO state," be continued, "that the Fif:
fy-fifth congress has performed its ex-
traordinary 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. But five minutes re.
NAMED. In it was enacted one of the
most dramatic scenes ever witnessed
in the hall of representatives. Mr.
Payne summoned Mr.. Dockery, Demo.
crat, of Missouri, to the chair, and he
in turn recognized Mr.. Bailey, the mi.
nority leader of the congress, to pres
ent the resolutions thanking the speak
er for the impartial manner in which
be had presided over the deliberations
of the house. A great hush full upon
the vast concourse in the galleries as
Mr.. Bailey began to speak.
He said: cit is an admirable trait oi
the American character, and it is one
which will tend to the peruanence o.
our institutions, that no matter how
we may contend against each other
over the 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 a large
majority of the men in every party are
earnestly anxious to promote our coun
try's welfare. Applause.]
"And it is out of this broader spirit
that custom has grown, which is as
old as the house itself, that in the clos
ing hours of every session there shall
be offered resolution like that which
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 man
ner in which be has presided over its de-
liberations and performed the arduous
and important duties of the chair.
The reading of the resolution was
greeted with tumultuous applause.
"Mr. Speaker" continued Mr.. Bal
ley, "we have not always agreed with
the distinguished occupant of the chair
and we have taken more than one occa
sion to emphasize our dissent; but, re-
membering the momentous questions
that have confronted US in this con
gress, and remembering, too, the in.
tense excitement which they aroused
throughout the country, as we'll as in
this hall, the wonder is that those oc
casions were so few, and in this hour
of impartial restrospect 1 do not hesl'
tate to say that he has been as fair to
US and to our side as anyone of u.s.
were our positions reversed, would
have been to him and to his side
cloud applause.)
The chair called for a rising vote
Every member. was on his feet, and
the resolution was unanimously agreed
to amid prolonged applause.
Mr.. Dockery, when the applause had
subsidized, appointed Messrs. Bailey,
Bell, of Colorado, and Payne a com
mittee to escort the speaker to the
chair.
A moment later the speaker emerged
from the lobby, escorted by the com
mittee, and the cheers that greeted his
appearance made the rafters ring.
Slowly the commanding figure of the
speaker assembled 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 upon it. The
speaker fairly lowered over his sur
roundings. Slowly and with great de-
liberations he returned his thanks for
the compliment the house had confer
red upon him. He said: