Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-01-25
asked unanimous consent to take uT
the bill to retire General Grant.
Mr.. Vest objected.
Mr. T,ooan then moved to la,

bill.
Mr.. Bayard suggested the pros
priety of deferring the consideration
of of the proposition in view OF the
probability of an early action upon
the general measure to supply WAT
he regarded as a deficiency bill,
providing a pension for our ex-Presl-
dents. He thought that the pro-
vision for a single individual named
could be amply covered in a general
law.
MI. Logan said it was true the
proposition was an exceptional one,
and proceeded to show why the bill
should be passed.
Mr.. Hill, of Georgia, said he was
not prepared to vote on the PROPOSE
ton to-day, and would therefore
vote against Mr. Logan s motion, but
his inclination was to vote for the
bill if he could do so consistent with
his sense of duty to the public. He
would not do so, however, for rea-
sons given by Mr.. Logan in it's favor.
After stating what he characterized
as three great epochs in American
history, namely, the settlement of the
colonies, the establishment of
Constitutional government; and
the revolution, beginning in 1861,
which latter had accomplished great
results, Mr.. Hill said he regarded
General Grant as the most remarka-
BILE man which the events of that
revolution had developed, and in his
Judgment one man without whom
the revolution would not have been
suppressed. This, he said, was not
a hasty or i'll considered remark.
Whatever bis merits or dement's
General Grant would take his place
in history as the great representative
man of the revolution of 1861, simply
because from the peculiar circum-
stances that surrounded him. He
would be regarded as one man Of
either side of the water without
whom that revolution would not
have been suppressed. Whether
this reason would prompt him, Hill,
to support Mr.. Logan's bill or not
he was not now prepared to say.
In speaking as he did he did not de-
sire to cater to the opposite side of
the chamber, nor did his remarks
measure in the slightest degree any
opinion he might entertain of Gen
eral Grant personally.
Mr.. Vest said he had objected to
the consideration of the bill on prin
ciple, and he was equally opposed to
any legislation on the subject of the
kind suggnsted by Mr.. Bayard. He
did not propose to be dragged to
day into any partisan discussion in
regard to the late war if he could
avoid it. General Grant would, be-
yond question, pass into history as a
great general of that struggle. He
(Mr. Vest entertained the greatest
admiration for that generals military
skill, and disclaimed any intention to
utter word against him personally.
The Southern people had in every
way evinced their admiration for
Grant as a soldier and of course
pursued by him at the close of the
war. When, upon the field of Ap-
pamatox, he handed back to Robert
E. Lee his sword, and when, after
ward, he went as agent to the South
ern States and reported to the Pres
ident the undoubted loyalty and
patriotism of the Southern people,
every Southern heart beat with graft
tude to him. When a special office
was created for him, with the rank OF
general, no Southern man interposed
a single objection, and when, at Cairo
and other points, after visiting every
Southern State, General GRAM
attested that the people OF
the South were as loyal to the Con-
stitution and flag as the people o1
the North. The Southern people
again evinced by their loud acclaim
their gratitude for that testimony
But whe General Grant deliberately
left the place provided for him by
the representative of the people
when he entered the arena of parti-
san politics, when he took the
chances of political life, he, Vest
held that he should stand hazard O.
the die. This, therefore, was ne
Democratic funeral. Itbelonged the
Republican side of the House
to provide for their wounded
and their dead in the late
political conflicts. When the corpse
of General Grant was dragged from
that bloody arena in the city OF
Chicago the funeral and obsequies
belonged not the Democratic side o.
the chamber. We have funerals
enough of our own Qaughter) an6
we have. our own wounded that We
are supposed to take care of.
Mr.. Vest added, he was aware
that for what he said tosday he
7 would be followed as he had been OF
recent occasions by the partizan
: press OF the country with the cry ot
: reDel' unreconstructed Democrat
ana that worst of all stigmas
bourbon. Be it so. Sometime ago
he had said in regard to that dis
tinguished parsonage, John Brown,
that he thought he had been prop
erly executed at Hsrper's Ferry, and
,,o oJ,o4al1y ,,,onu nf A.