New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-16
GALUsHA A. GROW ON briggs.
The Late Father of the House" Against
the Court.

To the Editor of the Tribune.
Sir: When does person elected to Congress
BY popular vote become a member7 This Is
vital question IN the administration OF the
government. and Is one purely OF constitutional
Jaw. dependent on two provisions Of the Con-
stitution.
Article 1. Section 2-'Ths House of Repre-
sentatives shall be composed OF members chosen
every second year by the people OF the several
States" Section 6-"Each House shall be the
judge OF the election returns. and Quallica lions
OF It's own members; majority OF each shall
constitute quorum to do business"
The certificate OF election gives to the holder
the right TO claim seat a member. But
he is not member until the House. In passing
upon his qualifications and election decides that
he Is qualified to take the oath of office Then.
when he takes the oath. he becomes a member
and not before. The choosing provided for IN
the Constitution Is not complete until that Is
done. In the case OF lack of a quorum In the
House. and the sergeant-at-arms Is sent to ar
rest and bring In absent members to make a
quorum, the only persons he can arrest are
those who have taken the oath OF Office. There
must be quorum In order TO do business. That
is. majority of the whole House must be pres
ent, II the contention that all who hold
tfcates OF election are members without TAX
ing the oath OF oflcs be correct. then a
partmeut OF the government. as would have
been the case at the first session OF the
XXXVIIth Congress. July 4. 1861
No one can act as member OF Congress until
he has taken the oath of office and the oath
OF office can be taken only decision by
the House that the applicant Is qualified TO take
1t: and until that Is done he Is not a member,
for the choosing provided for in the Constitu-
ton is not complete
GALUSHA A GROW.
Glenwood, PENN Jan. IL, 1904.
lTha well known author OF the above letter
was a member OF Congress for twenty-one
years, beginning as far back 1881. In the
XNNIId Congress. In the fierce conflicts be-
tween the Southern and Northern elements he
came In collision on the floor with Lawrence NJ.
keitt, a member from South Carolina, who.
having approached Mr.. Grow excitedly on the
floor In the midst of debate. was suddenly dis
covered PROSTATE. Nobody was ever ready to
tell just what knocked Mr.. Keitt down after
the matter was disposed of. But the fist OF
Mr.. Grow was always under suspicion. This
suspicion did not prevent his being elected
Speaker of the next Congress. the XXXvIIth
Congress. Mr.. Grow retired from Congressional
service in 1868, but after some years as rail-
as Congressman-at-Large from Pennsylvania In
February, 1S9f-to fill vacancy-by plural
ity of 1Ss,29i. and continued to be returned
and to serve as Congressman-at-Large until
1908 when his service was ended by a system
OF redistricting which provided a separate Con-
gress district for each Congressman to whom
the State of Pennsylvania was entitled. Mr.
Grow Is now In his eiGhty-frst year. but, as
will be seen above. continues to take a keen and
Intelligent interest in public affairs.l