The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1876-02-24
Congressman Hale's Lesson.

Washington Correspondence of the y. Y. sun.
On Thursday last, during the debate on the Consul
Lar and Diplomatic bill, Hale thought he would be
witty, and i'll this he made sad mistake, for wit
would BE- ~ unbGcoming i'll INN as it would be in an
undertaken Moreover, he can't be witty, try he ever
hard, But ne thought he must get oil a Joke, and
he thought break the force OF the just crtl
clsms when had been made on the foolish dispatches
OF Meredith Read, our Minister to Greece by saying
that THE polite details of society" always played
part i'll diplomacy. The several amenities OF life
could not Dt neglected, and il wasn't fair to con
denim system because one of our diplomats wrote
glowing accounts OF state balls to the Department
Of state This was proper enough, but Hale Was
not content 10 stop here, and SO imagined case
where Mr., Holman, Of Indiana, was invited to din
ncr to be given by the secretary of State ana quoted
an imaginary acceptance thereof by Mr.. Holman.
Now SAID he, suppose the constituents OF my
trieud from Indiana, looking at ashington life i'll
as narrow a Light as the gentleman looks at dpo-
matte life should get hold Of this invitation and this
acceptance, would they not say, is that what our
Representative is doing in Washington: Is that
what We are paying him 5000 year for? Why
should he declare, as e does ON thu acceptance, that
II Is high honor for him to be invited to dinner by
a black Republican Secretary OF state, and above ali
at o'clock. when he knows that this time OF day
all honest men in Indiana ought to be in bed! Mr.
Holman replied To this By saying that if all he did
there WAS 10 attend state dinners and write glowing
accounts OF them to his constituents, they would
soon conclude that tins sort service was not worth
5000 year.
But Hale had his hand in and he must get in a
iing al Mr.. springer, OF Illinois, who had made de
cldcdly the best and most telling speech on the
trIYolics of diplomatic life a. illustrated by Reads
correspondence. With "a coutemptuous manner
which shows itself even i'll the printed speech Hale
said he had mo time to bestow Oh Che gentleman OF
Illinois MIR. Springer. He saw tit to entertain this
House with apochryphal stories OF the late lamented
MI Lincoln, stories not secmly in this presence. l
make no application to him such as have made to
the gentleman from Indiana, because presume that
his constituents will hardly lind that he is in the
ctpton and acknowledgment OF such invitations"
rms boorish remark purely gratultous and
wholly uncalled for. Mr.. Springer is accomplish
n. tSDf lS
socially as any member Of the House ON either side
Tie is one OF The most courteous of gentlemen III his
intercourse with his fellow members, and is univer
sally respected 1t WAS downright rudeness, posi-
tive ill-breeding Tor Mr.. Hale TO aude to fellow
member i'll tins STYLE even il there some reason
why ne should be socially ostracISed by II Cabinet
Minister; and considering the fact that lae is the
sonIn-law OF the Secretary Of the INTERIOR it was,
coming from him, both mpcrtnent and unseemly.
Mr. Springer, however taught the pretentious mem
Der from Maine lesson which he will not soon for
get. Taxing the pans 10 get IRON the official re
porters llale's exact language, Mr.. Springer quietly
bIded his time until he had an opportunity to speak
10 an amendment TO the bill, when he paid ms re-
sPccte TO Halo and his Administration friends as
follows
do not know whether the gentleman has been
authorized to notify me that | am 10 receive social
ostracisim from the member. of this Administration
or not on account of my efforts To reduce the eNpen
dlturcs OF the Government; but if am to have no.
tce served upon me and other gentlemen that we
are not to be h0norcd with invitations TO dine with
these gentlemen III high places, on account OF our
course on this and other bills because, the Chair
knows and i can assure the House, have been Y
Ccruln9ly respectful 10 every gentleman here i'll
social intercourse and relations, and careful that NJ
personal offence should be given by to any gen
teman upon this floor, if we to have such
tccs served upon us if be socially ostracs-
td by reason OF our efforts cut down expenditures
M tins Government all l have to say the gentle
man from Maine is that can stand it quite well
As they can. Moreover, il is evidence Of "A mans
integrity or manhood that he rides the avenue
With those in high places, dimes with those
pying high positions of power that he is the
GIpCIt OF the Qualities OF those who plun1pr-
ed tins District and are now complaining because
their days OF peculation al end Further
than that, let me tell the gentleman that it is no
evidence OF Il man ability or character that he is
permitted TO dlne IN these nigh places with the PEG
pie TO whom he has referred, because men lately
JOyIng such privileges now serving terms in
The pcnitcntiarit, while Others their way to
JON them as rapidly the law take them.
Laughter and applause
Hale NuIuly cndeaEOred TO sneak of the scrape
he had got INTO by claiming that his indignation was
50 excited by the remarks Mr. Springer lad made in
reference - Mr.. Lincoln that he could refrain
from making Il thrust At him. This merely a
poor evasion. Mr.. Springer had simply made use OF
one OF Mr.. LincOtn's characteristic stories TO illus
trate a point he was making, and il III way re-
nectcd on the memory of the martyrtd President
HIS real offence the energy and skill he had dis
played in Uverhauling the accounts of the state De
partmrnt, ana the damaging developments he has
thereby made. His speech IN defence of the reduc
tons, brought about by The Consular anu Diploma
TIC bill, one of the most ncisive and telling of
the many arguments made in its support. Hale in
ms supercllIOus manner, thought he would to use
M own language, make athrust" at Mr. Springer
but he is sorry now that he did it, for the thrust
returned with interest. 1T is noticeable fact that
Representatives, who accept the Inequalities OF
Cabinet Ministers soon lose their usefulness as
members OF the opposition. Once they get their
legs under the mahogany of a Secor Robson or "A
Boss Shelherd-who may be described AS a Minis
ter without Il portoo-their stern notions about
holding public servants to strict accountability
begin TO soften, and it is not often possible to get
them to cr'icise freely and independently the con
duct of these men.