Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-06-15

eEful al cHecl the appear Will LAasC
on the country will be measured by
the effect 1t had on the house, for In
the very presence OF the men he ac-
cused, who are known to be guiitless
Of every word OF the charge against
them, the sympathies Of the entire
house were strongly and steadily to-
ward the speaker until II eliminated
in an indispensable burst OF cheers
and applause, such burst as had
never before been heard in the house
OF Representatives this session. 1t
was SO steady, 50 strong, and 50
heavy that the heavy gavel Of Cox
could not be heard for many min
utes.
From beginning to end there was
not a word Of defence. IT was an abb
solute aggressive attack on the part
Of Blaine upon his inquisitors. They
had left undone things they could
have done and they had done things
they should not have done, and there
was neither grace, fairness, manli-
ness, nor Justice In them. Resolu.
tons had been introduced, investiga-
tions plotted and planned, conspira
cies Matched and haggled, and all for
one purpose, and saying this he
strobe forward from his seat to the
| centre Of the hall pointing his fin
ger to the Democratic side, looking
apparently straight into the eyes Of
| every man upon those recreant
benches, until the house rang again
| with plaudits for his pluck, his in
| genuity, his audacity and dissimula-
ton. Where any other in Christen-
dom would have halted abashed and
silent, this political daredevil
pushed advcnturously to the front.
If his rccklessness were not the con-
| scious honor which feels no sin, il
was at least the confident brayado
which defied all emnity. Demo-
| Gratis who hate and deride him, and
| Republicans who detest and distrust
him, all listened enraptured, en-
| chanted as the hot burning hurricane
| Of angry protest poured out, wither-
| ing and blackening the air and re-
yealing the purposes and plans OF his
enemies and their co-adjutors in the
committees. In twenty minutes
there was Revision of feeling as
startling as it was sudden. The man
who but yesterday lay prone and
crippled, with his enemies dividing
his political heritage, to-day breath
ing down distrust, suspicion, enmity,
| adherence, reviving the luke-warrn
adhesion Of his followers and heap
ing the ranks Of the opposition into
irreparable confusion, standing be-
fore tho House, thronged as it has
rarely been thronged this session,
meeting series of accusations more
awful in import than those leyeled
at any other public man, Blaine
proved himself as indomitabIe and
resourceful as he has before proven
himself capable and indispensable.
The events Of those memorable three ]
hours can hardly be retold. They
were q series of brilliant dissolvins
views; some lurid and intensely emo l
tional and Others broadly humorous
and whimsical. Blaine's initial was
a hot fusilade OF charges against his
political opponents. He said: Gun /
der professions of investigating |
Pacific Railroad inquiries the country |
has been raked from one end to the /
other TO find scandals against me.n
Pointing both fingers against himself
and raising his brawny form fur
above the heads Of his intensely ex-
cited colleagues, he exclaimed, con
me !" and he repeated 1t, his voice
rising trumpetlike until the very
galleries echoed again; "and to do
thio congenlal work whom have you
appointed? Two ex-rebel generals!" |
Though thrown I'm casually, this was
the keynote, the master-stroke OF
the philippe. Henceforth he had
plain sailing. Plainly the sympa-
thics of the House were his by tre-
mendous majority. lie had to stop
in the middle of dramatic sentence,
stretch out his hands with mildly
benedictory airs, and beg his follow
ors to cease their applause. He felt |
from the first coming triumph In |
tho air. He felt the whole assembly
was with him, and emboldened by
their sympathy and support. and by
their applause, he rushed to the ut
most limits Of parliamentary prac-
tice and personal consideration.
Those who read his words can form
but n faint idea OF the masterftil scorn
aud energetic Indignation which he
threw into his protest against the i'm.
vasion OF tho rights Of the Americas
citizen. His letters had been ped.
died by purlolner, AMI committee,
Of this House had held ont induce
ments to that purloiner TO bring
these letters before them. He had
taken opportunity to protect his pri.
vacy and he appealed to 10000, 600
Of fair-minded Americans TO justify
him in defending and maintaining |
his rights, and he defed tho COM
mittce md the House to make the
question an issue. At this there was
Il great sensation. Leaving his seat,
and walking out TO the front, ne re-
peated his voice loud and clear and |
ringing 81 defy thecommittee, and |
| defy the House to bring this to an
issucn There was no response. |
Then having justified himself, he
turned to the most trying ordeal 10, |
day4-an ordeal which some of his
enemies claim has left him burned
aud bleeding an ordeal which has
81, n III 4