Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1881-01-13
DIssRAoFUL sosSE.
Another Quarrel in tho House and
a Drunken Member Impeding Bus


Another Quarrel in tho House and
Drunken Member Impeding Bus
iness.
Washington Correspondence of Philadelphia Times
WASHINGTON, Jan. 11.-Billinsgate is the
common dialect of bullies and excited, ILL
tempered men in Congress as well as in
the corner eroggeries Men call each
other liars and scoundrels with more i'm
punity on the tioor of the House because
they cannot be held personally responsible
there or elsewhere. There was nothing
of the character of the Weayer-Sparks
affair to-day. Mr.. Scales simply said that
Mr.. Blount said 80 and so. NJ. Blount
said he did not Mr.. Scales vociferated
that he did, whereat Biount brought his
fist down upon desk with force that
made thiogs ring again and substantially
called Mr.. Scales falsfier.
A witty remark from member brought
both men to their senses and broke the
impending quarrel in ripple of laughter,
This was nothing. 1t was the appearance
of Mr.. Hooker upon the floor in an
exhilersting frame of mind that carried
the day for actual disgrace. Mr.. Hooker
is fluent and graceful speaker, drunk or
sober. To-day Mr.. Hooker was drunk.
The right to get drunk is Az inslienabie
right guaranteed by the Constitution to
every American citizen, and not forfeited
because of being elected to Congress.
When member gets intoxicated and in
terferes with the dispatch of public bust.
ness is another thing
This was the condition and attitude OF
Mr.. Hooker, of Mississippi, to-day. during
the debate on the Indsn bill He felt
well enough at l O'Clock to manage the
bill himself. At he was f1wery aud
persistent. At he occupied the fl ,or
most all the time between drinks, sur.
passing himself in rhetoric and confouud
ing the House At he was maudliu
He offered amendments made speeches
made points If order, with rev amend
ments, made speeches, called for division,
aud WAC wholly beyond expestulstion arc
ridicule He moved down to the foot o.
the main aisle and divided the time be
tween stepping on Mr.. Ohittenden's toe
and giving elaborate instructions to thu
CHAIR. In vain the Chair gently evadeC
him. In vain his Inundated friends wen
to him, one after aholher, and persuaded
him TO withdraw. Hooker was unoon
scious of the disgusting spectacle he wa
making. He insisted on being heard oil
every point and was wholly unmanage
able.
For awhile members were amused. Thei
they gathered around him, lie needles
boys about a drunken man in the streets
and laughed. Such sight in the street
is sickening to most people. Ga the fl %
OF Congress- as in this instance, il VIC
doubly disgusting. This was 5000 eviden
on the faces OF members aud In scared
suppressed hiss from the galleries III
higrity on the floor soon gave way t
painful silence, and various ruses wer
adopted to choke Hooker of 1t was &c
until the committee rose, AZ it did whe
the member from Mississippi was in tn
midst of maudliD speech that he wa
, finally squelched. Then he staggsre
back to his place ard from Themes eutei
tanned his audience with occasional whoor
and attempts TO assist the reading clerk i
r calling the roll
J The stern frowr Of Speaker Randall ha
20 effect upon him. IL was the NOR
!, Illuminating and dsgraceful because Ii
sui ject Of all this lie one of the MOI
! courteous and accomplished gentlemen Q
b the floor. Even while making this paint,
, exhibition of himself his language WI
chaste, his msnner graceful and his bea
. ing ludcrously courteous The Huus
: bore witt, bin patiently, although he Wi
8 the cause of extending the proceeding
over the entire day Owing to til
, obstruction they failed 10 reach III fun
ing bill, as WAS expected TO be done Il
r day. The confederation of that measui
q will be resumed tomorrow.