The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1872-03-05

the government in this connection wa:
that of Jules Leseant, president of thu
commission at Louis, in France, that tn,
French Government had, PREVIOUS Tc
ITS PURCHASE FROM THE REMINGToNs
dealt directly ,oiM the United States
which delirered the arms directly OF
board the vessels, probably at New
York
In answer to the second proposition
as to the violation Of law Senator Schurz
assaulted the Ordnance Department witt
artillery superior to lis own. He read
the statute of July Is, 1868, authorizing
the sale of the ''old cannon, arms, aud
other ordnance stores now in possession
of the War Department, which are dam
aged or otherWise unsuitable for tie UR,.
ted States military Seruice, or for the mi
litla of the United States" and then
went on to prove that the Springfield
breech-loaders sold to the Franco Rem
ington agents had been declared by the
Secretary of War himself tit for use by
the militia, and even by United States
regulars. In this part of the Senator S
speech Mr. Morton interrupted him, but,
as will be seen by reference to the de-
tailed report of the debate, got himself
completely overthrown. He showed The
white feather by declining to answer q
question frankly put to him three seve-
raj times by Senator Schurz, and his
cowardice added to the effect of that
Senator's eloquence when he asked:
If the plain meaning of this statute
can be quibbled away, if Senators are
content to slight or to ignore the laws
they themselves enact, how can we ,eX.
pect officers of the government to obey
them? How can we expect the people
to respect the laws when they see that
on an occasion when the officials Of a
special administration are implicated in
their violation the friends of that admin,
istration in this Chamber are ready and
willing to pervert their intent and con-
done the action Of such officials in tram
pling them underfoot?
The third proposition, relating to the
probability of corrupt practices in these
sales of arms, was debated by the Sena-
tor with the fearlessness that character
lied the rest of his speech. Basing his
argument on the evident lack of circum;
spection and the fagrant violations OF
the law which he had pre-shown, lie
darted javeIins of logic and sarcasm at
q department of the government which
had allowed itself to abet such course
of action. He ended BY victorious
exhibit of the need Of the investigation
proposed The Senator had now ad-
vanced to q stage Of his speech where
everybody who listened was enthrailed,
and where more was expected Of him
than any orator less powerful and aoept
would have been capable of furnishing
for the edifcation of such an audience
and in Justification of his abilities and
motives. From this point he took up
and assailed and demolished with splen
did success the several imputations which
had been cast by administration Sena-
tors upon himself and his friends engag-
ed in the present war against the promo
ters of our national dishonor. He re.
PEELED with contempt the inuendo of
Morton against himself and Sumner as
those who had lent themselves to the
French Government, and with scorn the
OF both Conkliug and Morton,
to the effect that the desired inyestiga-
ton would he likely to influence the de-
cision of the arbitrator appointed by the
Emperor OF Germany, under the Treaty
of Washington. In the first connection
he puts a graceful, deserved tribute to
the Marquis de Chambrun, the legal ad.
wiser of the French legation at Wash
ington, with whom it had been charged
Senators Sumner and Schurz were i'm
pIicated in suggesting the investigation
into the sale of arms, and the Senator
not only completely released his friend,
the Marquis, from the charge of being
in any sense an adventurer, but showed
that neither he (Senator Schurz) nol
Senator Simmer had received the infor.
nation which led to Summers resolution
from the Marquis at all Moreover Sen
ator Schurz made it cruelty plain to the
comprehension Of Senator Conkling and
everybody in the Chamber that Conk-
ling's aspersion upon the probable par
liality of the Emperor of Germany was
a more direct and fragrant insult to the
German Emperor and German nation
than all the sales of arms than had ever
been made by this government to
France. The Senator, who had now fol
his text the Conkling amendment intro
duced yesterday, which proposed 10 sub
ject both the Senator from Missouri
(Schurz) and the Senator from Massa
chusetts (Sumner) to the penalties of q
penal statute for conspiring with the
agent Of foreign government against
the government of the United States
dealt at the author Of that amendment
the very thunders and lightnings Of s
patriots defiance and derision. HAS il
then come to this" said the speaker, tina,
when a Senator of the United States
dares, according to his duty, to ask fol
an investigation of notorious abuses un
deI the government, a penal statute Is
fourished over his head? can tell tlit
Senator from New York that have beel
led in my career into antagonism with
men far more dreadful than he, and thai
before thousand such accusers | would
not finch Sir, will vote for his amend
ment; vote for it with all the scorn whicl
it deserves"
The sensation on the floor Of the Sen
ate, where several scores of ladies hal
been seated, and where, besides the Sena
tors, half the members Of the House O
Representatives had by this time Assem-
bled, fairly verged on applause at dth'
close of each paragraph-of which th'
above is but specimen from memory
Of this admirable speech. The galerie
frequently broke out into plaudits, whicl
had to be supp:esse by the Vice Presi
dents gavel, and one or two ladies actu
ally SO forgot propriety in enthusiasm, a
10 wave their handkerchief Many Sen
ators, whose seats wereifarthest removed
from the speaker, had arisen and move'
up nearer to his side. Fa ]. B. S.
. s.EH = 90
q