The Republican journal., 1876-02-03
Fun in Congress -.

Fun in Congress.
On Friday, while the appropriation bill
was under consideration, and particularly
that portion reducing the allowances at
West Point Military Academy, an anus
ing passage took place between Cox of
New York and Hale of this district Hale
began the staple talk about southern mas
ters over northern Democrats, and got a
lashing from Cox The report says
Mr.. Cox complained that the members Of the
Republican side of the House We're obstructon-
| lists to reform. Why he said, do you fight this
proposed reform in the face OF the disgust OF
| the country, when you know hat men are 60
ing III my city from house 10 house begging for
bread, men willing to barter their muscles and
sinews for work. who are unable to make the
exchange; aye, even in New England, where
the question is work or steal, with the prefer
| ence for ia comical pause) work Laughter. !
Mr.. Hoar-That is the difference between
New England and New York Laughter.
Mr. Hale of Maine, said the gentleman from
New York arroeates TO himself and his party
the credit of first seeking to lessen the burdens
of the people. Mr.. Chairman. that gentleman
knows that we are two months gone i'll this ses-
sion. He knows that the main time of this ses-
"
| bills by himself and friends on that side of the
| House, making fresh demands upon the treas
| ury. lie knows these claims coming up
| from the South in demands running from $40
| to S600O0,000, and that they aggregate ten
| times as much as the Republican party has
| saved heretofore. He knows there is not a man
| in the South who lost mule through advances
| OF the Federal army that is not coming up here
and clamoring for pay from the United States.
Applause on the Republican side. He knows
nl. i'm how far lkn ~,
cotton tax. The point of all that | am saying
is, that when these claims come up and are
pushed from that side of the House, he will not
dare to vote against them.
Mr.. COX-l have voted against them.
Mr.. Hale-I will submit to the record when
it comes up. do not care what the gentleman
has done in the past.
Mr.. CoX-I do.
Mr.. lIale-I know that now he is drawn along
| in Il current which he cannot resist, and that
when these claims come up and a word is said
| to him by his masters, he will not dare to vote
| against them, and that these claims will be sus-
tanned with some exceptions, it may bc) on
that side of the House, and l say now that | do
| not believe he (CoN( will be in that exception.
Mr. CoX-Ihe gentleman cannot find any
thing in my record or votes either for retrench-
| ment or prodigality to justify him in saving
have any ''masters" except the people, my con-
stituents. What does he mean by my mas
ters?' On what meat does this our Cesar feed
-
way to me? Laughter and great excitement. |
Mr.. Iiale-Does the gentleman wish me to
answer?
Mr. CoX-1es, and promptly.
Mr. Hale-I mean the leading, dominating in
| tuenceS of the partyof which the gentleman is
an active and honored member, influences which
he will be bound to follow $50 far as | may say
| so without being otfensve), to obey.
Mr.. CoX-That belongs to the future. The
gentleman (Mr. lIae) has been known in the
~ nV n Hmm In
| bub." Laughter and increased excitement and
| confusion.
| Mr.. Garfield rose to a point of order, but Mr..
Hale got in in the uproar and confusion his re-
| tort in these words: Il will put against it tie
| buzzing fly that was shooeI out of reputation
and fame by the late member from Massachu-
| sets" (Butler). Laughter and loud raps to
order by the Chairman.
| Mr.. Garfield again called the gentlemen to
| order, and MIR. Cox asked him (in tone of in
| lured lnnOcence): 'Why did YOU allow him TO
| put me in that predcament"'
| Mr.. Hale (detiantly II do not call the gentle
| man to order. l hope that he will be allowed
to 90 on, and that ! shall be allowed to explain
| Mr. Garfield call the gentleman (Mr CoX)
to order and insist on the words being taken
down (the allusion to Mr.. Hale as Blaine :
| little bub.'O
Mr. Cox Gn a pacific moodj-I withdraw
them. 1t is not worth while to take them
down.
MI I1iie Ill Il DeIilpereHl mOOu)-l am WILL
| ing to put "shoo fly against them.
| Mr. CoX-That is q small business it is only
| copying an old joke.
| The Chairman inquired of Mr.. Garfield
whether he withdrew his call for the often
| Sive words to be reduced to writing.
| Mr.. Garfield said he would not insist.
Mr.. CoX-I was only seduced into using them
| by the unparliamentary language of my friend
| from Maine. He had not the right to attribute
to me any servility. never obeycd the behest
| of Southern men; all through the war stood
| by my country. | came here to do nv duty for
my people at home, who are working men, The
gentleman from Maine undertook to read me a
| lecture about my record. 1t was mostly vati-
cination as to what it would be. He had no
right to indulge in that. ! never voted for the
| Southern claims. ! did not vote either for the
Centennial bill. Did the gentleman vote for it /.
| Mr.. Hale-I did.
Mr.. Cox Oriumphantly) ly)-You voted for it
this session, but last year you voted against it,
and gave reasons for it, too.
| Mr.. Hale rose to make remark.
| Mr.CoX-You sit down,if YOU please Laugh
| The Chairman interrupting the proceedings
said: "'rhe Chair feels it his duty to say, and
say it emphatically, that in Il dignif1ed House,
as this ought to be, this constant clapping of
hands and cheering is unbecoming, and the
Chair will appeal to the good sense and judg.
ment and common decency and cvility of the
members of this body in asking them to refrain
| from it; and he will say to the people occupy
ing seats in the galleries that if they attempt it
the Chair will at once order the galleries clear
ed. The Chair cannot maintain the order of
the House unless every member observes the
dignity and courtesy appropriate to the House
OF Representatives.
Mr.. CoX-I entirely approve your ruling, and
L suggested moment ago that applause was
not proper on appropriation bills, though it may
be on Centennial bills. / undertook to say a
moment ago that the gentleman from Maine,
who read us lecture about economy last ses-
sion, and undertook to read a lecture to his col
league (Mr. Frye when the Centennial bill of
last year was under consideration, is not the
kind OF man to call my friends from PENNSYLVANIA
MIR. RandalD and Indiana (Alr. Holman) to ac-
count for any attempt on their part to retrench
expenditures In this connection Mr.. Cox
quoted from Mr.. Hale's speech of last wear on
the Centennial bill, and said: "Why has he re-
served his peculiar economy tor this special
bill and 60 back on his remarks on the Centen-
nial bill of last year? He has gone from one
side to the other, and is not the man to read
lectures to us on economy. have no personal
feeling about him; he is nothing to me and |
am nothing to him; what l mean is this, that
when the Democratic side OF the House, after a
hard struggle to get into power, after the scoun-
drelism, after the sWindling, after the prodigal-
lty Of many years, never straight and always
crooked on your side of the House and on the
part OF the Administration, comes in here with
one little bill for West Point not seeking to re-
auce Ihe expenditures beyond what they were
IN ioo', IL Is opposed by the Republican econ
onlsts, eatlng their own words and going back
on thelr own record. In the name of the peo-
pie, VINO are distressed, in the name of honest
men everywhere, protest in one word against
the whole body of that side of the House as
waning IN 1alr, square economy. All YOUR
platforms favor retrenchment and the people