Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-01-28
NUMBER 81.
Blaine on the Floor OF the House.

Talk Of the gladiatorsl Was there ever a
man who buckled on a shield and welded a
sword with such confidence and power as
be has displayed on the floor of the House
this weeki There is something about him
i think it is his royal energy and force
which makes him seem like a very giant in
debate, and the men who are pitted against
him seem like pigmies. Other members
speak in their seats, or if the occasion be an
unusual one, extend their "seizin" over
pair of desks and kick the chairs out of their
way. But Blaine takes the whole aisle for
his stamping ground, and woe to the page
or anybody else who ventures to pass
through it while he is on his feet Butler
used to have way of filing the eyes
OF the House by coming out into the area in
front of the Speakers desk and whirliDg
around occasionally to fling his fists at those
who sat behind him. But Blaine prances
back and forth from the outer to the inner
row of seats, gesticulating and vociferating
all the time. His favorite method of en-
phasizing a statement is to hold book in
his left hand. and to bring down his right
with tremendous force upon the open page
His long arms are like fails, and his hand
looks as big as page of foolscap when he
brings it down.-NeD York Heraid's Wash
ingt0n Letter.
Mr.. Blaine again won a personal victory
in the Senate. to-day by defeating the am-
nesty bill second time 1t would have
easily passed if Randall and the Democrats
following his lead had been willing to allow
a square vote on the JEFF Davis amendment
Mr.. Blaine again took the floor on mo-
ton to reconsider, and, much to the chagrin
of the Southern Democrats, they found that
he had the floor absolutely for an hour.
After brief speech. he offered to let the
bill pass if there could be vote on his
amendment excluding JEFF Davis Mr..
Randall spurned the offer, when the ex-
speaker, quick as lightning, withdrew his
motion to reconsider and took his seat. Tne
effect was to leave the bill dead and out of
doors. 1t took several minutes for the
friends of the measure to ascertain its fate,
and then other business was taken up
Washington SPECIAL.
After torturing his victims for time,
during which they stood in terrified sus-
pense, apparently not knowing what next
this dreadful. merciless and audaciously sar-
castle man would do, but fearing the worst,
Blaine carelessly tossed them aside as if
really not worthy of any further attention
by contemptuously withdrawing his motion
to reconsider. This left the Democrats fat
on their backs. with no way to help them
selves. Blaine enjoyed his triumph thor
oughly. He has succeeded in making him
self terrible to and far more feared by thh
Democrats than Ben Butler or Thad Ste,e,N
ever was. They will move with the great
est circumspection hereafter when the eI-
speaker is around - Philadelphia Tmes's
SPECIAL.
The Democratic leaders are evidently at
loggerheads, and the generalization which
Blalne's tactics have caused, together with
the jealousy that exists among them, threat
ems to leave them in a state Of utter defeat.
1t is Blaine's programme, as soon as the am
nesty question is out of the way, to bringon
debate on the Currency and repeat his at
tack on the Democrats lie will review
their record on the question, and force, If
possible, an open rupture between the hard
money men and the inAationists in their
ranks. Unless they soon find some man who
Is able to meet the Republican leaders on
the floor, their winters work threatens 80
be a series of ridiculous failures.-BostOn
Herald despatch.
"Oh, Blaine, dry up" sparkles with the
monosyllable brevity of Laconia. but it is
not worth considering beside Below away,
you are hyena." This is one of the best
that Mr.. Cox ever crowed. If his papa and
mamma had taken him to a menagerie when
he was little, or if in later life he had at
tended a few State fairs. he might have
learned better than TO talk Of believing
hyena. Hyenas don't below, they laugh
and so does Mr. Cox ox-Hqrfford COtrGnt.