New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-12-10
A SINGULAR SCENE IN THE HOUSE.
EARNEST DEFENCE OF THE RIVER AND hA"Do''
fBY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIBuNE.l

fBY TELEGRAPH TO THE rllBuNh'l
WASHINGTON, Dec. 9.-What Nj. Anderson ca''eu
a. an inquest" and MIR. Reel styled " post-mor'eln
examination aud another member scIibed as "a
wake" nut what really appeared TO be an eXp"rl-
cnce meeting was held III the Hous tins morm &
by the members of the Commerce Coln'l''o'' 90
Sis ed by Mr.. Robson.
Cbo,rmap Pee brought in and demanded the
nass,pe OF tie resolution guessing the Secretary
nj War TO furnish variods information a0Out River
and Harbor apprOpri tons, and then proceeded 10
defend the Jumbo" River and Harhor
bill and denource the "bawling dema1ogues VINO
have criticised it, Mr. Page was loud, not to sa"
vocferous IN voice and ges ure. and his alIuIoh 10
| "bawlne demagogucs" was not inapt. Mr. Robe
SON. with more blood in his face and more physical
effort than usual declared that the " Jumbo" bill
was one of the mot perfect and conprehrn-
sive acts of its kind that ever passed Congress-
| aud yet It's falrest provisions were those whlcn
la been most sharply lied. These assaults no
affirmed Of his own knowled 20 came mainly from
the metropolitan newspapers whlch were III
spred by 1.-THE aggregated capit invested IN
railroads which feared the competition of canals
md river appropriations Mr. kobeson oid
not specify whether it was the item
for the mighty Cheescquakrs in his own stat. or
that of the great Tchetuncte III LOu lana, that
insured the most fer aud jealousy on the part OF
the railroads Mr.. Reagan, of Texas, also spoke oil
the reckless newspapers" and expressed desire to
have the "falsehOodS pumped out o. the dema-
gogues who had at, cred them"
Mr. Hor def anybody to specify single item
in the acl that WIS rot wise and necessary TO COM
merce and navigation. Mr. AlcLane, the fus5y
ODD gentleman from Maryland. made an OK
cited speech, in which he at acked the
| metropolitan newspapers" and dcclaieI that tie
| Presidents message contained statements
| which are not true. MesTs. KassOn and 5. ).
| Cox pied Mr. McLane with questions
! and suggestions which, together with the
Interruptions of other members eXasperated him and
aroVe ann nearly frantic. Mir McLahe meant tbHt MS
remarks should be very severe al sarcastic. especl-
ally when Ir criticised the New-l Ork represent IL
res Mr. KassUn defended the President with Ills
usual energy and skill hut large majority OF the
| House seen ed determined % howl down. II they
cOuld not answer, those whit del ended the veto.
The scene was a singular and interesting one.
Here were perhaps ten score men. majority oil
whom had supported al act OF eAtraNdgant ana
Vlcjous lrvIsatIon which he press of the country
have almost wItnOni exception uenOudcei. ana
mon winch voters ia scores of Congressional con-
vcutIon, have set she seal Of their condemnation;
and these men, shut up III one room. were Nyng
with each other IN sneerlug at the newspapers and
denunncing as "demagOgueS the people whose
unworthy servants a good many OF them are. III
| ever "a traVrsty representative go 'crnnlent
| was seen it was by those who witnessed the NO
c. edug of the House OF HepIrHcn ailVes TINS morn
| iut / he cher authors and promoters of the ltb,
and those OF It's grateful benehciarlcs who by voice
and gesture eugrd thcm evidently felt and per
laps believed, for one brief hour, that they wore
We the people.