The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-12-13
tional, and that all other laws on the subject


tional and that all other laws on the subject
be repealed.
The House went into committee of the
whole On the bill appropuiating S4.OOO, 900, for
the navy. Mr.. Cox said there was not fight
enough in the House to kill a mouse as proven
the other day by its action on the belligerent
resolution, Our diplomacy had dragged our
nag In the DUST our nays should be in better
condition than it is, and the city of New York
is now at the mercy of European iron-cads.
time to go to war?
Mr.. Cox said he was not speaking Of going
10 war. The administration is not up to the
sentiment Of the people, and the House is pusi]-
luminous before all the world.
Mr.. Hale of Me-, expressed qualification at
the conversion of Mr.. Cox of ~ Y, who per-
sistensly voted against appropriations for the
navy. .sf..a - 49, -, ",
Mr.. Hale proceeded at some length, saying
the best thug about the conduct of the Secre-
tary OF the Navy, was his naval preparations,
winch were an argument for peace and to be
well prepared is to show the world we can
protect ourselves from insult. The fitting of a
neet in six weeks by the Secretary of the Navy,
ests OF humanity, not to precipitate for war un-
less forced upon us. No sane man wants to
see war again in this generation. That peace
IS again looming in the sky is more owing to
eod conduct vigilance and enterprise Of the
minlstratiOn for not being bounded on to war
by such men as Mr.. Cox. KS. ... /.
MI. Hawley of Conn, said he had listened
with an indignant start to the remarks from
tne gentleman from N. Y, who had dared to
tell the House that it was pusilanimous, and
mad not energy enough to kill mouse, and
that the nag Of the country had lbeen dragged
IN the dust. He had no admiration for that
cheap sort OF bravery, but he would not retort
1y any remarks that would be equally cheap.
lie would not ask that gentleman why, when
there was a grand opportunity few years
back, to plunge into fight IN one side the
other and it was not material on which side, he
nal gone in Did that gentleman know. what
it was? Had he ever seen cannon balls 60
through mer by his side, land he he seen men
moved down by hundreds around him? Did
he know what war was? If he did, why had
he got up here and ranted as he had done? TT
say continued Mr. Hawley, that a man is
stand here and trlfie with this great question.
He does not know what war is, or. if he. does
then he is twice the more guilty. ] knew
man once, who was extremely anxious to get in
to one of these little fights. The war had been
progressing about a year anda, half, and he
had been assigned to fancy duty. at some dis
tant post, and complained that he never saw
fight We started an expedition, and gave
this gallant colonel the command of it, He
came suddenly upon the enemy, and the Con-
federates opened a terrible fire upon him. In
three minutes time he came out of it, and came
out handsomely, but left about eighty men be-
hind him. l asked him that same evening how
he liked it. "Well," said he, 81 am satisfied;
but when was in the fight minute or two:
and saw men falling down all around me, l
thought to myself can't this COMPOUNDED thing
be compromised in some way" (Laughter.)
I wish to add an emphatic commentator of
the President and Secretary of State for their
calm self-repsect. good sense, and may ven
ture to say, Christian temper and Christian
craftsmanship, Unpopular as thst expression
has become, which they have exhibited in this
matter 1t would have been easy to have plung-
ed the whole country into war, unprepared as
we were. But even If we had had the grandest
navy in the world, should have demanded of
the administration the same reticence and self
respect which it has shown. The time has
passed when the American nation can go round
the globe with chip on her shoulder trying to
get up fight with every rowdy it meets. We
can be patient, temperate, AMI digni6ed with
all the world. Nothing that Gen. Grant ever
did, from the time he left Galena till he pass
ed through the wilderness, and came into the
White House, does him mare honor than the
patient firmness with which he has faced the
Spanish difficulty, and settled ii to the satisfac
tion of ALL
Mr.. Myers of Pennsylvania believed the ap-
preparation is demanded, not only for the pres
ent emergency, BUT by the ordinary require
ments of the navy.
He claimed that the administration had no
bly, indicated our honor. Casteia the greatest
statesman in Europe, had acceded to all our
demands, and the people of this country were
satisfied with everything done by the President
to maintain the national honor. He believed
the war cloud was passing away. The nation
has had enough of war, enough of debt and
taxation. 1t is time to turn our attention to
wants of the people; but sufficient naval pow
er should be kept in the West Indian waters to
protect and enforce the rights of American
citizens in Cuba. y - 81
Mr.. Crooke of New York, said when Mr..
Cox stated that the harbor of New York was
defenceless, he was talking of what he knew
nothing about. The harbors of New York to-
day, thanks to the administration, is impregna-
BILE to all the naval forces of the world, and
could send the whole Spanish navy to a warm
er climate than New York is in if it should at
tempt to enter there 1t was guarded by torpe-
whole Spanish navy, the Dictator, the monitors
and other means.
Mr.. Garfield said he yielded the floor that
Mr.. Cox might liberate the House from the
charge OF pasillanimity and New York from
Mr. Cox said he had made no speech for war
and his remarks about pusllanimity referred
to the way his belligerency resolutions were
gresham from the days of the Hartford con-
vention, who did not show some war spirit
against his own country on sectional matters
but who always covered when it came to fight
ing Nr H,xv,svae1, a Z. i i hnno - !, =. aoi
ard.
Mr.. Cox-I am making no personal fight up
on you. I said covered" not Coward
Mr.. Howley-I suppose you used it in Pick
wickan sense.
Mr.. Garfield to Mr.. Cox-Do Won smell it with
an 'h"?
Mr.. Cox-No; L spell it "ered." say to the
gentleman from Connecticut, who is irrascible
as most soldiers are, that he makes a mistake
when he puts war speech in my mouth. He
still claimed that the House was not up to the
spirit of the people. .f.
As to the harbor of New York, be did not
consult politicians on such subjects. He got
got his information from engineers.
MIR. Schumacher of New York. said no fleet
could get into the harbor of New York and get
out again.
Mr.. Beck of Kentucky, eulogized the admin
istraton.
The committee rose and the House passed
tho hill