few grounds for
party strife and bitterness, and with no impending Presidential
election to distract us from purely legislative duties, I venture
to suggest that the present is an auspicious time to enact laws to
guard against the recurrence of dangers to our institutions and to
insure tranquillity at perilous times in the future.

"Again thanking you for the honor conferred, and again invoking
your aid and generous judgment, I am ready to take the oath prescribed
by law and the Constitution and forthwith proceed, with my best
ability, guided by a sincere and honest purpose, to discharge the
duties belonging to the office with which you have clothed me."

The duties of Speaker were arduous, varied, and delicate. Under
the law, rules, and practice of the House he had control of the
Hall of the House, and of the assignment of committee rooms; signed
orders for the monthly pay of each member, and the pay of employees;
approved bonds of officers; appointed and removed stenographers;
examined and approved the daily journal of the proceedings of the
House before being read; received and submitted messages from the
President and heads of departments; appointed three regents to the
Smithsonian Institution, and three members annually as visitors to
the Military Academy, and a like number to the Naval Academy, and
performed many other duties cast upon him, besides appointing all
the committees of the House. The Speaker is naturally the person
to whom members, employees, and others having business with the
House flock for advice, assistance, and with their real or imaginary
grievances. An extensive correspondence and social duties demand
much of the Speaker's time. All this, independent of his real
duties as presiding officer of the House, in performing what is
expected, without time for deliberation, to decide correctly all
parliamentary questions and inquiries. And he is obliged, in
addition, to discharge the ordinary duties of a member for his
district and constituents. The members from all parts of the Union
have diverse and often conflicting interests to press upon the
attention of the House, and the jealousy of members in matters of
precedence or recognition by the Speaker renders his duties severely
trying. It constantly occurred that several members with equal
rights, urging matters of equal merit, were dependent on the
recognition of the Speaker in a "morning hour," when not more than
one or two of them at most