The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1871-02-25
WASHINGTON LETTER.
from Our Special Correspondents

from Our Special Correspondence
WASHINGTON, ID. c., Feb. 10, 1871.
The debate in the House on Friday
over the bill to reinstate naval con-
structor named Hanscom was more
animated than dignified. Gen. Banks,
who had taken more whiskey than was
good for him, made waring stump
speech in behalf of Hanscom, in which
he said:
There is no man moro free from guile.
And as regards the evidence which has
been sent here by Admiral Porter
against him, say to this House that
he is as much superior in the Judgment
Of the people Of this country in point of
reputation to Admiral Porter as the
apostle John was to the traitor Judas.
Gen. Farnsworth berated Banks for
the discussion.
Mr.. Banks. Admiral Porter's name
came here by his own act, in making
charges against this officer. His letter
is on the records of the House.
Mr.. Farnsworth. The gentleman
should have learned a long time ago
Justice Dogberry, tstlat comparisons
are odorous." Laughter
Mr.. Banks. Is that the judicial au-
thority Of the gentleman from Illinois {?
[Laughter.1
Here is another specimen brick:
Mr.. Banks. I will tell the gentle
| man from Maryland Mr.. Archer] how
Porter was recognized as Assistant Sec
Irl{n T ,1,xp <>f
| this House, to the Navy Department to
ask of the Secretary a favor. AS went
in, Admiral Porter had just gone out,
and he said to me, "Why the devil
don't you ask Admiral Porter?"
| [Laughter.l
! Mr.. Eldridge. "Why the devil didn't
you ask Admiral Porter?''
| Mr.. Banks. He had gone out.
| Was not this washing of Radical dirty
linen sight for gods and men? But,
| with all his faults, Admiral Porter is
the peer of the men who villified him.
His record is quite as good as that of
the bolnb-proof hero Of Dutch Gap, or
of ssStoneWall Jackson's quartermas-
ter" However, it is none of our quar-
rel
LET RAIDS delight
To bark and bite,
For tits their nature to-
Robert Mcknight, an ex-member Of
Congress from Pennsylvania, writes to
Pittsburg paper that as member of
the committee on Capitol Buildings and
Grounds, he consulted with Clark Mills
as to the possibility of removing from
the head of the figure of the Goddess
Of Liberty which crowns the dome of
the Capitol ''the abominable conglome-
ration Of eagles claws and ostrich feath-
ers which have the effect of converting
the Goddess Of Liberty into an Indian
squaw." Mr.. Mills agreed that 1t might
be done, and ought to be. Ofcourse he
did. No doubt Mr.. Mills would like
to have one Of his equestrian nonstrosi-
ties take the place Of the Objectionable
Goddess. Mcknight introduced a res
olution to effect his purpose, but on OBJ
lection from Mr.. Holman it went over,
and was not considered. The t7ziuzns
of Mcknight in the matter is shown by
his assertion that the statue "misrepre-
sents liberty, and does represent jeff
Davis's venom and hostility thereto"
1t would be far more correct to say that
the poor Goddess is an object of hatred
to the cOhOrt of Radicals who assemble
in her shadow to forge chains for a once
free people. A statue of Beast Butler,
holding spoon in one hand and a pair
of handouts in the other, would doubt
less be more appropriate under the pres
ent circumstances.
During the past week Congress has
debated Il national educational bill, So
called; but which is to apply solely to
the Southern States. It perpetuates the
Frecdman's Bureau under new name,
provides for Il horde of Yankee officials
for the South, establishes mixed schools,
to be supported by direct turatio,,; and,
in effect, transforms the educational
system OF the South into a machine for
pcrpctuating Iiadicalism. The bill is
declared to be unconstitutional, and it
is certainly Ubiquitous. It's passage is
doubtful, however.
The Southern Pacific Railroad bill
will probably be taken up in the House
this week. The indications are that it
will pass, whether with or without
amendment cannot be predicted. This
bill has passed the Senate, and was ta-
ken from the Speakers table in the
House on Monday last by Il decisive
vote There are twenty-four other land