Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-02-14

be bad expressly limited his assertion to the
State from which that gentleman Mr.. Alkco
came lie had devoted two years OF his life to the
effort to have the constitutional rights Of the
South recognized and the strong arm Of mill
tary power Withdrawn from the South. No
matter what might have been the result of that
struggle % his part, the country would bear
him witness that it was due 10 1t that the mil
itary power did not to day dominate 10 Louisl-
of that terrific scene 10 which bis party and his
country had been robbed oftheir rights, assur-
ances had not been given that military DONNA.
ton should cease, he had reason to know that
the Electoral count would never have been CON-
pIeted within the halls Of Congress.
MIR. Conger, of Michigan. made persistent
effort to put question to Hewitt; but his ef.
| forts were met with shouts of ''order. order,"
| from the democratic side of the House, and
after some time Mr.. Aiken. of South Carolina,
obtained the floor and spoke as follows 1t
has been directly asserted here, without any
qualification, that had said would vote to
have West Point put to the block. | have
nothing to say against West Point if properly
conducted. know that West Point has made
record for ITSELF have only to point to men
like Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee, Stonewall
Jackson, Joe Johnson, Sydney johnson Gene.
raj Bragg, Hsrdec and whole host of others
| from West Paiot. and l know that my Union
friends can on their side point to line of noble,
gallant spirits who come from West Point and
fought on the other side. honor them-1 knew
their worth. [ met them aud measured steel with
them, and never saw him( meaning Hewitt there.
Loud laughter and excitement. MIR. Chairman,
West Point has produced great men. Their
names will live on both sides OF the Potomac az
| III {roo hnt All
has never produced an E'au. it has never pro-
duccd Benedict Aroold. Excitement. 1t
has uc7cr produced a man who put up the
Presidency and sold it. Continued laughter
aud excitement. hope that the gentleman
from New York has the intellect to appreciate
what | mean. Laughter. Mr.. Chairman,
was not educated at West Point. but was ed
ucated ia State where there was we'll or
gained militia, and where our Alma Mater
taught us to shed our blood 10 the defence OF
the State when she called upon US. L respond.
cd to the call. did not do as some men here
did, stay at home and pay substitute to 60
and help to defend my country Laughter. |
am no graduate of West Point, but am from
q State which has shown FROM its past conduct
that 10 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 the record of the past has ever smirchod
her record, and God grant that may always
be what believe [ have been 10 the pasta
worthy soa of such a State. Applause.
Mr.. Fort, Of lllinois-ln view Of the har
mony existing on the democratic side, l de-.
mand the regular order of business. Laugh.
and cries OF mo, 20, 20.
After some time, and 10 the midst Of increas
ing excitement. Mr. Hewitt again took the floor
and said: Mr. Chairman, request the Clerk
to read the language Of the gentleman to which
| replied the other day. The extract having
been read Mr.. Hewitt continued. The gen.
Presidency. No Norhero man sold out the
Presidency. The proposition to sell the Presi.
dency was made to me and [ oontemptuouslv
refused it. Excitement and shouts OF Name
name -
MIR. Ellsworth. of Michigan want to know
who it was that proposed to the gentleman to
sell out the Presidency.
Mr.. IIewitt-It the House desires to have
that portion Of uuwritten history told, [ will
tell it. Cries OF "Let Us have it all" and
great excitement.
MIR. Hewitt, after order being somewhat re.
stored, proceeded to recount the facts connected
with the proposition made to him by Colonel
Pickett as coming from Joseph II. Maddox,
Special Agent of the Treasury Department. to
pay j. Madison Wells, Chairman of the return.
ing board Of louisiana. for giving the count of
that State to MIR. Tlden, ali of which was testi-
| fed by MIR. Hewitt before the committee of the
House last session.
Mr.. Ellsworth, of Michigan. Interrupted the
narrative, and wanted to ask Mr. Hewitt a
question, but he still declined to be catechised
any further, saying that he was already an.
ID 5o
clusop, ask the gentleman from South Caro-
lima (Mr. AikeD) to tell me by what right he
| turns upon me and accuses me Of selling the
Presidency.
Mr.. Aikcu-The gent leman from New York
has been off the, track entirely on which l was
! travelling. He has simply been giving US here
published testimony, which anybody here or
elsewhere might have read for himself. | OIL
| ludcd to the speech which he made on this
| floor 10 which he said, or 10 which the papers
reported him as having said, that as far as the
gift Of tho Presidency was in his hands he would
rather give up the Presidency than see one drop
of blood spilled 10 defence cf the democratic
party. got that from the newspapers. | be.
leved it then, and | believe it yet Laugh
ter.
MIR. Patterson, Of New York, with an air of
| gravity aud seriousness)-How pleasant it is to
see intimate friends agree. Laughter.
| Mr.. Hewitt-It seems that on mere news.
paper paragraph this Immaculate and honor
able gentleman from South Carolina MIR. Akep)
| iufers that brother democrat had sold the
| Presidency. lie will be surprised to know that
no such words ever fell from my lips on the
| floor Of this House or anywhere else. and that
when saw it going the rounds of the newspa-
pers it was one of the very few caumnies that
| contradicted over my own name.
Mr.. Aiken-I am glad to hear it.
MIR. Hewitt-He says he is glad to hear it.
If be had bad such sentiment 10 his heart, and
if he had had that high feeling of honor which
should govern South Carolinian he would,
before making that charge on the floor, have
come to me and asked how much truth there
was 10 it. wear my heart upon my sleeve,
and there il nothing which [ have done from
the beginning to the end Of that business which
I am not ready to proclaim and have published.