The Portland daily press., 1876-01-29
Messrs Neal of Ohio O,Rrion of Marvlan

Mr.. Cox complained that the members of the
Republican side of the House we're obstruc
tionists to reform. Why, he said, do you fight
this proposed reform in the face of the disgust
OF the country when you know that men are
going in my city from house 60 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. Uadghter.)
Mr. Hale of Maine said the gentleman from
New York arrogates himself and his party the
credit of first seeking to lessen the burdens of
the people, Mr. Chairman, that gentleman
Knows that we are to-day two months gone in
this session. He knows the main time of the
session has been taken up in the introduction
OF bills by himself and friends on that side of
OF the ouse, making fresh demands upon the
treasury. He knows these claims are coming
up from the South in demands running from
$lO TO 700 00O,O 600, and that they aggregate ten
times as much as the Republican party has saw
ed heretofore. He knows there is not man in
the South who lost a mule through advances of
the federal army that is not coming up here
and ciamoring for pay from the United States.
(Applause on the Republican sde.) He knows
there is a claim here for $4,000, 900 to pay the
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 vote against them.
Mr.. Cox-I have voted against them.
MIR. Hae-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.. Hae-I know that now he is drawn
along in 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 sustained with some exceptions it may be,
on that side of the House, and say now that L
do not believe that he (Cox) will be in that ex-
ception..
Mr., Cox-The gentleman cannot find any,
thing in my record or vote either for retrench-
ment or prodgality to justify him in saying 1
have any master except the people, my con-
stituents: What did he mean by ''my mas
ters?' On what meat does this our Caesar feed
that he is grown so great as to talk in that way
to me. daughter and excitement.)
Mr. Hale-Does the gentleman wish me to
answer?
Mr.. Cox-Yes; and promptly.
Mr., Hale-l mean to the leading, dominating
influences of the party of which the gentleman
is an active and hOnored Observation-Disclosures
which he will be bound to follow. SO far as L
may say so without being offensive-to obey.
Mi. Cox-That belongs to the future The
gentleman Mr.. Hale) has been known in the
last three or four Congresses as "Blaine's little
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: 81 will put against it the
buzzing fly that was shood out of reputation
and fame by the late member from Massachu-
setts," (Butler). daughter and loud raps to
order by chairman.)
MI. Garfield again called the gentleman and
| Mr. Cox asked him lin tone of injured inno-
| ceDce) why did you allow him to put me in
| that predcament
Mr.. Hale (defiantly)-I do not call the gen.
tleman to order; | hope he will he allowed to
| go on aud that shall be allowed to explain.
Mr.. Garfield call the gentleman (Cox) to
order and insist on the words being taken down
the allusion to Mr.. Hale as ''BIaine's little
| bub'
| Mr.. Cox lin pacific mood)-I withdraw
| them. It is not worth while to take them
| down.
| Mr.. Hale lin belligerent mood)-I am will
| ling to put ''shoo fly" against them.
| Mr.. Cox-That is a small business. 1t is
only copying an old joke.
The chairman inquired from Mr. Garfield
| whether he Withdrew his call for the offensive
| words to be reduced to writing.
1 Mr.. Garfield said he would not insist.
Mr.. Cox-I was only seduced into using them
| by the supplementary language of my friend
| from Maine. He had not the right to attribute
to me any servlity. 1 never obeyed the behest
| of Southern men. All through the war stood
| by my country. come here to do my duty for
my people at home, who are working men. The
| gentleman from Maine undertook to read me
1 lecture doout my recOru IL was mostly vail
| cination as to what it would be. He had no
| right to indulge in that l never voted tor the
| Southern claims. did not vote either for the
centennial bill. Did the gentleman vote for it?
| Mr.. Hae-I did.
Mr.. Cox (triumphantly)-Y voted for it
| this session. but last year you voted against it
| and gave reasons for it, too.
Mr. Hale rose to make a remark.
Mr.. Cox-You sit down, if you please.
| (Laughter)
Il CIa;, Al.
| and addressed the House calling upon the
| members to preserve order.
| Mr. Cox-I entirely approve your ruling and
[ suggested moment ago that applause was
1 not proper on appropriation bills, though it
might be on centennial bills. 1 undertook to
say moment ago that the gentleman from
Maine, who read us a lecture about economy
| at the last session and undertook to read a
to hi hs o9eague Fysl when the Cen
ton, is not the kind of a man to call my friends
from Pennsylvania (Randal) and Indiana
| (Holman) to account for any attempt on their
/ part to retrench expenditures, In this con-
/ nection, Mr.. Cox quoted from Mr.. Hale's
| speech of last year on the Centennial bill, and
| said, "Why has he reserved his peculiar econo-
my for this special time aud occasion? Why
does he do it on this bill and go baek on his
| remarks on the Centennial 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 hard old struggle to gel
/ into power, after the scoundrelism, after tn q
swindling, after the prodigality of many years
never straight and always crooked on your side
OF the House and on the part of the admlnstra-
ton. comes in here with one little bill for West
| Point, not seeking to reduce the expenditures
1 beyond what they were in 1867, it is opposed
by the Republican economists, eating their
own words and going back on their own rec
| ord.
Mr.. Conger Of Michigan opposed the reduc-
| tion.
Mr. Garfield said his side of the House was
in favor of reducing expenditures, but did not
believe in gripping the West Point Academy.
/ The military academy bill for the past four
years had been under the charge of a Demo-
crat (Mr. Young Of Georgia) and he thought
/ the appropriation was cut down then as much
/ as it safely could be-
Mr. Lamar thought the sum was amply suf-
i ficient for the cadets.
Mr. Hale of Maine, defended himself fro m
the charge of Inconsistency brought against
| him by Mr. Cox in voting against the centen-
NAL bill last Congress and for it this Congress.
The reason for his vote against it last Congress
/ was that the bill then would have committed the
| government to the whole cost of the exposition.
He had never had an unpleasant personal con-
| troversy with any member, but when in the
midst of discussion that was not personal but
| might be called animated, there was language
used which should only be heard in low places,
| and when such language was hurled at him he
| was so vain that he was apt to retort as he had
| done few moments ago, in language equally
unparliamentary, for which he should proba-
| bly,, as be did now in presence of the House,
| apologize.
| Mr. Cox-The gentleman from Maine began
these personalities by remarking that there
| were masters over me.
| Finally the discussion closed and the COM
| mittee proceeded to vote on the amendments.
| Mr.. Hapilton's amendment making the pay
| of cadets $40 without additional rations was
| agreed to.
| All the other amendments. either in regard
| to cadets or professors were voted down.
Without disposing of the bill the committee
| rose.
| A committee composed of Messrs. Garfield,
| Wheeler, Phelps, Hoar, Lands and Ashe, was
| appointed to accompany the remains of Con-
| gresham Starkweather to Norwich, after
| which the House adjourned. To-morrow's ses-
| sion is for debate only.