Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-08-18
Houk says that Roscoe Conkling is the
Greatest Man on American Soil

AAOuh Says THAI Roscoe COnkl1nS Is the
Greatest Man on American Soil"
Special Correspondence of the CHRONICLE. ]
CLINTON, Tenn, August 16, 1882.
1t was feared that rain would interfere
somewhat with the speaking here to day.
In the early morning one or two slight
showers fell The weather, however, clear
ed up somewhat before noon. By eight
o'clock the loyal citizens of old Anderson
began to assemble to hear the Rev. Leoni-
das Caesar Houk, exjudge and Represen-
tative in the Congress of the United States
of America from the Second Congressional
District of Tennessee, and Mr. William
Rule, candidate for Congress, discuss the
situation of affairs and their relative claims
to the confidence, respect and honors of the
citizens of Anderson County. ct will be
noticed that am very careful to give the
full title of exjudge |. C. (Which
means Clover CASEY Houk. I do this that
there may be no doubt as to the high posi-
ton occupied by the hon. l. C.
Nu6A hOOn dIIlNSt, d Slo"u
assembled. 1t seems that sufficient notice
of the discussion had not been had Hence
the number present was not very large.
At 2 p. IN. the speakers and hearers as
sembled in the court house. Mr.. Rule was
the first speaker. He said
''In little more than two months from
now you will be called upon to elect man
to represent you in the Congress of the
United States l come before you as can
didate for that high and honorable position.
/ do not come as having more claims than
any man in the district. There are many
who have claims for your honorS. Under our
form of government any man-whether he
is born III a cabin III the mountains, or III
the populous city-whether he is poor or
rich-has an inal enable right to aspire to
represent the people in the halls of legisla-
ton, or in any of the high and honorable
positions of trust in the State. There are
no issues between my competitor and my
self on the leading political questions of the
day. | am in favor of sound currency. /
am in favor of adjusting the tariff SO as to
afford incidental protection to American in
dustry. So is my competitor l am in
favor of internal improvements at the ex
pense of the government. So is my COM
petitor. [ am in favor of guaranteeing to
every American citizen, without regard to
race, color, or previous condition of servi-
tude, the right to exercise that
high privilege-the ballot--and to have his
vote counted just as he intended it should
be-"
Mr. Rule then remarked that ''the record
of public man is public property. 1 have
a right to criticise such an officer. So
have you. do not wish to detract any
thing from Judge Houk. give him credit
for what he has done. In some respects he
has labored zealously But he has no right
to claim that he is the only man in the Sec
ond Congressional district who can repre-
sent the people in Congress"
Mr.. Rule then took up the claims ques-
ton which has been the hobby horse of
Houk for long time. He showed plainly
the manner by which pensioner gets his
name upon the rolls of the Pension Bureau.
That the applicant must first show that he
was a soldier in the Federal Army. He
must prove that he was disabled. He goes
to an attorney with his proofs, pays the at
torney for his services and the papers go to
Washington. The applicant is ordered be-
fore an examining surgeon or board of sur
geons, and if he is certified as entitled to
pension, and the proof is sufficient, he will
get it, even if the district in which he lives
should have no Representative in Congress
The Representative has little to do with the
matter. He may ask that the case be taken
up out of its regular order and be heard
but that is all
The class of claims which do not come
under the act of July 4, 1864, and which
by rulings of the Departments are excluded
from its provisions or which expire by Inn
itation of statute, and which can only be
paid by special act of Congress, Mr.. Rule
explained fully.
Judge Houk has, he said, introduced
from 800 to 1000 relief bills. Out of this
number he has succeeded in passing but
one. Now Judge Houk has been in Con
gress three years. If in this time he sue
ceeds in passing one bill for relief out of
900, IN order to pass the whole of them
and he wants you to keep him in Congress
until he passes them all-he will have to
remain a Representative about eighteen
hundred years."
Having disposed of the claims matter
Mr.. Rule then went on to say:
The impression Is sought to be made
by Judge Houk that | am attempting to
read hum a temperance lecture. This is
not the truth His habits, SO far as he is
personally concerned, is a matter between
himself and his God. What l wish to i'm
press upon the people of this district is
that public servant, occupying high and
responsible position, drawing large salary
from the public treasury, has no warrant to
indulge his evil habits to such an extent as
will unfit him for the fullest discharge of
his official duties. He disgraces not only
himself as man seeking honors from the
people, but also the people whom he pre-
tends to represent. When such indulgences
in evil habits causes him to be
absent from his seat x-sevenths
of his time during a session of Congress,
disgraceful is the only word that can be ap-
piled to it. His time is not his own. 1t
belongs to his constituency, and they ex-
pect him to be at his post of duty when his
name Is called. 1 have no desire to mis-
represent Judge Houk. The charges which
l make against him l am prepared to prove.
The proceedings of Congress are kept,
from day to day, in a publication called the
Congressional Record. When a member
makes a speech it is recorded in the Record.
Every remark made in debate is recorded,
and every vote upon the ayes and noes is
printed, as is also the names of those not
voting. During the last session of the
Forty-sixth Congress the roll was called 1877
times Judge Houk failed to answer to his
name-how many times do you think? One
half ? More than that. Two-thirds? More
than that. Three-fourtbs More than
that. The Record shows that when
Judge Houk's name was called 1877
times, he was recorded In the
list of those not voting 112 times. He an
swered to his name but Is times during the
session. This is undeniably the truth; it
is matter of public record The judge
has said that have prosecuted him and
dealt in personalities. Is there anything
personal III this ?"
Mr. Rule then referred to bossism, and
said that the Rennhlican nartv Is in more