The New York herald., 1879-03-30
1 WAS HIN G TON.
Remarkable Excitement in the
House Of Representatives.
REVOLUTIONARY TACTICS.
General Garfeld's Charges Against
the Democrats.
STARVING THE GOVERNMENT
FIinging Down the Republican Gaunt-
let Of Defiance.
SPEECH BY A. II. STEPHENS.
Recalling the Stirring Scenes
OF 1890
STARVING THE GOVERNMENT
Flinging Down the Republican Gaunt-
let of Defiance.
SPEECH BY A. II. STEPHENS.
Recalling the Stirring Scenes
OF 1890.
FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.

WASHINGTON. March 90. 1870.
GENERAL GARFIELD AGAIN ON HIS WAR
CHARGER EXPOSING THE DEMOCRATIC
REVOLUTIONARY MISUNDERSTANDING OUT
THE GOVERNMENT.
There is rapidly increasing and intense political
excitement here, but it is mainly shown by tho
publicans, many of whom very bitter indeed, and
denounce their opponents without measure. 1t was
to be expected, therefore, that the galleries would be
crowded thus morning to listen to the debate. Their
occupants took lively and sometimes noisy in
terest in what passed. General Garfield being several
times applauded. W us
After Mr.. Stephens had spoken. and the point Of
order settled. General Garfield made what was
acknowledged by both democrats and republicans
to be q powerful speech. Indeed, the republican
members thought it so effective that they sub
scribed for 100000 copies of it at once for cir
culation through the country. Nevertheless,
It must be said that General Garields effort
was not an argument, but harangue. 1t did not
discuss the merits of the question at issue, except
Incidentally. but dealt largely in denunciation. He
asserted that the purpose of the democrats was to
force the Executive to approve Of to which
he is opposed or of starving the government But
General Garfield cannot be supposed to know either
the Presidents mind the intentions of the demo-
Gratis, and for all he knows the President may be
ready to approve the bill and the democrats may in
tend to withdraw their legislation if he objects and
vetoes. When, therefore, he denouncedsthe demo-
Gratis as revolutionary he was not arguing, but
only harangung. When he asserted that the
democrats themselves had voted in 1865 for
the measure they now repeating he
was corrected by Mr.. Wood and others. who ex-
planned that the democrats then supported this as q
choice betwecn this and worse proposition, and it
seems that Mr.. Garfield was here led by his fervor
beyond the clear region of facts He recalled the old
slave catching times before the war, he recalled
the days Of 1861, the results Of the war, and the
folly and iniquity Of the who forced
the war. In fact he "made it ugly" for the South
and the democrats. He made extremely effective
campaign speech. very damaging public document
for the democrats, and one which must have made
them regret. they sat and listened to him. their
folly In forcing extra session But he did not use
an argument from beginning end. and LETT the
right or wrong Of the question precisely where it
stood before he began.
On the whole he did wisely for his party and him
SELF for it is very we'll remembered that on the last
night of the last session. less than month ago.
General Garfield declared himself content to give up
the very matter he Is now so vigorously lighting for
and that which he now declares revolutionary. the
sppendng political legislation appropriation bills
has been done and defended by republicans when
they had the majority. In of those instances
they deliberately sent an appropriation bill thus
burdened with political legislation 70 the President
with the threat that if he vetoed it they would let the
bill fail. and the President signed it under
compulsion. ''lest by Withholding his signature
the necessary appropriation be Defeated" that
Is to say, that which they now impute without
ground to the democrats. and which is undoubtedly
revolutionary. they did in President Johnson's day.
Mr.. MacMahon and Mr.. Wood followed General
Garfield. They refuted some of his statements.
but they could not meet his arguments.
whole the glory Of the day remained with
him. He had for listeners Secretaries Evar.s
and Sherman. Senator Conklin and other prominent
republicans, and he certainly gave the democrats
reason to regret their stupidity in insisting upon
legislation of importance and putting themselves
In what many Of them is fatally CON-
promised position.
ing hour on Monday. which is the one hour in the
week when general business be intro
duccd. innoccnty moved to adjourn. He
thought it good way to secure chance
to introduce his imitation BILL but Mr.. Sparks.
democrat at once exposed Mr.. Ewings purpose and
moved to adjourn until Tuesday. by which means
the morning hour is avoided. and this motion re-
ceived such immediate and preponderant support
from democrats and republicans that not enough
men were found even to demand the yeas and nays
on IL. and 90 the week closed.