The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-02-17
42d CONGRESS.
HOUSE..

| passeu uuOWluB pnUtUBEhpulC pictures l0E
exhibition at the National Photographic
Association To be held OF Cleveland In
June next to be imported free. 9 I
Mr.. HAY presented an invitation from
the American Sharpshootcrs Association
to tho House to attend q festival at High.
lands, Illinois, In May next, and moved
tho appointment Of committee Of five TO
attend. ..... ..........
Mr., BRooKs, Of New York, thought 1t
against the dignity OF the House.to &c.
cept such invitations.
M.RoDERTs suggested that Boomerang
Cox" should be deputed. ,..
MIR. HAY said the same thing had been
done in 'GS. . W. 2
Mr.. Brooks withdrew his objection and
the resolution was passed.
Tho House alter some debate upon al.
lowing MIR. BECK to have the floor for a
personal explanation, accorded him that
privilege.
Mr.. BECK then proceeded with his re.
marks. He did not intend, he said, to
use any billingsgate or slang, or to de.
grade the House by any illusions which
members would say were not cminently
proper. Il was more importantto him
that he should be right, and that the
House should say lie was right in his re.
marks, for which he had been arraigned
in tho Senate. In that speech he had
SAID Governor BRowNLow, Of Tennessee,
hadMade pandemohium Of that State.
He (BECK) had been on the committee to
investigate the condition of the South,
and when he had come to look over the
condition Of things in Tennessee from the
close OF the war for tour years, he never
saw such state of things as now
here or elsewhere on the American conti-
nent, and 1t was because he found that
state OF things so existing that he had
made the remarks to which exception had
been taken. II fthose facts did not exist
then he was guilty Of SANDER. But If they
did exist, and il he should prove to the
House that that State had been by misrule
made q pandimonium for four years after
the war had closed, then lie was not guilty
OF any slander. lie should either stand
before the House Us q wilful and malicious
libeller or he should stand confirmed by
the facts, as he would show them before
he would say word as to the personal at
tack on himself He wanted to show to
the House hewas right in saying that
Tennessee had been q pandimonium for
lour years.
Mr.. STEVENSON asked the chair rs
question Of order, whether in personal
eXplanationa member had right to pro.
coed on the general discussion OF the State
of Tennessee.
MIR. SPEAKER replied that II had been
repeatedly ruled; that when a member
was permitted to make a personal cXpla.
nation, he was not limited as to what lie
should say, exceptthat he must be within
the rules OF the House. sHE
I Mr.. BECK said lie desired To show The
condition oil. things in Tennessee rs that
was q great point in the matter. lie dc:
nicd the right Of any member.to make
use Of the privileges Of the 'Tloor 10 malign
or slander any ono outside of 1t, and
whatever, he had said he had
said on his own responsibility Us man,
and he was prepared to prove its truth.
Hc then proceeded TO show the condition
of things in Tennessee from 1865 to 1868.
How the legislature by series Of acts
unparelled in American history constitut-
cd itself n body not representing one.tenth
part of the population; how seditious laws
were passed; how persons were arrested
for speaking disrespectfully of the Cover
nor; how there was an outlawing of per-
sons an outlawing Of the press, an out
lawing of the franchise, an outlawing OF
everything which did not bow 10 the man
dates of the men in power. He showed how
10000 citizans had been disfranchised by
law; how the Governor had DISTINGUISHED
twenty counties in Tennessee because
they had elected to the Legislature men
who were hostile To him; how he had re-
duced the vote Of, the State from 10000
to 30, ,00O; how he had only allowed nine
teen men to be registered in the whole
county OF Henry, and how no man was
allowed to vote who was not known to be
in favor of the Legislature and Governor
and everything they did.
Alessrs. GARFIELD and STEVENSON re-
newed the point Of order that the remarks
oil MIR. BECK were not in the nature Of q
personal explanation.
The SPEAKER overruled the point Of
order, and was sustained in his position
by Mr.. BANKS, who said the SPEAKER
was entirely correct, and Mr.. BECK was
in accord with the practice Of the House.
MIR. GARFIELD sent to the SPEAKER a
written question whether, when mem
Der gets permission to make personal
explanation, 1t is implied TO pledge that
he will confine himself to personal ex-
PLANTATION and not make a general politi.
cal speech. s,li'i or ....t'fE Z n
The SPEAKER replied that that still left
the original question open as to whether
the gentleman himself regarded his own
remarks as personal explanation. The
present occupant Of the chair had always
endeavorea, 10 circumscribe and confine
personal explanations somewhat more
within bounds than had been the usage.
He recalled one distinct occasion of the
ruling Of his immediate predecessor, (Ir.
CoLFAX) and a similar ruling ofhis other
predecessor, (Mr. EBANKs) who had 2 so
kindlysgiven, himsthe aid of,his expert
ence to-day, that where the consent Of the
House is given for q personal explanation,
il is within the discretion ofsthc gentle.
man himself TO say what he chooses
within the rules ofthe House,
Mr.. BANKs-That is the practice.
Mr.. BEoKs resumed his remarks Ibut
was soon interrupted again by a point Of
order made by Mr. IALE similar TO those
already made and oyerruled,
The SPEAKER in overruling it remarked
that in his judgment neither the gentle
man from Maine, (Mr. HALE) nor either
Of the gentlemen, from Ohio (Messrs.
STEVENsoN and GARFIEID) could dictate
to the gentleman from kentucky their
line OF argument.
Ailer further interruptions Mr.. BECK
resumed his remarks, and stated that the
great point which he desired to be made
was that he had not falsely charged any
man when he said pandcmonium had