National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-05-08

/ discretion OF the court"
| Mr.. MORGAN obtained the floor, and. wi,::5tt fur.
| Their action on the bill the Senate, at 100 o'clock,
adjourned.
| HOUsD OF REI,RES ENThTIpES.
ar. CHALMERS called up the resolution for the in
vesgation of the charges made against him in con.
| nection with the battle of Fort Pillow. He said
that he was personally willing to leave the matter
| with the House. Whether he was given the com.
mittee or not he had no fear that injustice would
| to fight for their principles He was willing TO
place his defense In the hands of gallant Union
/ soldiers. II would not add to the glory OF Union
history TO detract from the herosm of the Confed-
| GLORY was the soldiers pride,
| The soldiers wealth was honor"
In answer to questions propounded by Mr. Haw-
ley, Mr. Chalmers stated that the Federal force in
the battle was 577. OF which 40 per cent. was saved
| unhurt about 800 being killed or wounded.
| Mr.. GARFIELD opposed the proposition for the
| appointment of the committee, but expressed him
| self as glad that anything which the gentleman
| from Mississippi (Mr. Chalmers) had done or said
should tend ~ relieve him from responsibility for
the outrnges at Fort Pillow.
| Mr.. BURROWS said that If q committee was not
| appointed the statements of the gentleman from
Mississippi (Chalmcrs) would go to the country as
| flying In the face of amass of sworn testimony. He
quoted from the report upon the Fort Pillow mas.
sncre which he characterized as so dark and cruel
that Satan might sit at the feet of the perpetrators
| Of II and learn lessons of cruelty
Mr.. CHALMERS desired to reply, but objection was
made by Mr.. Ellis
| Mr.. CHALMERS, however, got In n remark TO the
effect that the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Bur.
| rows should be the last man to bring In charges
against another, for while he (Mr. Chnlmers) made
| no charges, that gentleman would remember that
| charges had been made against him that his con-
duct in the war had not been such as characterized
| n gallant soldier.
| Mr.. BURROWS. j desire to ask the gentleman
| what he means?
MIR. CHALMERS. I mean to say that was in.
formed by Washington reporter that charges had
been made against you in your canvass. do not
| believe them.
Mr.. BURROWS. When the gentleman makes a
charge against me have right to know what
Mr.. CHALMERS. The charge was that you resigned
| your office because your command did not think
| Mr.. BURROWS. / want to say that | made no
charges against the gentleman, and this Is the first
time ever heard the charge suggested by the gem
| Mr.. CHALMERS 1 can find the man that made
| the charges.
MIR. BuRnows. Then will say that the charge is
absolutely untrue, and am glad that the gentle
man docs not believe IT.
matter was laid on the table-yeas, 9S: nays, 10.
Mr.. GooDE, from the Committee on Education
and Labor, reported the bill directing the execu-
tive officers of the Government to carry out the
provisions of the eight.hour law of 1868, and made
brief argument In It's favor.
Mr. RICE argued against the bill as not really In
the interest OF the wOrkngmen OF the country, but
only the privileged few who were in Government
employment. II had been undoubtedly the at
tempt Of the original lay to set an eXample, to the
but unfortunately that example had not been fol-
lowed byany Of the State governments me re-
teen to eight and ten had been brought about by
other causes than legislation.
The law made an unfair and unjust dscrimina-
| ton between those who worked for the Govern
mcnt and those who did not.
Mr.. Cox spoke in favor Of tho bill as being in
h ID SS sES SO scb ne nEPd
| would emphasize its opinion on the subject and
lead the Senate to act upon IT, ms the Senate should
the last Congress. The laboring men should have
| the good viii of members on both sides.
Mr.. WARSER opposed the bill on account of its
unjust discrimination.
| Mr. FnosT advocated the bill, and argued that the
Republican side of the House should not set itself
up against the enforcement Of law Oh the statute
Mr.. CANNON (Il.) opposed the bill as being only
in the interest of navyyard employees, and be-
raised by taxation contributed By all the other la
bOreTs of the country
MIR. MuRCi spoke in favor of the bill 1t was in
the interests of the laborng men, and on the 18th
of July, 1879, they would declare from one end OF
the country to the other that eight hours should
Mr.. Willis spoke in favor Of The bill on the
ground that while the law remained upon the stat
ute book II should beenforced:
| Mr.. WRIGHT also advocated the bill. He had
been surprised to hear the gentleman from MasSa-
master" One of those men who had been under
| the control of master had Just taken his seat
(alluding to Mr.. Murchl and the time might come
| when the master would be In the background
and the servant would come to the front
| The morning hour having expired, the bill wen
The House then, at 2;35 proceeded to the consid-
Grafton of the bill amending the laws in regard to
coinage and coin and bullion certificates and was
addressed I'm opposition to the billy by MIR. Clafin,
| who commenced BY saying that 1t was conceded by
all business men that nothing was more detrlmen-
tai to the great business interests of the country
than the constant agitation OF financial schemes III
| Congress.
| yer had been considered by the Banking Commit
tees in the House and Senate; had been fully dis
| cussed and understood in both Houses and had
had the approval of the National Board of Trade.
| lie argued generally III favor of the single gold
standard as against the double standard. Hehoped
that the House would announce that there was 10
be no change in the financial system of this coun.
try which he regarded MS the best IN the world IL
| was one of the great benefits which had resulted
from the war The pending bill he characterized
as one of the most extraordinary ever introduced.
Its effect would be TO launch the country again
| the sea Of irredcemablc currency.
| Mr.. VANCE spoke in iavor OF the bill. He de-
Cared that gold was not the money of the people,
| and never would be. II was royal money. The
money OF the people was silver, and had been from
| Time mmemorial. The establishment of the single
| gold standard in this country had been fraught
with disaster. Its results had been low prices, fail
ures all over the land, factories silent operatives
thrown out Of employment, bread taken out of the
mouths of the aboTeTs and the cries of children he
| cause OF hunger The financial legislation of re-
| been IN the interest of money rings and money
| sharks lie read newspaper extract purpOrting TO
| give the experience of a North Carolina man who
| applauded him (Mr. vance, for his influence in re-
storing silver currency but who afterward, ON be.
ing refused post office order for silver trade dol
lars exclaimed: "D--n Bob Vance for giving us
| such money. A Greenbackcr will get my vote tho
next time" Laughter
| MIR. KgIPER asked Mr. Vance, whether he, with a
| majority of the Democrats In the House, had not
voted to deprive the trade dollar OF its legal tender
quality. -,,
that he was free to admit that he had not then un-
| derstood the matter. lLaughterl He spoke of ex-
| orbitant rates of interest being charged by the
| national banks, indicating 10 per cent as a not
| unusual rate and mentioning per cent. month
as rates charged by lenders In some parts of North
| Carolina This was one of the effects OF the fnan.
cal legislation OF Congress- which smacked Of that
| which distinguished the rotten dynasties' Of
| European countriesi
There was much more danger Of tho Government
being destroyed by class legislation than there was
of It's being starved to death" as suggested by
| Mr.. Garfield. But the Government could not DO
| destroyed. Built up In tears and suiierings, &C.
mented with blood. made heroic and grand by the
| death of noble men, its firm base was The great
granite rock OF tho Constitution, and let the arm
be cursed that sroye TO remove q single stone from
| the grand edillce, His motto was "Our country
first our country last -FOUR country all the time"
| lApplause
| House, at 400, adjourned,