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Show HOUSE. At the opening of the session of the house tbe galleries were crowded and the corridors for two hours previously were almost impassible. At 12 o'clock Clerk Adams called the houso to order, read the president's proclamation procla-mation convening congress and called the roll of members by states, beginning begin-ning with Maine. When Louisiana was reached the clerk made the following statement: There were received certificates lrom the state of Louisiana bearing date of December 20tb, 1876, and declaring certain persons elected from the First, Fouith and Sixth district, but silent as to the other districts. Inasmuch Inas-much as John MeEnery was never de facto governor of Louisiana and never, in point ot fact, exercised or performed the functions of that office it is not deemed necessary to mate any statement concerning the regularity regu-larity or irregularity of the credentials coming from that source. - Another set of credentials was Bigned by Wm. Pitt Kellogg as governor of Louisiana, with the seal of the state attached, all hearing different dates, and all of. which reached the hands of the clerk through different channels, de daring the persons elected from each of the districts except the Second, as to which district no certificate seems to have been issued by Gov. Kellogg to any one. The law of Louisiana prescribing pre-scribing the character of credentials provides that as soon as possible alter the expiration of the lime of making the ref urns of the election for representatives repre-sentatives in congress a certificate of returns Bhall be entered on record by ! the secretary of state and signed by the governor, and that a copy thereof, subscribed by those officers shall be delivered to the persons so elected, and another copy transmitted to the clerk of the house of representatives. These credentials are in no sense a compliance with the requirements of tbe law of Louisiana. They do not even purport to be a copy of the certificate. On the contrary they are a simple declaration by Governor Kellogg that certain persons were elected, without even staling the sources ot his information infor-mation and they no more constitute credentials within the meaning of the law of Louisiana than a similar statement state-ment from the treasurer or other state official would. They cannot, therefore, there-fore, be recognized by the clerk. The other set of credentials is signed by Gov. Nichols and the secretary of state with the seal of the state attached. at-tached. They declare the persons elected in each of the districts of Louisiana, and conflict with the certificate certifi-cate signed by Governor Kellogg in reference to twodistricts only. These credentials comply with the law of Louisiana in every respect, and the clerk has accordingly placed on tbe roll tbe names ot the persons contained con-tained in them. Wheu Missouri was reached, the clerk- stated that no certificates had been received from the Third district. Just then a paper was handed him addressed to the speaker of the houso, and he repeated the suggestion that aa there was no speaker the paper should be opened by the clerk. (Murmurs (Mur-murs of "No," "No.") Cox hoped there would be no objection ob-jection lo the clerk opening the paper. Clerk Inasmuch aa it would raise a question which the clerk is not prepared pre-pared ta determine, he will leave the matter to the house after it shall have organized. The clerk also stated as to Florida I that he bad received the certificate! of Governor Stearns to the election ot W. J. Purman in the first and Horatio Hora-tio Birsbee, jun., in the second district, but he had subsequently received certificates cer-tificates from Governor Drew. One of these recited thst the canvass which showed the election of Purman had been by the supreme court of Florida, declared illegal, and that anotber canvass bad been made in obedience to the order of the supreme court, which showed the election of Robert H, M. Davidson from the first district. dis-trict. Under such circumstances he had felt bound to place the name of Davidson on the roll. The other certificate cer-tificate of Governor Drew simply declared de-clared as to the second district that by counting vote in certain precincts in Clay county which the board of state canvassers had rejected, and which the supreme court had said could not be legally counted, J. J, Finlay would I be elected under men circumstances. I The derk could not see anything to' invalidate the previous certificate in! favor of Bmbee, and he had therefore placed his name on the roll. With ' reference to Colorado the clerk said ' the certificate presented by Jameti B. Belford sliowJ that lie was elected on the 3d of Octobrr, 187G, a tune not; authorized by the laws of tbeUuittd States or of the state of; Colurado, while the papers presented ; by his competitor, Patterson, were: merely certified copies of the abstracts of votes iu several counties, which votes had never been canvHed by any board of cauva-iaerd. The clerk had therefore declined to place either name on the roll, but had left the matter lor the house, after the organization, organ-ization, to determine. Hale (Maine) rose to what he called a question ol the highest privj. lege, the right of a member to his sfcat, while at thy same moment Wood (New York) rose to what he asserted to be aquetionoi the highest privilege, the organization of the heuse by the election of speaker. Hale offered a resolution seining Belford, which Clerk Adams refused i to entertain. Hale appealed from I the decision of the clerk, who de clined to entertain the appeal. The' previous question on proceeding to the election of speaker was moved, put and carried. Hale demanded a division. The result was 149 ayes, 129 nays, so the resolution was adopted. Clymer nominated Randall and j Hull nominated Grtield. The clerk appointed Clymer, Banning, Ban-ning, Fort and Outer tellers, and by a voiuui it? iu xo. ixauuan wua eiecieu ovr Garfield. i Garfield and Goode conducted the upeaker to tbe chair, and Kelly of Pennsylvania administered the oath. The speaker said : Gentlemen of the house of representatives Elevated Ele-vated for the second time by your ttenerositv to the exalted dignity of epeaker of this house, I thank you with a grateful heart. I shall endeavor en-deavor with even temper, but with rigid firmness, to perform the duties ot the office and to respond adequately ade-quately to the confidence reposed in me by conforming my action to the clearly expressed will of the bouse Yet fully realizing the delicacy and difficulty of the position, I solicit your advice and assistance, feeling ussursd at the same time of your forbearance for-bearance and indulgence. We meet under circumstances imperiously demanding de-manding that all considerations of class uud section or party Bhall be subordinated to the loftier and more patriotic object of doing what is best for the whole country and all its people. Since the adjournment adjourn-ment an administration has been inducted into office which is obeyed as tbe actual government, regardless ol tbe grave events which marked its birth, aud this house, animated by a spirit of true patriotism, desiring first public tranquility under the law, will frankly approve any Bincere and permanent policy looking tocomplete pacification by constitutional methods and to the consequent promotion of the general welfare, but it should be held our sacred duty to provide legislation legis-lation which will render impossible a repetition ol tbe wrongs which have occurred and of the dangers which threatened us. I assume that we will take no step backward in the work of retrenchment and reform so auspiciously begun at the last house. Under a matured and definite plan of reduction ot the expenses of tbe government gov-ernment it is certain that still greater reduction can be made without impairing im-pairing the efficiency of the administration. admin-istration. To have an honest administration admin-istration it should be frugal. Never before was it more urgent than now, with general financial distress and with labor distressed by heavy burdens, bur-dens, to exercise tbe sternest economy. When the iron rule of hard necessity darkens every household house-hold in the land, extravagance on me pari oi iue peuym a oci vuio io an unpardonable crime. It is partly because of that wholesome policy so faithfully carried out that 1 am permitted per-mitted this day to speak from this place, invoking lor our deliberations tolerance of opinion, which Becures harmonious action, right and clear judgment, which purifies legislation, and that mutual coufiience and respect re-spect shall subsist between the house and ita presiding officer. I am now ready to take the oath prescribed by law. (Clappiug of hands on the democratic dem-ocratic Bide of the chamber). The oath was administered. Tbe Bpeaker then administered tha oath to tbe members. Mostof the southern members took the qualified oath. Objection was made to Bwearing in Caine and Rainy of South Carolina, Darrel, Ellis and Robertson of Louisiana, Louisi-ana, and Pacheco of California, and those members stood aside. The delegates of the territories were all sworn in without objection. Clymtr offered resolutions electing as clerk Geo. M. Adams of Kentucky; sergeant-at-aims, John G. Thompsen of Ohio; doorkeeper, John W. Polk, Minnesota: postmaster, . James M. Stewart, Virginia; chaplain, Rev, Dr. John Poisel, Maryland. Hale offered an amendment substituting sub-stituting tor these names those of Jeremiah M. Rusk of Wisconsin, N. G. Ordway, New Hampshire; Horace H. Harrison, Tennessee; Henry Stier-wood, Stier-wood, Michigan, and Rev. J. G. Butler, But-ler, Washington.-;1 The amendment was rejected, and the resolution adopted without a division. Tbe oath of office was then administered ad-ministered to these -officers, Messrs. Polk and Stewart taking the modified ath. A committee was then appointed to inform the Benate of the organization of the houBe, and inform- the president presi-dent that cod g rets is ready to receive any communication he may desire to make. ' The drawing of seats was fixed for 4, the courtesy of selecting Beats in nrltr.nna haina DTlsnrieH In MauiS Stephens. Kelly, Wood, Patterson and Banks. ' I After a Bhort recess, the, drawing 1 began. Stephens chose a desk in the frout row in the eastern corner of the main aisle; Kelly and Wood chose the seats they occupied at the last oon-gress, oon-gress, and Banks and Patterson took good positions . on . the -republican side. The first name drawn was Candler, who selected his former seat, darfield got an early choice and also selected his former seat, aud Butler of Massachusetts got a seat in the front row, at the corner of one of the smaller smal-ler aisles, on the republican side of the chamber. When all the names had been called, the last being that of HunLon of Virginia, and ail tbe seats were selected, the house adjourned, the question as to the swearing in of! the members objected to being put of till to-morrow. |