The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-02-14

Ell.
The motion to strike out was then defeat ed.
The section having been reached which provides
that when a CADET once matricuIates at West Point
no other appointment from the same congressional
district shall be made during the term for which
such cadet was appointed if vacancy should occur
from any other cause than death or physical disa-
bility, vas stricken out.
Mr. Clymer offered amendment providing that
only such number of graduates OF the military
academy in any year shall be entitled to appoint
menr as second eHtenants as are required to fill the
vacancies of that grade existing July ist of each year
those entitled to such appointments to be determined
on basis of the graduating class, and hereafter
supernumerary officers shall be attached to any corps
of the army, and all graduates of the academy not
attached to the army under the provisions oil this
act shall be discharged on graduation from the
academy.
MIR. Reagan offered substitute to the amendment
providing that as vacancies occur in the academy
every alternate vacancy shall remain vacant for one
academic term, there may be for the future one
half the present number OF CADETS.
Mr.. Southland in supporting MIR. Clymel's amend
ment referred to the evil of large standing army.
This country has seen instances OF tyranny and op-
preston of a standing army, notably in the last
Presidential election
Mr.. Conger said he did not know why his friends
ON the other side were bent destroying the
army and kept nibbling at it on occasions. He haG
often asked what the hidden motive was but they
sheltered themselves behind the beautiful cries of
economy.
Mr.. Hale of Maine reiterated the charge made bv
Mr.. Conger that the Democratic party was deter
mined to cut down the army.
Mr.. Atkins-There is no such motive. 1t is a false
assumption on the part of the gentleman from Mich
igan that there is hidden motive on this side of the
House to destroy the army.
Mr.. Hale said he listened day by day to speeches.
tending in that direction. That was certainly the
current of things. The gentleman from Ohio South
ard) had objected to the army because it had been
used in the South. Those troops have been with
drawn measure of reconciliation, and the ans
wer to that measure of reconciliation was that the
knife was put into the army.
Mr.. Chalmers said he hoped the war was over. He
believed this was day OF reconciliation. He beiev
ed the government could afford do justice to its
citizens on both sides. ia the firm conviction that
both sides welded together in strong bond of
unio0. The gentlemen on his side had come back to
the Union bearing in their hearts malice, lin
gerng feeling OF ill to the gallant gentlemen they
met on the field of battle.
Mr.. Conger, amid contemptuous laughter on the
Democratic side stated at length that the real
tive the Democrats had in cutting down the army
was in order that when it got the appointing power
the army might be filled with old officers who had
left the army for reasons of their own. L
Mr. Hewitt sent to the Clerks desk and had read
the remarks which he had made last Monday in re-.
gard to the selling of West Point, and the charge
which had been made against him by Mr.. House of
Tennessee, that he had slandered the people of the
South. He had felt deeply grieved at the language
and attempted to get the floor in order to correct the
misrepresentation under which the gentleman was
evidently laboring. If there was anything in the
language he had used which could be construed into
any siandering of the Representatives of the South
ern states, he would take it back, but he insisted
that his motives were to defend the Representatives
Of the South from the SANDER uttered against their
good name by the gentleman from South Carolina
(Aiken) when he had declared that West Point was
an incubus on the country.
Mr.. House replied to Mr.. Hewitt that if that gem
teman intended no reflection on Southern Represen-
tatives he (aouse) was glad to hear it, The remark
he had made had been based on bis understanding
of the gentleman's remark. He had underst God it
however reflection every Southern member
as a statement that the remark of the gentleman
from South Carolina (Aiken) had been Inspired by
the Southern hostility to West Point because through
the skill and prowess of West Point officers South
han Cnrrfha haI
ped back into the Union. He thought the Southern
Representatives should be permitted to discuss ques
tons of public policy without having the fact that
they participated in the rebellion flung Extensively
into their faces
Messrs Hewitt and Aiken addressed the chair in
the midst of confusion and excitement.
Mr.. Fort of Illinois, suggested that the public bus
mess should be proceeded with.
Mr.. Townsend of New York, (excitedly)-A South
ern man (House) has just had time given him. Why
not give Northerner (HewitD time. daughter
and applause)
Mr.. Atkins of Tennessee, suggested that there was
no necessity for SO much excitement.
Mr.. Durham OF Kentucky, demanded the regular
order OF business, but the call was only laughed at
on both sides and without any elimination of the
element and confusion.
Fort of Tlnois-In view of the harmony ex-
listing on the Democratic side demand the regular
order OF business. daughter and cries OF no. no, no.
After some time and in midst of increasing excite
ment Hewitt again got the floor and said
Mr.. Chairman, have received hard hits in my
time and have learned to make them, and now I
Agamemnon, there were brave men before the
member from South Carolina (Aiken), but have
never known Of any brave man coming home from
brave man leaves that to the historian and that
record consign the gentleman from South Carolina,
and now request the Clerk to read the language of
the gentleman to which replied thu other day.
Mr.. Hewitt again got the floor. He was glad to
hear what had fallen from the lips of the gentleman
that gentleman had taken exception to was in reply
to that OF the gentleman from South Carolina,
(Aiken) that he would vote for the abolition and sale
of West Point. He (HewitD did not believe there
was another member from the Southern States who
would give assent to that proposition, and hence in
repudatng that declaration Gas he had felt bound to
repud1ate it as a Democrat whose motives might be
called in question: he had expressly limited this as
sertion to the State from which that gentleman
(Aiken) came He knew they were to-day as loyal
and true to the Union any set of men in the coun-
try 1t for that he had devoted two years
of his life to the effort to have the constitutional
rights of the South recognized and the strong of
the military power withdrawn from the South. No
matter what might have been the result of the mat
ter ON his part, the county would bear him witness
that it due to it that the military power did not
to-day dominate in Louisiana and South Carolina.
1t in the final hour of that terrific in which his
party and his country had been robbed of Their rights
assurances had not been given that that military
domination should cease he had to know that
the electoral count would never have been completed
within the halls of Congress. What would the Union
be without freedom to the States and without free
dom to individuals that had been secured
Mr.. Conger made persistent effort to put ques-
ton to Mr.. Hewitt but his effort met with shouts
of order from the Democratic side, and after some
time Mr.. Aiken of South Carolina obtained the floor
and spoke as follows: 1t has been directly asserted
here without any qualifications that I had said /
would vote to have West Point put to the block. /
made an argement IN favor of economy, which ar
gument he could not answer. proved my aIgu-
mentb figures and facts, showing lack of economy
in the administration of affairs at West Point
felt it my duty to say what did, and he could not
answer it and could not rebuff it, but the gentleman
(Hew1tO gets up here proving that he is what the
gentleman from Tennessee House) asserted that he
was, Qoud lagghter2 l have nothing to say against
West Point if properly conducted. know that West
Point has made record for itself. l have only to
point to men like Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee,
Of o5ers we aes
that my Union friends on their side point to line OF
noble, gallant spirits who came from West Point and
their worth, I met them and measured steel with
them and never saw him (meaning HewiJt) there,
Qoud laughter and great excitement)
MIR. Chairman, West Point has produced great
men. Their names will live on both sides of the
Potomac as long as the people are free, but West
POINT has never produced an Esau, it has pro-
produced man who put up the Presidency and sold
1t, Continued laughter and excitement) hope the
gentleman from New York has the intellect to APP
preciate what mean, (aughter)
MI. chairman, was not educated at West Point
but was educated in a school where there was
well organized militia and where our alma mater
taught to shed our blood in defence of the state
When she called upon us L responded to the CALL
dld not 90 as some men did-Stay at home and
PoJ W ~ anu uclp 10 Qe1eQQ my c0uns
Try. Gaughter) am no graduate of West Point
but am from state which has shown from Its past
conduct that in war it is the bravest of enemies and
that in peace it is the best of friends am bold to
defend my state, nothing connected with her record
OF the past has ever smirehed her record, and God
grant may always be what believe have been in
the past, worthy son of such state, (applause)
The extract having been read, Mr.. Hewitt contin-
ued. The gentleman insinuates that somebody sold
out the presidency. No Northern man sold out the
presidency. The proposition to sell the presidency
was made to me and L contemptuously refused it,
(Excitement and shouts of name, name.''
Mr.. Ellsworth of Mich.-I want to know WIN IL
was that proposed to the gentleman to sell out the
presidency. Wv Wv
Mr. Hewitt-If the House desires to have that nor
lion OF unwrlten history told, will tell it. (Cres of
let us nave it all p and great excitement,
MIR. Hewitt-(After order was somewhat restored)
proceeded to recount the facts connected with the
proposition made to him by Col. Pickett las coming
from Joseph ii. Maddox, special agent Of the treas
ury Department. to pay j. Madison Wells Chairman
OF the returning board of Louisiana tor giving tha
count of that State to Mr.. Tilden ali of Which was
testified to by Mr. Hewitt before the COMMITTEES of
House, at the last session. ''' "a
MIR. Ellsworth interrupted the narrative and want
ed TO ask Mr. Hewitt question: but Hewitt declined
to be cathecsed any further, saying he was already
answering a question, and now, said he in conclu-
sion, ask the gentleman from South Carolina
(A1ken) to tell me by what right he turns upon me
and accuses me of selling the presidency
MIR. Aiken-Tha gentleman from New York no.
Deen OH the track exrrely which was travelling
he mas SIMPLY given us here published testimony
which anybody we're or elsewhere might have read