National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-01-15
A SCENE IN THE HOUSE
between Bynunl and Henry A. Wise Some
Years AP0-


A very amusing incident occurred in the COM
mlttee yesterday. They had deiiberated and de-
elded series of questions to be propounded to
witnesses who had been summoned from a dis
lance. One of these referred to the Postmaster
General as simply amos Kendall" Mr.. Homer,
who boasts so of his Democracy, was fdgety
hOnored name Mr. Henry A Wise said his vote
would depend on the meaning Mr.. Homer at
tached TO that word. Ifhemeantroguea and villain,
he would agree TO the insertion, but if he meant
gentleman he would oppose it TOTS riribus." He
threatened TO call the ayes and nays, and Homer
was obliged to withdraw his Democratic amend
ment-Fr0m the Washington correspondent Of the
baltimore Chronicle, January q, 1887.
The recent disgraceful scene in the House of
Representatives, wherein Mr.. Weaver, of Iowa. and
Mr.. Sparks, of Illinois, took such leading part,
has often been re-enacted on the floor of Congress
in the ante-bellum days of Southern supremacy,
as contemporary the Erening Star justly observes.
lnlts synopsis of these examples it omitted the
most noticeable event of this kind, which took
placeOne early Sabbath morning, Just on the eve
OF the adjournment of Congress- at its extra ses-
sion, March 26, 1887. Mr.. Bynum, of North Caro-
lima, afterward distinguished senator from that
state got into an alteration with the then young
and violent Wing Representative from AccOmac,
Virginia, the Hon. Henry A. Wise. In the course
OF his reply TO some severe structures on the mi
nority the Whigs) Mr.. Wise commenced fierce
onslaught on the gentleman from North Carolina,
dissecting him, to the words of an eyewitness
" in Il terrible Style
Mr. Bynum rose in great wrath, tossed his arms
wildly over his head, and with clenched fist pro-
claimed in voice of thunder that if the gentle
man Of Virginia, btly he should not bully him.
Mr.. Wise rose from his seat smiling, and peering
round, as though apparently seeking some very
small object, said: L bully the gentleman, Mr..
Speaker Why, sir; would as soon think of bully
ing fly"
SOUNDED" SCREAMED MR. BYNUM,
jumping from his seat. The House was as still as
DEATH when Wise rose calmer than ever, and look
ing towards the member from North Carolina said
IN hIs biting, sarcastic way: Sir, you rascal,
pitgm and contemplate pHppy!' Here great cries
of order rose frome the fully aroused House. 1t
was some time before the excitement was allayed.
\ Pckwickian scene then ensued, examples
OF which the public of the present day
are already too familiar. Mr.. Mason rose.
ana in dulcet tones poured oil on the
troubled waters. He was quite sure that his dis
tinguished friend from North Carolina and his
esteemed and hOnOred associate from Virginia had
been hurried in the heat of debate into using Ian
guage toward each other unparliamentary and I'M
becoming which they now sincerely regretted.
Other members fastened TO smooth the pending
conflict by soothing appliances to the wounded
honors of the
TWO BELLIGERENT CONGRESSMAN,
and as usual under such circumstances, both were
duly allowed to express their regrets and disclaim
any latent intention of insulting the other. Both
gentleman having declared that their Ian. Iage
had merely Pickwickian construction, the House
expressed itself satisfied with the explanation, and
after playful reprimand dismissed the case.
To quote the sentiments of the National Inte3li-
gecer from its files Of that date never was there
witnessed such a scene--never one SO disgusting
in all its details"