The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-01-29
THE ELECTORAL BILL
Seeues I'm the HOase when On Its
Passage.

Mr.. Hooker, the ons-armed ex.Con
.ederate, of Mississippi, VINO hss aIready
won 8 wide reputation as Brilliant
orator, opens the debate in favor OF the
bill, The ten minutes rule Will not begin
- operate till ii O'Clock, and Mr.
Hooker speaks for y hslt-hour, and
treats the fifty members and spsrsely
inhabited galleries 10 al intellectual
banquet, lacking IN solid argument and
pregnant facts, but glittering with the
brilIi.rce of the choicest English, cloth
ing g.Dkiug imagery.
Mr.. Hartridge, OF Georgia Democrat J.
3 very handsome, yOung-loc king fellow,
with dark hair ana eyes, and wonder
ful command of language and deiicscy
of gestlculation, follows, also IN favor Of
tAe bill. When be says, with good
deal OF solemnIty, that ne gives 1t as MS
deliberate opinion that the bill Is constl-
lutionsl, an involuntary smile Hts across
mems faces, and their amused expression
bears the siangy legend, shat settles It.
L. is is not so much the egotlsm OF the
man as it Is tie boys eagerness to nelp
with all his might that which be De-
lleves IS right, and proper, and wise, and
patriotic. His blood is warm, and ne can
not help putting things II the way that
strikes him as the strongest possible. In
CLOSING his twenty minute speech, ne lets
loose to MS fOw of eloc uence, and his
peroration is awarded square round OF
applause. and setting down the yeung
fellow holds levee Is his audience
crowd about and congratulate him.
Mr.. Felt ton. of Georgia, 80, old, tren-
bling, white-haired, ear nest-iooking man,
then rises an supports tAe bill In n
speech filed with the ire OF sincere,
strong good will. Meanwhile members
are beginning to straggle IN and the
floors are pretty well flied rs the hands
on the clock creep around TO the figure /.
The galleries are also rapidly hliing up,
and the prospects are good Tor show OF
more than ordinary excellence.
Roger Q. Mills, of Texas. an ex-Con'
tecerate too, and one who has always
been hot for war rather than the peace
full inauguration or Hayes, says in rlsin 2
that ne feels like one VINO treads alone
some banquet hall, deserted, &c, and II
good-natured laugh breaks out all over
the hall ~ 1t is realized that one OF the
opponents OF the measure Is about 10
take his almost solitary way to the IN
discovered bourne from which this op-
posicion will never return. be opposes
the oil on constitutional grounds. Alter
having consumed ms ten minutes Mr..
Mills was called to halt, but after u
souabble il was agreed tc extend the
time one hour, and give him the hour.
When Mr.. Lamar took the door, the
hum of heedlessness with wnlcn the
House had wLlled away the time while
Mr.. Mills was speaking, ceased at once,
and attention was concentrated. 10
give more effect to hi. speech, Mr.. Lamar
russed tie chamber, leaving his seat,
which is on the Republican side, and
taking q place among the Democrats.
He addressed himself 10 retutation OF
the objection so persistently urged that the
bill proposed = delegation OF the powers
OF Con gress. and showed that, or the con-
trarv, Congress Is only exercise } Z Its COR
stitutlon 81 power to find and Apply means
to the end. and that SO Tar from giving
the Commission power 10 finally settle
the vexed questions. 1t express! y reserved
the right 10 Congress 10 effect toe adJudl
caIon OF the q ibunai. When Lamar
speaks, no matter how briefly nor on
what topic, be speaks all over, with his
tongue, bis voice, his arms, his legs, his
head and his long hair, which, IN his
Jealous energy, sweeps res;!essly to and
fro on his shoulders. Before ne talks five
minutes his appearance becomes almost
ex exhausted; but exhaustion new ar comes
till he has concluded, and then
he is pale and trembling and
nervously Frustrated. He never speaks
without exposing himself to the danger
OF complete prostrstlon, rs time after
tine fainting spells following u pro-
trscted effort have testified. Mr.. Lamar
took occasion to condemn Is IN injustice
the statements Sd frequently made 10 the
newspapers that the Southern Democracy
have criticised their Northern brethren
for not having encouraged secession
They then permitted the South te tight
out the war. refusing AID and unsupport-
ed. He said that the Northern wing
perferred TO carry on the war Tor constl-
tutiona! liberty within the. Union al
the same. The criticisms that Ar.
Lamar eharscterises Is unjust have been
frequently made and drawn out TINS SEES
sion By the Wild, mthinking, unpstrlotle
attempt OF the Nefthsrners to bring abou!
A civil war in case rilGen's claim 10 the
Presidency should not he conceded.
Z the middle of Lsmars speech, VIZ:
at one minute to u. the House adjourned,
according TO precedent and was 81 once
again called 20 order, the Chaplain said
his prayer before sn audience much
larger than usual and amid the most
rsverertial silence. The incident WAS
not lacking ia strong dramatic effect
Mr.. Robbins. of North Csrollns hsEiag
Welded him his time Mr. Lamar pro-
ceeds. and warmly appeals for The sup
port of true patriots tor the bill When
be sits down he is spplsuded aud con-
crstuls;ed, and Mr., Mills resumes the
floor 10 answer pigmy sssaultIng a
gisnt IN the best spirit, however, and
with great Difference, for this man Lamar
looms up peculiar and large In the e.
timsticn of his Democrsiin colleague
and may not be attacked without eonsid
Grafton, for when be comes back At
man be visits fearful Judgment upor
him snd rarely leaves mucn OF HIM Il
regret the rash venture. The answer
not much, however. IS Mr.. Mills use
only tie old arguments SO often retutet
IS TO the uncous,itutionality OF the prop
position. These arguments have NOR
lives than . cat; they have been bo~iee
over time after time, but always come "
smiling.
John Young Brown. Of Kentucky
I fDemocrss,) SAYS that TINS hour IS big