New-York tribune., 1876-07-19
NCSIERH IItS DERITE.

The debate in the House yesterday, over the
amendment proposed by AiT. Smails OF South
Carolina to the bill relating to the protection
of the Texas border, was not crcdiiable to
body of intelligent statesmen. IL was too
plainly on both sides au attempt to make
political capital out OF serious transaction,
which, If il was to be discussed at all, called
for calm and dispaSSonate treatment.
There was really no excuse for starting
the discussion, much less for making 1t the
occasion for display of bad temper ana sense
less partsanshp The amendment offered by
Mr.. Smas, which provided that no troops
should be withdrawn from South Carolina so
long as such "cold blOUdcd massaCrcs as that
at Hamburg continue, could have had no other
purpose than 10 excite partisan debate. III
furnished an opportunity for having read
in the house an anonymous cOmmunlca-
ton, which was clearly improper if not
out of order. When Mr.. Smalls declined to
give the name Of the writer for the reason
that his life would be endangered II he were
known, he might have been indulging in eX-
aggcration, but when he vouched Tor the
writer's truthfulncsS 1t was grossly improper
i'm Mr.. Cox to ask who yOuched Tor the South
Carolina member. II was an exhibition of bad
manners for which there can be no excuse.
Whatever may BE- Mr. Smas'S character or
Mr. Cox's opinion of it, be IS a representative
in Congress OF Il constituency of American cit
izens, and is entitled to be considered and
treated as gentleman. The answer
of the colorcd Congressman that he was
vouchcd for by a majority of $4,000 OF the
voters in his district was witty and apt, and
4. l.f4p
sumption of the discussion yesterday only
opened the door fOr further display of par
tisanslip and narrOwncss. w. Garfield lifted
il up IL little iniO the regicn Oi rcspectaDlhty
and above tie mud-thrOwing OF the stump,
and Nh. Lamar mt last took hold of the sub
icct and applied honest common sense and
something like craftsmanship 20 it. His speech
came into the discussion like a fresh cool
breeze in the midst of ,ultrucsS and heat. II
was a gcutlcmans interruption OF quarrel OF
fiShWOmcn.
But the whole business was undigniied and
petty, and the later exhibition of Congress
sonal manners in the controversy between
Messrs. Hogc. Foster, Townsend, and Cox
thoroughly disgraceful. is IT impossible to
discuss the social condition OF South Carolina
without having Ncw-Iork lGggcd IN as set
OF; or impossible To touch questions of gene
raj politics without starting of members upon
a running fire of insulting personal remarks, OF
base insinuations, of charge and rCjoindcr, Of
hint and innucndo, and bald unmitig gated black
guardism? ? This was what happened yestcr-
dav. Very little Of the debate was pertinent
to the question. Most Of the speeches were
iaIgon of quarrcsome language, charges OF
personal and political misconduct and gen
cral bad character with abundant rctortS
of "You're another We doubt if Il pole
cat introduced on the floor of the House
would have scattered The members or
intcrrupicd the debate, but if a powerful steam
fire engine could have been put to work upon
the assembled sages it might have had good
effect; that is the process sometimes reSorted
to 10 put an end to Il dog-iight. 1t is IN cx-
pcrimrut worth trying. Now that 1t ~ all
over, and the parties TO il can see how 1t looks
in print it is To be hoped they will see the
foolsnucss of it, and try to avoid such demon
STATIONS in future. For really the people care
very little whether Mr. lloge went to South
Carolina with carpet-bag or n knapsack, or
whether Mr. Cox is a carpet-baggcr with all
that the word implies, or what are the rcla-
tions of Mr.. Townsend to New-l loIk politics,
or what Mr.. Foster thinks about the duty of
GcOrgi3, and all that. This whole wranglc
grew out of the amendment offered by Mr..
Smalls, which flung South Carolina on to the
floor of the House for purposes OF political
capltal. The wrangle reads as though there
was something stronger than iced tea in IT.
Perhaps there was. 1t is none the less dis
crcditable on that account.