Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-04-03
The DEMOCRATIC IDEA
AS EXPRESSED ON THE APPROPRlA-
TON BILL DISCUSSION.
Notable Speeches in the House-ChaImers
and Hurd-COnger SqueIched-Fye
Torne to Peces by Carlisle
Garfield Takes Water
The Outlook Now.
WASHINGTON, April ,.
The Political Debate in the House

. dramatic CllnldNCS, WAS C0nuucteu Win
good feeling, and at the close left the
Democrats altogether in the best posi-
tion. The skirmiShing began with a
painfully elaborate exordivm by Bel
ford, OF Colorado, smooth-bore, who
had neither logic nor elOquence to at
tract the attention OF his auditors. OF
the several speeches made, only three
were notable enough 10 be worthy OF
notice.
The first speech on the Democratic
side was made by Mr.. Muldrow, Of Mis-
siSSippi, who punctured some OF Gar
fields statements OF Saturday. lie
showed that the method of leglslating
upon appropriation bills originated with
IN Republican party, who had resOrtcd
10 it to iasten unconstitutional measures
upon the country; now the Democrats
used the plan simply to wipe out those
Odious laws. He referred 10 the cOer-
ciOn of President Johnson by Repub-
liCan Congress in 1861, and declared
that Garfield and his party were
eStOpped by their own course from
any complaint or opposition now. He
gave notice that the Democratic Con
greSs proposes To contend Tor COnstitu-
tional liberty until it shall be restored 70
liberty. He declared that his party
meant to stand firm until it shall have
repealed the supervisors laws, test oath
and the use of the army at the polls.
He occupied no sectional or partisan
ground i'm insisting upon the repeal OF
these laws; il was the will OF the pcaple,
and must be enforced. The people OF
South suffer less from the enforcement
OF these laws than the people OF the
North.
Chalmers, of Mississippi,
4 little, nervous product Of the South,
made a calm review OF the Republican
position and had not his ChOlcr been
worked up bv needless and eXaSpcrating
Interruptions from the Republican side
no sentence Of his speech, which OCcu-
pied over an hour, could have alarmed
the most ardent believer in the so-Callcd
new rebellion. Mainly, hc directed his
attention to the speech of Garfield, and
from cupiuus quotations OF the record
of Congressional debates, pointed out
the Inconsistencies OF not only Car
field. who has thrown himself into the
breach rs the Republican champion, but
also the party itself.
Gen. Chalmers devoted his hall hour
almost cNrlu>ivclvtu the great speech
uf Garfield, and one by ON" he dis
proved every Historical TACT presented
bv the Ohio statesman. He said the
Republican party had inaugurated Il
deSputiSm during its eighteen years OF
rule He denied that the Democratic
party oranv Of Representatives. in Con
greSs had ever supported or voted for
any Of this deSpotic legislation, or were
i'm anv wav responsible for il. He read
from the record oi Senate proceed
ings ui 1864 and 1860, to show
that ten. Garfield had miSreprc-
Scnted the position and votes Of Demo
cratic Senators on the question OF send.
ing soldiers To- the polls. Instead Of
senator Powell having supported the
proposition, he protested against 1t and
begged the majority to spare the COun-
try from a military despOtism. The
Republican party insisted that the army
should be- used as positive force at the
polls, and the Democratic party insisted
that it should not. His Chalmers J
partv believed that civil and religious
liberty were established by the Revolu-
ton, and they meant TO maintain
it. He proved by the record that
the assertion that Reverdy Johnson
had favored the law now sought to be
repealed was untrue. During the de
bate Gen. Garfield said he had no OBJ
iections to the repeal, and would vote
for II as Z separate measure, and Gnn.
Chalmers referred To- political measures
that had been pressed through on ap-
propriation bill while Garfield was
chairman Of that committee. He said
the Republicans had established the
precedent, and the Democrats only
used il To carry out the will ot
;hc people Gen. Garfield had sad
that in 1861 the Southern Demo-
Gratis had threatened to shoot the Union
to death: that was not true; it was the
Republican party who had threatened
AMI who had done the shooting, under
the prctense OF saving the Union. and
that crv rallied the whole North under
the old tla.. Now, when the Union had
been saved, Republican dcspots threat
en- to destroy it unless they, the minor
, ity. are allowed Ia rule.
Mr.. Price Iowa, asked where the first
GUN OF the war was fired. Gen. Chal-
mers. in ready words and earnest man
pcrS. repliGi: at Harper's Ferry,
where Southern blood was shed on
/ Southern soil" and this brought down
. II
I'M, threat uttered by Garfield
I that the Republicans would not
/ Weld an inch, "even to save tins Gov
/ ernment,' and said ii this were not
mere bravado 10 brace up the spinal
column Of the Executive, it was threat
( 10 the people. lie ridiculcd the idea oi
revolution" and in powerful language
exposed the true position OF the Re
publican party on this question. she
| was about concluding one of the most
eloquent and forcible speeches delivered
| I'M Congress for wears, Gen. Chalmers
was interrupted by COnger, who said
/ the gentleman had declared that the
| first revolution had no terturs for him,
I and he ICongerl wanted To know il the
/ revolution Of 1861 had. Gen. Chalmers
u TtIiitA AAal Al e4NNh AaaaA = 80 N--'-
England kept 4 Jester rieged IN
/ loois cap and merry bells 10
d, make fun Tor the court; the Repub-
I lican party in Congress ahso Sep, a
/ lester. but instead OF a tool : cap and the
/ bells they dressed him in a swallow-tall
coat. This was applaudei with great
I enthusiasm in the galleries and on the
/ Democratic side. Conccr retorted that
instead II replying 10 his question the
gentleman had jumped upon his music
| box and made grimaces - the House
and country. The Republicans, a. an
oHSpt "a the hearty cheering that Gen.
Chalmers remark had elected, yelIeI
and stamped for full fiye minutcs oyeI
their .'iestor'S' reply. -COnser, however
. thick.skinned though he l., showed that
he was down. Tie tried 20 smile, but i
was only a sickly grin, and the utlt
given him will no doubt stuck. To hl'
retort about grimacing, Gen. Chalme n
pointedly replied that he would not thus
infringe upon the prerogatives Of the
only monkey in the House.
The Speech Of Frye
/