The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1870-02-21
saturdays Debate in the House.

bate ranged so widely as to take In
pretty much the whole political field.
AS the resolution was originally passed
by the House, it provided fer summon
ing thirty witnesses and paying their
expenses, as well as the expenses of five
Others, living in Virginia, if HARRISON
could procure their attendance. In the
Senate, it was amended, on motion
of one of the Senators from
HARRIsoN's District, 80 as to limit the
number of witnesses to be paid by the
State to twenty. On motion of Mr..
PHELPS, it was further amended so as to
limit the pay of the witnesses for the
defeose to the compensation fixed by
the Code.
When the House first took into con-
sideration the propriety of concurring
in these amendments, the debate was
pertinent to the case, but after it had
progressed about an hour politics AID
personalities enlivened the discussion
and gave interest to what might other
wise have been a dull session. Governor
PIERPoINT charged that leading rebels
we're lobbying for HARRIsoN's removal.
Whereupon Mr.. JACKSON suggested the
names of "CYRUs NEwLIN and LEWIS
BALLARD" two well known Republi-
caus, as the lobbyists to whom PIER
POINT referred. In extending his re-
marks Governor PElRPoINT arraigned
the entire Democratic party for sym
patby with rebels and rebel meas
ures. He declared there was not an
impulse Of the democratic heart but
was in sympathy with the Confederate
movement. The democrats were illib-
eral, and had shown by their course that
Republicans stood no chance in trial
before them. These two points he elab-
grated at length and with great warmth.
He further took "the press Of the coun-
try" to task for assailing him in conne:-
tion with this HARRISON matter and
declared that he "defied their petty
calumnies." Mr.. JACKSON, to whom
personal allusion had been made by
Governor PfERPOINT, responded that
the speech of the latter had merely con-
irmed the opinion of the poet that
"Pigmies though perched on Alps are
pigmies still" He was ready to com.
pare his legislative record with that of
the gentleman who had assailed him
and had no doubt it would be found
that whatever might have been done by
the gentleman from Marion, he, the
speaker, had never CROOKED the preg-
nant hinges of the knee, that thrift
might follow fawning."
Mr.. HOWARD defended the Democratic
party fiOm the charges of rebel synIpa-
thy brought against them. When the
distinguished gentlemen, Mr.. PIER
POINT, was filling fat aud safe posi-
tion in the rear, he had been at the
front, with his muskot, fighting for the
Union. He announced that members
words insulting, and was ready to risk
comparison OF records.
After several ether gentlemen of
each side had spoken, Mr.. DAVIS re-
piled at length to the strictures of Mr.
PIERPoINT. He all&ded to conference
which that member claimed to have
had with NAT HARRISON, wherein the
latter plead for fair play, and saTcasti-
cally alluded to it as ga touching and
gushing Interview" From it the gen.
tlcman had come up to the House as the
special apoioGist and defender Of HAIR
RIsON, bearing bravely alolt the great
stink pct of tho State.
For vel the subject suits his noble mind.
a fellow. feeling makes us wondrous kind"
The charge of partisauism ard rebel
sympathy came with u bad grace from
the gentleman from Marion. The first
time the satject of party politics had
been mentioned on the floor the gentle
man from Marion had lugged it in.
When a resolution against voting post
age stamps to members was offered, he
had denounced it a measure for party
capital, anu in less than an hour turned
around and voted for the very resolu
tiOn he had SO denounced. What had
been said about rebel lobbyists he cared
nothing for. He did not care what
gossip the gentleman might gather
from the purlieus of the city, the speak
er's duty to the Democracy did not re-
quire him to do that sort Of scaveDger-
ing. twas inconsistent for Mr.. PIER.
POINT TO denOuuce the Democrats for
rebel sympathy, when it is notorioas
that this man HARRISON whose cham
pion Mr.. PIERPoINT had become, had
sought office under the Confederacy and
taken an oath to support it. Upon the
score of illiberality be would remind the
House that when the Republicans had
nearly unanimous possession OF
the Legislature these same charges
had been presented, and in
response the Republicans had liter
ally kicked the man who presented
them down stairs. Where was the lib.
berality then' In conclusioT Mr..
DAVIS denounced the charge that the
Democrats were influenced by partisan
motives, as false.
After the discussion had closed, the
House disagreed to the Senate amend
ment reducing the number of defend
ants witnesses to twenty, and concur
red in the amendment placing those
witnesses on the same footing. as State
witnesses with regard to mileage and
pay. The Senate subsequently, receded