The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-05-21


and Cannon and Clark. Ut the more
recent Speakers. each Mt least once
addressed the House without It's per-
mission. The crisp episode. growing
ont Of Reeds effort to compel the
cuunsng Of "A quorum. caused u scene
OF disorder which emphasized the wis
, dom uf the traction against the
sneaker on ering dcbnte.
II is the custom VI the House. at me
end Of It's session. to offer a resolu-
ton Of thanks To the Chair. The
compliment Is sometimes. naturally
enough. tainted with a certain insin-
crritA. but as a rule courtesy prevails
and the wounds of the parliamentary
battle are forgotten. In 1901, however,
tho House came very close To humil-
iating speaker Sedgwick. An I'm
placablc" Federalist and "a most au-
tocratic presiding officer. Mr.. Sed;-
, wick failed not only to win the favor
~ the opposition on tho vote OF
thanks but to gain the suffrage " al!
ir"Inbcrs of his W party. Speaker
Narnum got only a partial vote be.
cause Of resentment against his drop
ping John randolph from Ways and
Means. When the clerk of the Twen-
t. sccon Congress. in its first session,
! reading the stereotypcd form Of reso-
luton. reached the clause expressing
appreciation Of the Speakers fair
dealing. the word Impartial" was the
signal that set the House rocking with
laughter. stevens acted as "a sort
of patronage secretary to President
Jackson. and when he announced his
committees establishment often deep
encd into CONSERVATION"
James *. Polk as Speaker used the
power of appointment to committees
to support the President. and tho
right of recognition to weaken his OPP
roncnts. He incurred such hostility
among members Of his own party thai:
"it finally denied him h privilege If
naming "A most important committee,
charged with the investigation Of n
sensational defalcation in the New
York Custom House" To thank him
for his impartial" services became
something more than a mere formal
act of courtesy. When the resolution
came up Sergeant =. l'rrntiss of Ms
sissippi. an orator whom his contem-
pCtiries used To- compare with Patrick
d Henry. mad. "A speech in which he
called the Speaker "thc tool of the
Executive and tho despair of his
party" He named over various off,
ci,l ac,s IN view of which. he said.
+, Use the WORD impartial" was noth-
.ug less tlIan Ito cellar "A lie" The
confusion of the administration leaders
WAS worse COMPOUNDED when, on soma
one moving tho previous question, the
irr, prcssthlc ~I'rentiss remarked that
the demand was "as Illuminating As ~
move il on q resolution Of respect to
Il deceased member ON thu roll
cal fewer members voted thanks than
had voted for Polk for Speaker.
Thomas Il. Reed declined to make
/ unanimous the vote to Speaker
crisp At the close of tho Fffty-third
Congress, and his refusal To share in
The action "f his colleagues was "A Sc
rious impairment Of the custom. After
the Polk episode congressional mall
contents made sue eood use of the
pre- c.dcnt AGAINST the word Impair
t!al" that of the neN eleven Speakers
seven failed to gain the honor. Among
the seven were winthrop and Banks.
Howell cobb got the vote. unqualified.
in 1851. hut after that II remained for
Speaker Colfay, with his "unfailing
tact and extraordinary courtesy TO
':ac"uw :ac House into perennial! good
nature.
Mr.. AlcNand RS chapter on the
S~peakership. brilliant as II is. is not
Exceptional but representative among
his chapters. Those on committees
on rules ~ the House, on quorum. on
debate and dcbaters and on contested
elections are written with the UNDER
standing and the impartial judgment
Of one who has been through the mil.
and now ! oks back with calm detach-
ment upon the scene of his former
iloors. The book * full of Congress
s.uull lore. "A delightful and valuable
record of men and measures. STU
dents of the popular branch Of our
Government will find Mr.. Alexander a
most competent and pleasant guide.