New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-02-27
THE NATIONAL LAWMAKERS.
p1orous SCENES IN THE HOUSE.

JRr TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBuNel
w,suxnroN. Feb. 26.-After dawdlmg auri.s
nearly three months-except when "as'ihs ' ~.
yam attempts to pass vicious partisan
Democratic majority in the House OF hopre'ouO ii
has been seized lately with spasln VI .;,t,on
"a now rushing through Important ap pl .,aTt.-
h;,. ,;,bont needing anything except inc minute
bnnd ~ the clock. To-day the House osoenS,oT
oons;deredD the Sundry Civil Appropriation on,'
.sooarr. which appropriates nearly $Zl'Ooo,ooo'
cd obont nine o'clock the Committee OF tne no'0
repotted il to the House with amendments
lrh. nroceedinrs during tho afternoon deserve 10
l., ,orocterized by no milder term thanscandalouS'
~ ,;noo in the course Of tho later hours OF the
session the majority of the House was nothing more
nor less than O bowling mob. The onerlng Oh an
amendment however necessary, was the sign al 1or
cberus of yells and cat-cals which would have dis
graced the lowest Bowery theatre. An effort byany
member to explain proposition offered by him was
invariably drowned by cries of " read" read"
"vote" "vote" and so on, with little effort on the
part of the chairman to quell the riot.
The chairman. Mr.. Harris, of Virginia, is an
amiable man, but is probably as inefficient pre-
siding officer as could be found. He thinks that the
chief duty of Speaker is tomake speeches, and this
inrmity cost him dearly to-day Several times he was
drawn into violent alterations with members on
points of order. Time after time bis decisions were
appealed from, which was not wonderful consider
ing the fact that they contradictory as they
were otherwise amazing. Several times he declared
motions carried or defeated when only one side had
been allowed an opportunity to vote. when tne
House adjourned there was not probably single
member of it who knew the net result OF the days
labors.
One of the things done. however. was to treat
very literally q number of Democrats who have
contested seats in Congress at various times
Altogether the business Of contesing seats In Con-
gress appears to be fiourishing and profitable Some
of the claims of this character passed Today, WHEN
deiberation was impossible are venerable win age
and would never have been favorably acted upon IL
they had been fairly considered ana intenigen'S
discussed.
Mr. Horr, of Michigan, offered an amenu-
ment 10 the bill to provide for an allowance SlOoa
ontb r. tho limited States Marshal for South Caro-
lima 70 nav for the necessary care and medical at
tendance upon VIM. f. Gray, deputy United states
Marshal IN South Carolina. 1t appears that on the
14th instant, Mr. Gray, while serving process upon
n man charged with violating United States law,
was shot down. Mr.. HoT read the following letter,
which. he said was written by one OF the most
nrominent Democratic lawyers in Pickens County,
South Carolina:
P1cKExs. 8. c., Feb. IS, 1881.
n
~ DEAR d. SIR: On last Monday night william +. Gray.
while ON duty as Deputy United States Marshal. was
a. now M home in very critical condition, suffering
mIch and requires good medical attention nave lust
seems 10 be very much interested his casc and says
that without hope or assurance OF being paid or MS
seryices afford grauOusy To take tue RESPONSE
bity of treating his have encouraged him to go
ahead and him careful attention. WITH inc ea M
whose employ he at the time be was shot WIN you
ne SO kind inform what proVlsi0ns nave Otfn
ana hv fhp Government
course must be pursued that this unfortunate man may
have nroper and humane attention He IA very poor
man with large family To support aud, IN my JUG.
ment the Government should see that be has proper
medical treatment
Mr.. Aiken, Of South Carolina. sprang to his feet
and demanded the name of the author OF this letter.
Mr. Horr replied: " must put in the letter on my
RESPONSIBILITY as q Representative for obvious roa-
sons Hitherto the Democrats Of South Carolina
have contented themselves with killing Republic
cans. don't want them to begin shooting Demo
Gratis YETI
The Democrats undertook to yell Mr.. Hon down,
lint he succeeded In making few remarks in favor
of his amendment. Among other things he said
81 do not forget that there are to-day living
in the South twenty-four widows whose
husbands were killed precisely in the same
way. while in tho discharge OF their
srorn duty in endeavoring to enforce tho laws OF
their country and that these women were all made
widows during the era Of Cancellation: know that
this ~ the eighteenth man that has been stricken
DIN d1, IN this way in the State of South Carolina
d0ring the last four years. and that five of the /
we're killed outright, and that the men who COM
mitted these crimes have never, one OF them,
s snd i tried by the State authorities. . :.
: let me say to the gentleman from the state OF
South Carolina that this is peculiar case. inns
man has been for decade faithful officer lie;
sides he il no carpet-baRger lie IS not an alien
70 yonr soil No one can claim the right TO shoot
Inn on that account. He was born and raised in
lipa Ita children
saw light in the Palmetto state. The ques-
lion now before us IL, Shall we give ald to TINS
str,cken officer ~ OF course the amendment was
rulrd ont by Mr. Harris. Of Virginia. who was chair
man of the Committee of the Whoe.
There are many strangers in Washington now. ana
during most of the day the galleries were well filled
with visitors who could hardly have been edlhrd,
nor their respect Tor the American Congress height
ened by the rotous proceedings they were compelled
to witness.
PASSAGE OF THE RIVER AND IIARBOR BILL.
STRENUOUS BUT FRu1LEsS OPPOSITION IN THE
stNArE-AMENDMENT STEADILY VOTED DOwN.
10y TELEGRAPH 70 THE TRTBUNE.l
WAsHINGTON Feb. 2G.-Thc River aud Harbor
bill. with all its Objectionable provisions unclim-
mated. and with many new Of equally doubtful
proprety, was passed by the Senate late to-
night, tho entire day after the morning
hour having been devoted 10 its conoid-
| Grafton. Senator Edmunds, who it was expected
| would make the occasion interesting for the
supporters of this measure, was unfortunately i'll,
| aud absent. The opposition to 1t was, therefore OF
a desultory, though at times SPIRITED, character; but
the unity of interests III support of the measure was
/ too strong for logic, law or proprieLy.
Senator Herman made the first brief onslaught
upon the measure, declaring that it violated every
| principle which was supposed to undere the system
Of internal improvements and making n strong
| argument against the expenditure of money upon
streams or barbOrs which were not clearly impor-
tant for the general commerce Of the country
| Senator Plumb moved to recOmmt the bill. with in
structions that 1T be reported In form appropriatuG
not more than six millions, to BIO expended accord
L at ln ofNA H. lind