Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1882-02-23

tiguous to Red River and Louisiana, 300, 600
people are almost in starving condition. He
has introduced bill in Congress for their re-
lief.
THE HIT OF THE SESSION.
It would seem by various reports from
Washington that the greatest hit Of the pres
ent session of Congress was made by Repre-
sentative Tllman, of South Carolina, in his
speech on the 18th instant, advocating House
of Representatives with six hundred members.
The idea was a novel one, but the speaker
had not progressed far with his argument un-
til he attracted the attention of members and
the galleries, all of whom became interested
listeners to what proved to be the most at
tractive if not instructive speech of the ses-
sion, instead of the advocacy Of chimerical
scheme, as many supposed it to be from the
proposition. The scope of his speech may be
gathered from the following extract:
He started out by observing that the report
endorsed by majority of the committee did
not have even the merit of novelty, for SINH
lar contrivance had been presented by gen.
tleman from New Jersey, in the Presidency of
Washington, and vetoed by the Father of his
Country. He was in favor Of a large House,
and had an important amendment to offer
when the bill came up again for discussion
While he preferred House of 600 members,
he would vote for the highest number proposed.
It was declared truly of England that she
never could be ruined except by her Parlia-
ment, and the same might be said Of every
free country for while the law making power
is less corrupt than the Executive, there could
be no danger to liberty. We had had cOrrup-
tion under Grants administration, because
the lobby had full swing at small House Of
Representatives. Wealth delighted in dis
play and sought authority over others. A
large Senate and House would prove the best
barrier to insiduous appeals of opulence. He
hoped, sooner or later, that the American
people would be converted to that view. He
cited the case of New York, Pennsylvania, Col
orado and Nevada as examples of the perni-
ciousness of small Legislatures amenable to de-
bauchment. Had any one heard of Jay Gould
or Boss Tweed? He quoted Gould's own tes-
timony that he was "a Democrat in a Demo
cratic county, Republican in Republican
county. but an Erie Railroad man all the
time !'' Also the bold avowal of the famed
capitalist that he had once bought candidates
for Legislatures, but changed his tactics when
he found it so much cheaper and easier to
purchase them after election. Tweed made no
concealment of his having bribed five State
Senators. He meant no offense in these state
ments of fact. The people of such Common
wealths were as good as those of any other
parts of the Union, but they have been cursed
by a vile system. The old-time Legislature
of Pennsylvania was nothing better than a
brokers' shop The new Legislature is con-
siderably larger and therefore not corruptibe.
History recorded few more gigantic frauds
than the WilliamspOrt boom affair. Every
body had heard of the Bonanza Kings Of Colo
RADIO and Nevada, and how they fourished
politically because of small Legislatures He
had nothing but admiration for the New Eng
land system. Massachusetts,, Vermont, Con-
necticut, New Hampshire and Rhode Island
all had large Legislatures, and who ever heard
of any corruption charged against them? Eli
Woodbury. is on record as testifying that he
had seen the highest efficiency among 700
members of assembly. They were also above
suspicion. We should make the legislative
authority Gibralter in Congress- The Eng
lish House of Commons consisted OF 65S men,
bers. He referred to the invasion of that
body by Charles I, which Mr. Wellborn had
alluded to, and he asked the gentleman from
Texas if Mr.. Speaker Lenthall would have
made the noble answer he did to the audaclous
monarch had he not been backed by the mighty
mass Of men.
Closing, he said he would not consume much
more time, although much more thought re-
mained to utter He would conclude by call
ing upon New England to do for the Nation
what she had done for herself. The war was
over and it's legitimate results accepted. The
era of good feeling had come. But it was to
be regretted that common sense had not
prevented the necessity for internecine strife.
When the policy of John Adams was applied
to the Congress of the Union and Senators
and Members brought their families to WASH
ington, all sections would be socialized and
Knowing each other better ana
each other better, men of all the
banded commonwealth can unite in saying:
"God save our E pluriJus Uausm and Esto Per-
petuan'
Of the speech and it's visible effect, Mr..
Randall, in his editorial correspondence, writes
the Augusta Chronicle:
AS Mr.. Tillman closed and took his seat,
he was thunderously appauded members rush.
ed toward him and shook him by the hand,
and the pages swarmed about his desk, beg
ging for copies of his speech when published.
But think the best pleased men, perhaps,
are the New England Republicans and none
like George D. Robinson. The marvellous
spectacle Of South Carolinian, from Edge.
field county, not disciple of Calhoun. but of
John Adams, fairly electrified them. Tillman
has made his mark, let me repeat. He has
won the respect of the whole House, extorted
it's admiration. The House always listens to
men of sense or wit. He displayed mastery
of mind that will never again need introduce
tion or passport. Whenever he cares to
speak again, the House will listen. At one
bound, long delayed, but patiently planned, ne
has gone to the front. AS he left the hall,
Turner, of Georgia, slapped him on the back
and said: 81 think you have won your cleo
tion contest. That speech ought to settle the
natter'' If, perchance, a party by the name
Of Smalls happened to be on hand when Till
man spoke, he must have felt himself dwind-
ing microscopically. Perhaps his bat-ike
hopes fled before the light of such supremacy of
Henceforth, Smalls will be
much more of hero in Beaufort than in
Washington.