"Owing to the fact that we could not transact business under the rules, all business was done under unanimous consent or under propositions to suspend the rules upon the two Mondays in each month on which suspensions were allowed." As a two-thirds majority was necessary to suspend the rules, any considerable minority had a veto power.
The standing committees, whose ostensible purpose was to prepare business for consideration, were characterized as legislative cemeteries.

Charles B.Lore of Delaware, referring to the situation during the previous session, said: "The committees were formed, they met in their respective committee rooms day after day, week after week, working up the business which was committed to them by this House, and they reported to this House 8290 bills.

They came from the respective committees, and they were consigned to the calendars of this House, which became for them the tomb of the Capulets; most of them were never heard of afterward.

From the Senate there were 2700 bills....

Nine tenths of the time of the committees of the Forty-eighth Congress was wasted.