The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-02-14


the Democratic side, stated at som
length that the real motives the Demo
crats had in cutting down the army va
In order that when II got the appointiu
power the army might be filled with ol
officers who had left the army ior reason
OF their own.
Mr.. Aiken obtained the floor and spok
as follows: /" II has been directly assert
ed here, without any qualification, that
had said would vote 10 have West Poin
put 10 the block. That gentleman (Hew
itt) knows as well as ] do that he nigh
as well take q single phrase out Of an.
chapter Of the Bible TO prove any doc
trine as 10 make the assertion which h
did from what said. | made an argu'
ment In favor Of economy, which argu
ment he could not answer. i proved m,
argument by figures and facts, showing |
lsck Of economy in the administration o
affairs at West Point. | felt 1t nv duty
| 10 say what I did, and he could not an.
swer It and could not rebut II. But thI
gentleman (Hewitt) gets up here, proving
lie Is what the gentleman from Tennesse,
said he was. Loud laughter. l hay,
nothing TO say against West Point j
pror,rIy conducted. / know that IVES
Point has made u record foI
itself. ] have only 10 point to mel
like Jefferson Davis, r. L. Lee
slonewail Jackson, Joe Johnston
Sydney Johnston, Gen. Bragg, Hardee
and whole host OF .others from West
Point, and know my Union friends car
on their side point 10 line OF noble ant
gallant spirits who came from West Point
and fought on the other side. ! honor
them. knew their worth. met them
and measured steel with them, and
never saw him (meaning Hewitt there
loud laughter and great excitement.
Afr. Chairman, West Point has produced
great men. Their names will live on bott
sides OF the Potomac as long as this peo
ple are free, but West Point has never
produced an Esau. It never produced {
Benedict Arnold. Excitement ltneyel
produced 4 man who put up the Presi-
dency and sold it. CONTINUED laughter
and excitementl / hope the gentleman
from New York has the intellect TO appre
ciate what I mean.
Mr.. Chairman-I was not educated a
West Point, but / was educated in Q
school where there was well organized
militia and where our Alma Mater
taught us to shed our blood in defense o.
the State. When she called upon us re-
sponded to the call. / did moi do as some
men here did-stay at home and pay q
substitute to 60 and help to defend my
country. GLaugbter.] | am no gradu-
ate OF West Point, but / am from State
which has shown from its past conduct
that in war il is the brayest 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 smirched her record, and God grant
| may always be, what | believe | have
been in the past, worthy son OF such
State. (Applause.
Mr.. Fort-In view OF the harmony
existing on The Democratic side, demand
the regular order OF business. Laughter
and cries Of "No, no, no."
After some time and in gthe midst ol
increasing excitement, Mr.. Hewitt again
got the floor and said:
Mr.. Chairman-I have received hard
hits in my time and have learned to take
them, and now propose only to cay this
There were brave men before Agem'
menon; there were brave men before the
member from South Carolina tAiken)
but have never known any brave men
coming home from the war and boasting
Of their deeds Of valor. A brave man
leaves that to the historian, and to that
record l consign the gentleman from
South Carolina, and now request the
Clerk 10 read the language Of the gentle
man 10 which / replied the other day,
The extract hpying been read, Mr.. Hewitt
continued: The gentleman insinuates that
some one sold out the Presidency. No
Northern man sold out the Presidency.
The proposition TO sell the Presidency
was made 10 me and / contemptuonsly
refused. Excitement and shouts Of name!
namel .
Mr.. Ellsworth-I want 10 know who II
was that proposed to the gentleman to
sell ont the Presidency.
Mr.. Hewitt-If the House desires 10
have that portion Of the unwritten his.
tory told l will tell It. [Cries Of let US
have it all, and great excitement,
Mr.. Hewitt, alter order being some.
what restored, proceeded to recount the
facts connected with the proposition made
TO him by Col. Pickett as coming from j.
II. Maddox, Special Agent Of the Treas
ury Department, TO pay J. Madison
Wells, Chairman Of tue Returning Board
Of Louisiana, for giving the count Of that
State to Tilden, all Of which was testified
to by Mr.. Hewitt before the committee Of
House last session. Iu conclusion ask
the gentleman from South Carolina
(Aiken) to tell me by what right he turns
upon me and accuses me Of selling the
Presidency.
Mr.. AiEen-The gentleman from New
York has been of the track entirely on
which was travelling. He has simply
been giving us here the published testi.
mony, which anybody might have read
for himself. alluded TO speech which
he made on this aoor, 10 which he said,
or in which the newspapers reported him
rs having said, that "a far as the gift Of
the Presidency was in his hands be would
rather give up the Presidency than see
one drop Of blood spilled in defence Of
the Democratic party. l got that from
The newspapers. / believed Il then and
believe Ii yet. [Laughter.l
Mr.. HeWett-It seems that on mere
newspaper paragraph this immaculate
and honorable gentleman from South
Carolina (Aiken) infers that brother
Democrat had sold the Presidency. He
will be surprised to know that no such
words ever fell from my lips on the floor
Of this House or any where else, and that
when I saw it going the rounds Of the
newspapers II was one Of the very few
calumnies that / contradicted owes my
own name.
Mr.. Aken-I am glad TO hear 1t,
Mr. HeWett-h says he lei glad to hear
Il, II he had had such sentiment in his
heart and II he had had that high feeling
OF honor which should govern 4 South
Caroliuian he would before making that
charge on the floor have come to me and
asked how much truth there was ini /
wear my heart upon my sleeve and there
Ia nothing which / have done from the
beginning 70 the end Of that business which
| am not now ready to proclaim and have
published. He would answer the ques-
lion as 10 what assurance had been given
for the withdrawal Of troops from Loais-
t.. IL cao.k Na.n1{na ~. ,t,{. ,,.3nA