The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-03-23
Congressional
General Banning on WOOdwOrth'
WOODWORTH'S BUNKUM. WAR
SPEECH SHOWN UP.
The Dishwater M. G., of 18th Dis
trict Drawn from a Pigeon-Hole.

tl1Ct Drawn IrOn E1B0Oh-LANAO'
Mr.. Bennington Saturday the llth
inst,while the Hawaiian treaty was under
consideration, the gentleman from ONO
TMr. Woodworth] made what | consider a
yery serious and unfair criticism on the
Military Committee, and ask leave at
this time to answer it. ask unanimous
consent for that purpose.
There was no objection.
Mr.. Banning-I send to the desk to be
read statement of the gentleman from
Ohio [Mr. Woodworth] in reference to
this bill and the Military Committee.
The Clerk read as follows:
Mr.. Woodwork said:
Mr.. Speaker, 1 seize the opportunity
offered by the courtesy Of the Committee
of the Whole House, sitting to consider
the Hawaiian treaty, to call up for dis
cussion House bill No. 1902, granting
bounties to the heirs of soldiers of the
late war who enlisted for less time than
one year, and who were killed or died in
consequence of the service. The bill was
introduced by myself on the oath day of
January last, and was referred to the
Committee on Military Affairs, who, up
to this time, have taken no action what
ever with regard to it. l have reason to
apprehend that the partiality of the gen
tleman who form that adjunct to the
House is so great for my proposition
that they have administered toit sopor-
ific and that it is now in some snug
pigeon-hole of their committee-room
sleeping the sleep thatknows not break
ing"
Mr. Banning-Mr. Chairman, this is a
most unjust, unfair and untruthful critl-
cism of the Military Committee.
The gentleman says he introduced his
bill on the oath of January last, and had
it referred to the Military Committee,
"who up to this time have taken no ac-
ton with regard to it; and that ne has
reason to apprehend that the bill is
now in some pigeon-hole of the commit
tee room, sleeping the sleep that knows
no breaking"
find Oh reference to the record-book
of the committee that the bill was re-
ferred to a subcommittee on February
|, six davs after its introduction and two
DAYS after it was printed and came to the
committee. There are before the COM
mittee thirty-one bills of similar char
acter, all of which, with the gentleman's
bill, have been referred to the sub-com-
mittee.
The subcommittee consists of three
members, two of whom have told me
that they are, ready to report the bill to
the committee favorably.
These bills, Mr.. Chairman, involve the
expenditure of more than twenty mil
lions of money. The genteman's bill
has been in the hands of the committee
for little more than four weeks Since
it came there he has never been before
the committee to ask or learn the tate OF
it, to give any reasons or arguments for
it's passage, or to inquire if it had been
considered. | have not found single
member of the committee of whom he
has made any inquiry whatever regard
ing it, while some of the committee tell
me they had not even the honor OF his
acquaintance; and but for the privileges
of the Saturdays debate even his con-
stituents might have forgotten that he
was here. The records of the committee
room are open to his inspection, where
he might have learned the bill was being
considered, and that majority of the
subcommittee had agreed to report favor
ably upon it.
In the face of all this the gentleman
stated to this House in his speech that
lis bill had been put in pigeon-hole of
tie committee room to sleep the sleep
that knows not breaking" Now, Mr..
Chairman, while l am willing to be
charitable regarding the nlisstatements
of the gentleman as to the action of the
committee on his bill, and believe that
he has been asleep and is ignorant and
not willful in his statements, l would
like to know, sir, what reason the gentle
man has to apprehend that his bill had
been pigeon-holed by the committee.
Had he asked me, l would have told him
that the two members from this side of
the House on the subcommittee were in
favor of its provisions, had report ready
to make to the committee, and also that
the members of the committee who were
in the Confederate army during the war
are earnestly in favor of its provisions.
Sir, it is a singular coincidence that at
the very time the gentleman wBs making
this remarkable speech to a meager
House, which had met to consider an
other measure, the Military Committee,
of which he complains, were in special
session investigating robberies charged
to have been committed, not against the
living, but against the dead soldiers of
the late war.
Mr.. Chairman, bill containing all the
provisions of the measure which it is
now claimed committee, the majority
of which is composed of Democrats,
should consider and pass in four weeks,
was considered in the last Congress for
more than four months before its pas
sage, and then defeated by pocket veto
byByhe President of the United States,
who owes his name and fame to the
soldiers whose rights he thus denied.
Thus defeated, Mr.. Chairman, at time
when the War Secretary of the Presi-
dent was fattening and growing rich off
the clippings made by the post-traders
off the private soldiers pay.
Mr.. Chairman, do not wish to make
further answer. suppose, sir, the gen.
tleman's speech was made for distribu-
tion in his district. And, sir, claim that
it is due to the committee, that it is due
to this House, that it is due to the gen.
tleman himself as also to his constitu-
ents, to whom he was evidently address,
ing his remarks, that he should correct
the misstatements he made in this mat
tor Ha eh,uH sou 70 tho raor1o of l,;,