Year: 1877

Andrew Johnson's vacancy, but at the
late session Of Congress he was the
first to make speech from the Demo-
cratic side looking to a Southern paci-
fication through Cancellation and CO.
operation with the incoming Repub.
lican administration.


Closing Scenes in Congress on Sunday


Morning.


Washington Correspondence (Dec ~ Ch icago Tribune


Barely fifty members of the House
appeared in their places at the expl.
ration of the recess this Sunday morn
ing, and even these showed the effects
of the recent late sessions in their pale
and haggard countenances. The GAL
leries, too. were unoccupied, land about
half dozen strangers wandered about
in lonely manner upon the floor.
The few Representatives who were on
hand apparently came in the hope of
getting some of the private bills in
which they were especially interested
agreed to by the House before the
more important business of the morn.
ing was taken UP. But Holman, of
Indiana, was in his customary place,
and put the veto of his objection upon
any legislation whatever. A few min
uteS later


He LEFT THE HALL


for the purpose of attending a Confer.
ence Committee, and then almost every
Representative in the Chamber i'm
mediately sprang to his feet and de-
manded the recognition of the Speak
er. At this juncture Eden, of Illinois,
arose in his place and objected to the
consideration of several bills in sue
cession, and in explanation of his con.
duct he said that he had promised Hol-
man before the latter went out that,
during his absence, he would allow no
measure to be considered. Several of
the members Indignantly asked if Hol-
man was to be allowed to stand in the
way Of the public business, and it was
suggested that a committee be appoint
ed to wait upon the gentleman from
Indiana and obtain his permission
that legislation might proceed Find.
ing that nothing could be accom- plish-
ed, a recess was taken until half-past
10 o'clock. Soon after, Speaker Ran
dali called the House to order the Sec
on time, placed Cox in the chair. and
temporarily left the Chamber.


Then Banks, of Massachusetts, hav-
ing been recognized, presented, with
some very complimentary and highly
appropriate remarks, the customary
resolution expressing the obligations
of the House to the Speaker and it's ap-
probation of his uniform courtesy and
the fairness with which he had presid-
ed. Banks referred to the exciting
scenes of the present session, and the
difficulties and perplexities which sur
rounded the Speaker, and paid very
high compliment to Randall for the
ability and impartiality with which he
had performed his duties. Holman
seconded the resolution, and added his
testimony to that Of Banks, ana was
followed by Wilson, of Iowa, one of
the best parliamentarians in the
House, who reminded the minority
that no assistance of the Speaker could
compensate for the want of votes, and
calling their attention to the fact that
Randall had borne himself with great
honor during the heated controversy
of the late session. When the resolu-
tiOn was put to the House tho vote in
the affirmative seemed to be unani-
nous on both sides of the Chamber,
but when those voting in the negative
were called for one loud solitary
"No" was heard from the Democratic
side, which seemed to come from the
vicinity of Beehe's seat.


ON THE REAssEMBL1NG OF THE HOUSE
at half-past 10. it was apparent all the
necessary legislation would be com.
pleted in the remaining hour and a
half except the Army bill, but the pri-
vate reports from the third Confer
ence Committee on that bill were not
Of an encouraging character. A few
minutes later Atkins, the chief man.
ager on the part of the House, report
ed the disagreement, and. in a short
speech, asserted that the Committee
was unable to make compromise over
so small a matter as reducing the sal
ary Of the General of the Army. On
the question Of reduction of the
force, and of the omission of


THE FIFTH SECTION


of the bill (relating to the use of
troops in sustaining State Govern
ments), he said that the two Houses
were absolutely unable to find any ba-
sis of agreement. For himself he would
not yield one iota. He would insist
that the army should be reduced be-
low 10000, and that the fifth section
should remain in the bill, and If the
Senate would not agree to that, they
might defeat the bill and make an ex-
ira session necessary if they dared.


Charles Foster Republican member
of the Conference Committee, said
that he believed that a compromise
could be made on every question in
volved in the Army bill except that of
the fifth section. Without speaking by
authority, or undertaking to represent
anybody, he wished to call the atten
tion of the House to the many eviden-
ces now existing that the policy of the
future Administration would be ex-
actly in the line of this fifth section,
and declared that the Democrats need
have no earthly apprehension that
President Hayes would use the troops
in any manner to which they objected.
He appealed to the House to accept
these assurances and allow the bill to
pass. Atkins was unwilling to &C.
cept any compromise, and moved that
the house insist, and his motion was
carried by strictly party vote, no
division being taken. A new Confer
ence Committee was appointed, and
Immediately retired.


THE HOUR BETWEEN 1890 AND 1870
was spent in the transaction of unim-
portant business. A few private bills
were passed, and twenty or twenty