The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-05
ADJOURNED WITHOUT DAY
Closing Scenes in the Hall of the
House of Representatives.
Incidents which Usually Mark the
End of Session Absent-A Rcso-
luton of Thanks to the Speaker
Speaker Henderson's EnIedictory.

Speaker Henderson's VaIedictory.
The scenes that marked the witdup of
the business of the House for the second
session of the Fifty-sixth Congress were
in strong contrast with the closing hours
of the last Congress. Then five of the big
appropriation bills was undisposed of.
They were the District of Columbia, Sun
dry Civil. Army. River and Harbor, and
| the General Deficiency. This time but two
appropriation bills were in danger-the
Sundry Civil. which was agreed to about
6 o'clock yesterday morning, and the Riy-
er and Harbor, which Mr.. Carter talked
| to death in the Senate. And then again
! the inauguration of a President had
| tendency to subdue the usual tendency to-
ward horseplay and to add to the mem
bers' dignity. They did. however, Sunday
night during a recess sing the usual songs
that of late years have characterized the
last hours of a Congress.
The House after Il o clock Sunday night
took frequent recesses until o clock yes
terday morning, when the final report on
the Sundry Civil, the last of the great
appropriation bills, was presented by MI
Cannon, who stated that the Senate had
agreed to strike out the appropriations
for the Buffalo and Charleston EXPOSE
tons.
Mr.. I.entz asked Mr.. Cannon why the
provision for printing 500 copies of the
Messages and Papers of the Presidents
had been stricken out.
Mr.. Cannon replied that he and the
I other conferees had decided it was an
expense not justified. Further recesses
until o'clock and then until $50 o'clock
were taken pending action by the Senate
on the River and Harbor conference re-
port.
The House reassembled at $50 o'clock,
less than dozen members being present.
Speaker Henderson announced Messrs.
Cannon, Dalzell, and Richardson as the
committee provided for by the Sundry
Civil Appropriation bill to have charge of
the reconstruction and refurnishing of the
Hall of the House of Representatives 1t
VIII be renovated entirely during the re-
cess. new ventilation, new seats on the
iloor and in the galleries and new fur
hishlng in cloak rooms and lobby
The Speaker announced his signature tn
the bill appropriating 5,OO0,OOO for the st.
Louis Fair and the Sundry Civil Appro-
! priation bill
slowly, one by one. members dropped
into the hall and gathered into mile
knots exchanging "reminiscences and tell
| ing stories. bunch of roses was
brought in and given to Mr. Carmack,
Il
came from Mr. and Mrs. C. T Bride. with
! Whon Mr. Bryan lived while in Wash
/ lngton. AT o'clock no Indication having
peen made that the River and Harbor
{ Dill would come from the Senate on mo-
/ ton of Mr.. Burton, the House took a fur
( ther recess until 10 O'clock
| The session was dying more quietly than
any similar one within the memory of old
members and employees, there being an
/ entire absence Of haste and friction. In
me contests with the Senate over items
added to appropriation bills by that body,
the leaders of the House congratulated
| themselves that they came off better than
ever before. Notable incidents of this
were the agreements on the War Revenue
reduction bill, the st. Louis Exposition
bill. and the Naval Appropriation bill
At 10 o'clock the House passed Senate
plll granting a charter to the General
| Federation of Women's Clubs In the in
| term, flowers were placed on the desks
| OF several members including Mr. Bailey
OF Texas, who. with Mr.. Carmack became
a Senator yesterday
Another recess was taken at 1d15 until
IL o clock, an agreement having been
| made to adjourn sine die at 1l:45
When the last recess of the session and
congress ended at II o'clock. Mr.. Payne
| offered resolution directing the appoint
ment OF Il committee of three to wait llp-
| on the President and inform him that the
| House was ready to adjourn unless he
| mad further communication to make to it,
The resolution was agreed to and Messrs
| Payne, Grosvenor. and Richardson of
Tennessee named the committee
After the departure of the committee
| to wait on the President the members
walked about the hail. shaking hands and
] saying goodbye to each other. IN the
mean time, MIR. JOY was called to the
| chair. He said that on behalf of the
| House of Representatives ne would ask
| the gentleman from Texas, Mr.. Bailey, TO
take the chair As Mr.. Bailey assembled
| the steps to the Speakers chair, he was
| heartily applauded by the members and
| the occupants of the galleries.
AT 1:Z0 o'clock, the committee appoint
| ed TO wait on the President returned and
announced that they had carried out the
| instructions of the House. and that the
President had no further communication
10 make to Congress.
Mr. Richardson of Tennessee was then
recognized and offered the following rlso-
luton:
Resolved that the thanks of this House
are rendered to the Hon. David b. Hen
derson for the able, impartial, and digni-
fled manner in which ne has presided over
its deliberations and performed the ardu-
Gus and important duties of the Chair
AT the conclusion of the reading of the
resolution Representative Richardson
said:
Mr.. Speaker: The resolution just Of
fered by myself, and read at the desk
gives expression, as | believe, to the real
feelings of every member of the House
L know from declarations made by
members of the minority in the chamber
that, without exception, such is the opin-
ion they entertain.
When this Congress convened in De-
cenber. 1859. the majority of the House,
in party caucus, chose the Speaker, and
Ifclaimed him as their own, but by his
generous treatment of those of us of the
minority, and by an impartial discharge
of the duties of most responsible and
at times perpieXing Office, he has shown
himself to be the Speaker of the whole
House, and not simply of the one side
to which he owed his selection. The DO
sition of Speaker of the House is both
| m
that the occupant of the chair is at all
times bound by, and obedient to, code
<ef rules. prescribed for the government
and control of the House, and in the exc
cution of which he is but its organ and
servant 1t is at the same time political
In the very nature of things he is ex-
pected in his position to look carefully to
the interests of his party, and while he
is TO administer the affairs of his great
office in a manner to best promote the
public veal, it is not expected that he
will fail to all legitimate and proper
methods to build up his party and fortify
Ii against attack.
1T may be that In moments of excite
ment and acrimonious debate. such as
we frequently witness here, when words
are flying fast and hot. and when crimi-
nations and recriminations are INDUCED
often too far. between the two sides
some of of opinion that unfair
means are adopted and injustice done by
a display of too much partisanship vet
In cooler moments when reason is restor-
ed and ali are satisfied that no intention
to do injustice or to be unfair is discov-
cred, these things are forgotten, or are
properly attributed to the infirmities of
temper and the imperfections of human
nature. After quite long experience in
this body. speaking for myself, | am
thoroughly convinced that the House In
its membership is honest, and sincere and
that each, from the Speaker to the hum
blest member. earnestly endeavors to see
his duty to the country, and then to dis
charge it to the very best of his ability. |