The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1876-08-24

have shown a disposition to answer all rea-
sonable questions, and define to be interrupt
ed any more. Now the gentleman from Iowa
Mir. Lapham-The gentleman is speaking by
the grace of this side of the House.
Mr.. Hewitt am not speaking by the grace
OF anybody but Of my own colleague and Of my
constituents. Now, the gentleman from Iowa
INDUCED in one inSinuatiou of so mean and de-
splcabe character that l almost hesitate to
refer to it, 1t he could have blushed-and /
looked into his face as l sat near him on pul-
pose-if he were capable of blushing, he would
have blushed then; but he did not. lie insinu-
ated that the private fortune of Gov. Tilden had
been acquired by some dishonorable-and he
did not dare to say dishonest, but he implied it
dishonest practices in connection with rail-
ways and corporations. Now, when a man
makes an insinuation of that sort, he should be
prepared with the proof 1t isa mean. un;llan-
", dshonorabe charge for any man to make
behind the back of another man who is not
here to answer. But l can tell that gentleman,
and l hope his own record is as clear and as
good, that Gov. Tilden was called from 1857 to
1860 into almost every broken-down railway
corporation in the West; that while he found
them unable to pay running expenses, he took
them in hand, and so administered them that
| in every case the bonds, whether first, second
or third mortgage, and the stock, preferred and
| common, all ultimately went above par; and he
enriched the people that were wise enough and
fortunate enough to have secured his services.
L am personally among the number of those
who were benefited by his wise and sagacious
| management; and [ say. so far from having
been overpaid in any of these transactions,
that his legal fees and his personal services
were the cheapest and most poorly rewarded
have ever known in long business career,
dealing III large transactions in all parts of this
country and in Europe. defy these gentlemen
to lay their hands upon a dishonest dollar in the
possession of Samuel j. rilden. l say that the
people whom he served are his fir ends to-day
and his best friends. And it is the service there
which he rendered to the West, notwithStand-
ing the insnuation Of the gentleman from Iowa.
that will give him the vote Of those great West
ern States within whose borders he reconstruct
ed highways which are to them to-day the ar
teries of commerce and public blessings, the
value of which cannot be properly estimated.
And as through the whole of his remarkable
career he has been the wiSest of men, he has
aeen the truest of friends, he has been the most
Jealous and earnest OF patriots so to-day he is
the wiScst the most accomplished statesman in
the land, and he will by the blessing Of God be
one Of the greatest, perhaps the greatest Of the
Presidents Of the United States. because he will
have the opportunity to rescue this Govern
| ment from the hands of the incompetent and
dishonest men who have controlled it 40 long
| aud made it Il rcproach in the eyes of the civil
lied globe Great applause.
tn Washington correspondent of the
Boston Post sketches this remarkable
scene, and SAYS
IIewett is a slim built man, in feeble health,
with sandy hair sandy beard, and decided
stUop in his shoulders and is rather inseniti-
! cant than otherwise in physical appearance,
but his brain power is known in the house.
Without previous preparation of any sort, other
than his personal acquaintance with Tilden for
many years, but surchargcd with Indignation at
the false charge of kaSSou, lie rose to vindicate
his friend His first sentence riveted the attcn-
ton Of the House. Keeping carefully within
the strict line of parliamentary law, he pro-
| coed TO administer to kasson a most terrible
caStigation But the strength of the speech was
The pungent logical and eloquent presentation
| Of nnansWerable facts. Each separate statement
made by hasson was taken up and retuted ut
tcrly, either by Il card over Tiden's signature,
by Il statement i'll public print, or by the tcsti-
mony CT his own personal knowledge. Conger,
cdrping and critical always, endeavored TO
break the force OF the terrible exposure of Kas-
sons malice by interjected questions concern
ing Tiiden's war record. His face, purple with
| malignity and Indignation, he was constantly
jumping up. 70 each question Hewitt had All
irretutable answer ready, mailing the lie to the
spot. Lapham and Day OF New York tried 10
Enplicate Tilden with Tweed in even some
sight degree. The result was even more disaS-
trous. Hewitt seemed fairly inspired. His feeble
form Strengthened and lowered and he charged
down the aisle toward the Republican side. His
voice sWtlleu till 1t filled the whole great space
OF the hall. His successive reiutations were
like the successive blows of Il trip-hammer,
and when he closed with a glowing tribute to
the pure statesman whom he had vindicated as
Il friend, the Democrats broke forth in irrepres-
sble applause, in which the Republicans joined
involunarily, and which for some minutes the
speaker could not repress ut all. The Demo-
Gratis t.ockei about him en- mass with their
congratulations, while kasson, pale. siIenccd,
crushed. sat apart by himself unnoticed. As
the members went out into the light of the Just
brpHkIuU IIV. |IpWitf'S sDpnrl tiip n
to-day the united testimony of all who heard it
is that it WAS the finest effort of Iiewtt's life
| and the masterpiece of the session.