Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1876-11-01
RUTHER FOED b. HA YES As A
STATESMAN

STA ESMiN
During the three years that Mr.
Hayes served in the House Of Repre-
sentativcs, he never rose above the
dead level of mcdiocrity, or gave the
least sign of being anything more than
an ayssssis. .Ya';ls.s.rr. whe Q. .elhecyfa'ly !
,N.s~s3a<.J - $3.50 aSs,S' -.
ems, then the autocrat of that chamber
who never kicked in the traces who
recorded bis votes like a regular with
81. '1,sss,c1, s'i1 VIZ IL egsraco
as a reliable Republican
As public man this is all the re-
cord he left behind him in Washing
ton He was in Congress when the
last gun Of the civil war was fred
and for moro than two years after
that event yet his voice was not
heard in connection with any of the
measures of policy, nor was his posi-
ton such as to call him into the coun'
ellis of his party. Schcnck, Lawrence
Shellabarger, Ashley, Delano, Bingham
Spaldlng, and Garfield were members
of the Ohio delegation at the same
time, and completely ovcrshadowed
Hayes, as did even Ben Eggleston, his
colleague from Cincinnati
Hence, in all the jobbery of that
time, and the enormous subsidies aud
land grants to railroad rings and cor
porations, be merely followed the lead
OF his superiors, swallowed their pre-
scriptions, and voted straight through
without looking to the right or to the
left limo intanco did he ever venture
to raise an objection, TO dissent from
any proposition which bore the party
stamp, or to dispute the justice or hon.
esty of giving away the public domain
to an organized band of monopolists,
who cared for nothing but their own
interests, and who notoriously bought
their way through Congress.
Mr.. Hayes could not have been ig.
norant that these grants and subsidies
were corruptly procured that his as
sociates were growing rich upon the
spoils, by interests in shoddy contracts
during the war, and that he was in the
midst Of legislative body where the
majority,to which he belonged, was ven
al,unscrupulous, and bent on Individual
plundcr II he did not know these
things, he was imbecilc. II he
did know them, and remained silent,
he is now unworthy of confidence.
While in Congress Mr. Hayes made
but one speech on any subject, and
that we propose to reproduce, in order
that tho country may see him at his
best, and understand precisely what
manner of man is now seeking the
first office in his gift lie was mem
Der of the Committee on Private Land
Claims. In the closing hours of the
Thirty-ninth Congress, a bill reported
from that committee confirming to the
heirs of John A. Bouligny q sixth part
of large land claim in the State Of
Louisiana was passed. Nine days
after its passage, and ut the beginning
Of the new Congress, Mr.. Washburn
Of Wisconsin, offered joint resolution
IN the House, directing the Secretary
of the Interior to suspend the cxecu
ton of this same act, saying, by way
of explanation
81 served on the Committee on Pri
vate Land Claims four years, and thi,
is an old acquaintance of mine. Twill
say TO the House a more frdudulen
clam ,odS nerer presented 10 the Congress
of the United States If gentlemer
will only road decis;on oe .ho G.,
preme Court referred to thew will Sc,
that il is fraudulent claim. The bill
passed not merely sanctions thes,
claims to the amount of $4,000 acre.
of land, but a claims will be legalizet
which require millions on millions o
acres TO satisfy them.p
After this attack by a leading Re
publican, of course tho joint resolution
passed without much show of opposi
ton. Mr. Hayes had passively favored
the bill which Mr.. Washburn thus de
nounced; and he now attempted L
explain away his action in the follow
ing speech, which is the only one tina
attests his presence in Congress, anc
which is not destined to descend Il
postcrity as a model of eloquencc, o,
on example of "purc English unde