The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-02-15
Especial to the Baltimore Americana
WASHINGTON, February IL.

-
on,v seventecn working days Of this ses.
| sion OF Congress remain. Ihc esecooIa'
| votes of twenty-sour States are Jet 20 oe
determined; eleven large appropraeion
bilis are vet to be disposed of, besides a
laroe auoi,nt OF important public business,
to saw nothing OF private bills, and yet the
majority OF the House deliberately fritted
away several hours to-day in discussing the
merits Of dead horse. That Is, they dis
cussed the Florida case, which was ire
vocabiy disposed OF yesterday. The
report Of the special committee was
submitted to the House on Thursday,
February list, and this was the first oppor-
tunity that was presented to get it up. 1as
nothing could be gained now by the adop-
ton of resolution declaring the Tilden
electors elected. one would have supposed
that the proper course would have been TO
either let the subject drop. or, IL the Demo-
Gratis wanted to place themselves on the re-
cord again, to call vote ut once and dis-
pose of the question in few moments, IN
stead OF wasting hours in discussion. Mr..
Hopkins, il is true, gave rs reason 1of the
discussion that, in his opinion. the action OF
Yesterday was wrong, and that the 1acts
ought to be got before the country. But
subsequent events showed that there was
another motive for the discussion to-day.
They had found rtes a'
A TRAITOR N THE REPUBLICAN CAMP.
and they wanted to give him an opportu-
nity to Yentilate his treason. Mr.. Hopkins
opened the discussion, and Mr.. Dunnell
followed on the Republican side. Their
speeches were devoted to dry facts and
figures. and were not particularly interest
ing. Then MFR. William j. Purman, Re-
publican member from Florida got the
floor. Now, Purman is not the manner Of
man who attracts crowd to hear bin. On
the contrary, it has always been relief to
the House and the galleries when he con-
cludes q speech. To-day he took proml-
nent position on the Republican side, and
rs soon as he was on his feet it was observed
that Mr.. Hopkins came over from the Dem
ocratic side and planted himself in chair
directly in fronto OF Purman. Messrs. Hew-
lit, Cox, Douglass, Ciymer, Cauifield,
Faulkner, Blackburn, Reagan, and other
prominent Democrats moved down TO-
Purman's vicinity. It did seem q
little singular that these gentlemen
should be so much interested In what
the Florida member had to say In de-
fence of carpet-baggers; for he started out
with such a defence, and proclaimed that
| class the saviors Of the South since the war.
But the wonder ceased when Mr.. Purman
branched out boldly to announce that the
Tilden electors had carried the State OF
Florida, and that they were cheated out OF
it by the Vaccinations OF the Returning
Board, which he proclaimed to be 4 rascatly
concern. Mr.. Purman was still Republic
| can, he said, but he must say what he did
in the interest OF truth and Justice. The
| Democrats of course applauded his utter
ances. The Republicans looked and
listened with some Amusement, and
an impression began to steal over
their minds that the Democrats had
been advised beforehand that such a
speech was to be made, else why should
they so conspicuously move toward him
and pay such marked attention to Purman's
utterances as is not ordinarily paid to the
best speakers in the House? The speech
had evidently been carefully prepared for
he read from manuscript, and it was
couched in such language as TO create very
strong impression that he did not write II
himself. II be did write it he has certainly
improved wonderfully since his former at.
tempts to speak. Now, why did not Mr..
Purman say these things before? The Flo
rida question has been before the country
for weeks; the State has been claimed by
both parties; charges Of the grossest frauds
have been made; yet here is man who
at this late day processes to know al
about them, and yet his lips have
been sealed up to this time and after
the question has been definitely set
tied. He Is now in his second term as s
representative from Florida, and claims tt
have been elected to the Forty-ifth Con
gress: but his seat is contested. The
next House will be very close, with the
chances in favor Of the Democrats. Ha(
that anything to do with his new discovery
that the State had gone for Tilden, and
that the members OF the Returning Boart
are scoundrels? Mr.. Purman was on thu
floor OF the House yesterday, and an eX
animation Of the Record shows that he
lodged the vote on Halc's resolution ant
on Fields. This man has not the most en-
yiable record. He has been subject OF in
yestieation on three distinct charges-viz.
Selling q naval cadetship, securing con-
tract for live-oak timber in Florida, in the
! profits of which he shared, and obtaining
money wrongfully from the Freedmen's
Bank. These charges were referred to the
Committee on CiviiServicc Reform las
session, and have never yet been disposed
of. In spite OF these charges he still hao
some friends among the Republicans, but
|
him: not because he had made the speech
but because all the circumstances indicated
that his motives were not honest and sin
cere; for he is not the sort OF man to vol
unteer to expose the errors or crimes I'll
crimes there are) Of his party for the pure
sake OF truth and Justice.
Even after all this waste OF time and this
disgraceiul speech the Florida matter was
not disposed of, but another hour is to be
wasted tomorrow over q dead issue. my.
THE NAVAL APPROPRIATION BILL.
Mr.. Blount, who has charge Of the nava
| appropriation bill, intends to call it up to
| morrow. il he can get the floor, Immediately
after the Florida question shall have beer
disposed Of. The bill was reported few
DAYS ago, but has not been printed in bill
| form on account OF the exhaustion OF tht
| fund for printing. 1t will be printed in tht
| Record tomorrow in order that member:
may see it. The Record ID the only print
ing for Congress that is now being done q
the Government Office, and Mr.. Ciapp say:
he will do no other work until after an ap
preparation is made.
Especial dispatch to the Baltimore SUM-
The Speech of Representative Pur
man-..A Sensation i'm the HouSc.-
The Next BaEl-:-The Baltimore Ca
bic, &c. @ez 1.@t:.g, - zJaa af1
-. MR.. PURMAN's, SPEECH. 1880. IS 81, I,
| WASHINGTON, February 13.--The speed
of Representative Purman, Of Florida, j
| the House this afternoon, created tremen
dous sensation, and the members gatheret
around him in. crowds. The Republican
were iumbiounded to hear one Of thel
own party, and carpet-bagger at s that