Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1878-05-30
STEPHENs's PROPo,AL.
He Is Willing 10 Permit the Re
publicans TO Extend the In
VesiigaiiOn. p
Washington Dispatch to New York World

Washington Dispatch to New York world.l
While the filibustering Was in pro-
gress 10 day in the House, the shrill,
addressing the Chair, and his thin
the Democratic side. Following up
the rather stupid tactics already
adopted, the old statesman's political
friends holwed him down with cries
for the regular order. There was, OF
course, much criticism far this disre-
spect Coming right ON the heels of an
unparliamentary aid Irregular con-;
versation .crIs5 aisles between Others,
and Mr.. Stephens showed plainly in
his countenance that he was annoyed
by the occurrence. He has been ill for
overa week, ami to-day made his re-
appearance for the first time. He sat
down. He seldom talks except when
he has something to say, and he was
ins0lently silenced to-day rather than
convinced. 1t had been learned what
Mr.. Stephens's sentiments were, and
from weak fear lest debate should
he opened by him. this blackgusrdisrn
was resorted to. He talked earnestly
for some few minutes with Foster, OF
Ohio, before he finally dropped the
subject. Finding Mr.. Stephens In his
private rooms later, the following
views were expressed by him: 4
"Isit correct, Mr.. Stephens, that you
intended to oppose the resolutiOn?p
"Most emphatically it Is" was the
response, and given In very emphat.
ic vein. 81 wanted just three minutes
to give them my views on this business
but they saw fit to cut me off. shall
oppose any one-sided and one-hauded
measure Of that kind first, last, and all
the time, and there are many others
who think precisely as l do. Why
don't they accept the Hale amendment
and act like men of sense. Take in
Mississippi and Oregon, and everything
else, for all that care. Here we have
the committee made up In our own in
terest, and yet refuse to open the doors
wide and let in light from all quarters,
and then turn right around and offer
to let Mr.. Hale get up committee OF
his own. Positively It is the most un
com mon piece of political unwisdom i
can recall. 1t does seem to me that
there never was such set, except those
who led US into secession"
What do you think, sir, of the poljti.
cal effect ?p
"Plain as pikestaff. Here every
day the Republican papers of the North
are pouring In on US with their editOri.
ais framed on the blOody-shirt pattern,
just as they were during the last cam
paign. They say we are sitting in
vestigatiO1, afraid to face the music OF
election frauds except as we hope to
make capital for ourselves. That's
true. 1t looks exactly like that to the
country 10 general. If this resolution
passes without the Hale amendment,
or sCme other equally broad, my pre-
diction is that We shall have another
bloody-shirt campaign on our hands,
and would not give q fig for our
chances to hold the next House OF Rep.
resentatives. don't want to be un'
kind or harsh in my judgment of any
one, but must say, without the least
reservation, that we are making a
mistake. look at il in the interest of
truth, broad and free. II we or the
country want any of it, we want it all.
Probe the whole fraud, or let it alone.
told Springer SO when he came to me
and tried to argue me down. l would
rather trust my own judgment for the
effect OF measure on great many
districts Of the North than Mr.. Spring.
er's, and some day they will see I was
right in the matter and others were
wrong"
"But, Mr.. Stephens, we already have
volumes OF reports on Mississippi, and
we are not carrying any stolen goods
about u.s."
"Weli," he replied, $50 we have vol.
umes on the other States. Take them
all in, say. And as to our having
stolen nothing, all the willing to throw
up our hands and let our pockets be
searched"