Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-12-10

discussion. There had been a SHARP
exchange Of personalities between Mr.
Cannon and John H. O'Neall, of In
diana. Mr.. O'Neall had made cut
ting allusion to alleged purchasing OF
votes in Mr.. Cannon's district, and
Uncle Joe" was on fire in an ir-
stant
He had the floor, and was therefore
able to shut off Mr.. O'Neall from re-
plying.
The hubbub became universal. On
the Democratic side were cries OF
Fair play! Fair play!"
Meanwhile the Republicans cheer
ed Mr.. Cannon and howled Regular
order!" Mr.. O'Neall was very angry
and insisted on being heard. Nor did
ne. stop insisting until the mace came
down the aisle where he was stand
ing. Then 1t was over.
Two months later, on August 26,
the services of the mace were again
required during the exciting scenes
attending the passage of the Conger
Land Bill by the house. Three min
utes after Mr.. Cannon's celebrated
reply to Mr.. McAdoo there was an act
ual collision on the Republican side
of the house. Blows were exchanged,
and the floor became like bedlam.
Again the great mace went down
the aisle, and in a few seconds order
was restored.
The last time 1t was used during
that congress was in the turbulence
and wild commotion caused by the
effort of the speaker to suppress Mr..
Roger Q. Mills.
The terms traitor" and treason"
were being handed about rather free
ly, and some promiscuous profanity
flooded into the argument. Every
one expected a fst-fght, at least; but
the mace, as usual, proved efficient,
and things were soon quiet again.
The Fiftieth Congress, just pre-
ceding that one, had, in all, two oc-
casions calling for the mace. But
the worst single occasion Of all was
the time when 1t was required during
the disorder In the Thirty-Sixth Con-
gress, 1859-1861. Bad as scenes
have been in other congresses, they
have borne no comparison 70 those In
this one, which grew out Of dispute
between Messrs. Keitt and Cow, just
before the war.
Then there was a real fight on the
floor of the house. Mr.. Barksdale,
of Mississippi, who attempted to In
terfere, lost his artificial scalp. Men
were fioored with cuspidors. Vainly,
at first, the mace was carried UP and
down the aisles; for the time being
nothing availed.
But finally, as the symbol majes-
tically moved about the house. one
after another of the participants IN
this unprecedented fracas recognized
it. Though the bitterness remained,
the contestants respected the dignity
Of the symbol.
Congressman Mccall said recently
that the house of representatives 'fs
the most disorderly and noisiest legis-
lative body in the world"
But even then 1t has never broken
up the furniture, piled 1t in the CEN
ter of the room, and had its picture
taken standing on the ruins, as a
Hungarian legislature did several
years ago. But, Of course, Hungary
had no mace. Still, though the Brit
ish house of commons has a mace,
on occasions Of disorder there 1t has
been the police who finally restored
the peace.
The Mace of King Charles.
The history Of the British mace is
quite interesting. When the first one
was made, no one knows; but after
the execution Of King Charles I, In
1649, a new form or mace was de-
manded, more befitting the common
wealth, and savoring less Of royalty.
The royal mace had been surmount-
ed by a crown of crosses and fieurs-
de-lis. The new one had coronet
formed of st. Georges crosses for
England and harps for Ireland, and
bore engraved on It: "The Freedom
Of England by Gods blessing re-
stored"
Above the coronet were four sprays
of oak-leaves meeting, not with ball
and cross as before, but with the arms
of England and Ireland on an acorn.
This was used until 1863, when Crom-
well bade one of his soldiers Take
away that fools bamble."
Several cities, like Kingston, ia
maica, claim to have this mace now,
but really it was brought back later.
In 1860 a new mace was made for
the house Of commons. 1t stands about
four feet high. Its head consists OF
four royal badges. with the initials,
&C. r." and the royal arms Of
Charles H., surmounted by a royal
crown with an orb and cross. The
shaft is chased with roses and this
ties.
When the Mace Was Club.
Antiquarians tell us that 1t Is prob
ably composed Of the shaft of the old
mace of the days Of Cromwell, to
which was added a new head In place
of the old one, in 1860.
So that the famous "bauble" is not
really lost or reposing in some far-ofr
city, but is still borne in front of the
speaker Of the house Of commons.
The mace was originally, Of course,
a weapon of offense, and its recogni-
tion as a symbol of power or authori-
ty came later. AS a weapon, II had
a tearing, crushing effect on armor,
due to it's original flanged head.
When pistols came in the mace be-
came a symbol only and, from being
useful, became merely ornamental.
Then it contracted all the later ar
tistic additions.
Civic maces were military maces
turned upside down. Kings, judges,
ministers, and other officials had
liking for the mace with its fine metal
work and carvings. 1t took its place
with the sword Of state.
It ,,os tho r,ark of 1udicia1 or eXecu-