The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1880-12-28
HOUSE

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20.-In regard to the
diplomatic position of the bill, Conger said,
there had been no change whatever made
from the law of last yrarin regard to the con-
sular service. The cemmitte on approprla-
lions had adopted some changes which hau
been proposed by the secretary OF state, conf
prising chiefly the transfer of consulates from
one class to another. He dwelt upon the
Importance of the consular service
in advancing the commercial in
terccurse of the country, but argued that its
utility was neutralized by the laws against
free ships. The carrying trade Of the coun-
try had almost disappeared under the restric-
tions which had been placed upon it by the
laws which said thot a man could not go to
any country that he pleased anu my a vessel
and get an American register. lie contend
ed that those laws should be amended, as
they had proved very detrimenL to COM
merce.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 21.-1le morning
hour was devoted to the discussion OF the
private claim bill.
Consideration was resumed of the bill to
distribute the S2S,O O0, 900 ameng the states,
which was followed by an executive session.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 21.-Weaver made a
humorous speech, arraigning the democratic
party IOT lllCOlioloIClCy i'll Ill 4uCoGiohS
and stated that that party in its state and ma
tional platforms encamped every four years
on the ground where the republicans had en-
camped four years before. He was frequent
ly interrupted by Reagan, Warner, Finley,
Bland and others, and his replies to them
were received with laughter on the republic
can side.
Reagan defended the democratic party
from the charge of Inconsistency, and retail
ated to that charge on Weaver and the green
back parry.
Bland inquired for what presidential candi-
date Weaver had voted III '16.
Weaver-For Rutherford &. Hayes, and l
an sorry for it.
Bland replied to Weaver's speech, in which
he SAID That gentleman had shown his animus
in attacking Lhe democrats, The only friends
which that gentleman had had in the house
loud laughter. on the republican side]. He
referred to the charges made against Weaver
IN the last campaign, that he was acting in
the interest of the republicans, and said That
his action then correspondent with his speech
to-day.
Weaver tried to interrupt Bland, assuring
hlm that this statement was not Tue.
Bland declined to yield, and went on
charging Weaver with bad faith and incon-
s~istency. He asserted that all reform that
had taken place recently in financial matters
had come from the democratic party. The
republican party might, by its assessment OF
Office holders and by corruption and fraud,
succeed in putting dOW The grand old DEM
ocratic party which stood for the rights and
libert ,es Of the people, but sooner or later
~[several republicans: "iater.'7 reform would
come, not through the republicans or green
hackers, but through democrats Applause OIL
the democratic side of The housed.
Weaver replied to Bland, and challenged
him to quote one word that he <Wesver) had
said in the last campaign in favor of The re.
publican party. Until he could do so he
should shut up [%laughter]. He had in that
campaign arraignea The republican party land
he arraigned it to-day. He repudiated the
idea of having received sympathy from the
democratic party during the campaign, ant
said the only evidence he had of it was In ths
shape of a forged letter published in the New
York Star, and which he believed was in thu
same handwriting as the Morey letter laugh
teri.
Bland asked Weaver about his reported in
terview during the campaign with Jay Hub
bell, chairman of the congressional Tepubli
can committee.
Weaver denied that any such interview hat
taken place, and charged the falsehood Of
that story on D.. D.. Lum, who, he said, ha,
sold out to both the republican and demo
cratic parties, and both parties were cheate'
when they bought him L%laughterl. He di'
not charge inconsistency Oh the democrati
party itself, but on its leaders, on the mel
who ran with the rounds and held with th
hares. These were the men whom he de
sired to hold up to public condemnation a.
being unworthy to lead the opposition to thu
republican party, which sought to fasten u
the country the British system of perpetua
debt.
Sparks got the floor, and alluded to the Gil
cuInstance that had occurred during the in
terruption between Weaver, Bland and Others
in which he had used an offensive term /
hun: "That he was crazy" He went ON i
, a good-natured manner to excuse the often
sive remark as arising from a misunderstood
| ing on Weaver's part of what he (Sparks
had said to call it out.
Weaver replied in the same tone of pleas
: antry and good humor, declining to tax
offense at what Sparks had said, and intimat
ing that 40 one could venture to insult hin
Intentionally by ascribing falsehood to hill
: without feeling the force of his (Weaver's
4 right arm laughter and uproarl.
Sparks OF hearing the latter remar
changed his tone from one of pleasantly t.
one of anger, and said; 81 spurn with col
tempt the reach of his arm. The weight {
his arm would affect one as little as it affec
r ed the last presidential campaign"
: Weaver, still IN a jocular tone, said: "Wel
a that was sufficient. Does not the gentlema
: see that he ought never to open his mouth
: all when he is excited? He spurns the reac
. of my arm. He can do so. In the temper
: am now in he can do so. l would not hurt
|. hair of his head [laughterl. His apolog
: was ample, and l accept it, but l caution hii
: against further use of the term falsehood {
q lie. That in Kentucky is regarded, 1 b.
lieve, as equal to a lick or a blew, and eve
if l was not as large as a mouse 1 would a
: sail any mar who would apply such a teri
to me offenslvely. The gentleman has allut
Ell to my weight, but l warn him that m
fighting weight is 1885, pounds [shouts
laughter].