The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1884-09-09

IN accordance with parliamentary us.
age ?-"when Hewitt's Mexican Pension
Bill was before the House, we attempted
to secure amendments similar in some
to the amendments now under
but failed. On the night
when we had our first all-night g session
| wentto Mr.. Hewitt and requested his
consent to these amendments, promising
IN this event that we would support his
bill, and break the deadlock which was
then impeding all legislation. but he re-
fused, and his side OF the House, then.
as now, stood by him in his opposition
to this class OF legislation"
Is that statement true, or is it not2 1t
is not true! And it could not be true,
because amendments were not in order
then under the rules OF the House! (Sen-
sation). The question was to fix the
time 10 consider, when under the rules
OF the House Mr.. Taylor or any other
member would have had the right to-
offer amendments. / will not, however,,
confine myself to that, for here lsfurther
proof. Knowing very well that that
could not be true, / wrote Mr.. Hewitt
on the subject. and here is his reply:
Your favor OF the 7thinst. received. l have
not seen the Record OF August lst. When my
motion 10 suspend the rules and TX day
for the hearing of the Mexican War pension
hill was pending, Mr.. Taylor came TO me and
said that he had some amendments which he
desired TO offer 10 The bill. told him that
no amendments could then be made.
OF course not; it was not that which
was under consideration.
Buff my motion prevailed he would have
an opportunity TO offer such amendments
as he might think proper when the bill was
considered.
That right he would have had under
the rules without asking.
That was about all that passed between us.
SO far as now remember. had no author.
ity to accept any amendments. as Colonel
Taylor must have known, and know ne
had no authority to bind the other Republic
can members of the House. II he was desi-
rous of offering amendments to my bill, he
shonld have supported the motion to sus-
pend the rules and fix day for hearing.
That was motion, / say, to fix date
for the hearing of that bill; and how did
Mr.. Taylor vote on that proposition? He
voted against fixing date for the con-
isideration OF the bill, when he was told
he conld have an opportunity OF offering
amendments.
The plain object in his remark that !
have quoted was that the same legisla-
ton which is included in the Senate
amendments to the Mexican bill, he
would have US believe, was at that time
in contemplation by himself, and that
the fillibustering, IN which he himself
then Joined, was against most important
Legislation affecting the Union soldier.
Gentlemen, that was not the case. Mr..
Taylor says sWe would have done it.
On what authority, however, does he
say SO? Simply ON the authority OF himself
and no one else. 1t was Thad. Stevens, ]
believe, who once asked a knot OF repre-.
sentatiyes who the ablest man in the
House was. and some little doubt being
expressed by those present as to whom
he was referring, 81 know" says Stew.
ems, sit is SO and SO, and know because
he told me SO himself. ," Laughter.
Now we did not know in the House that
Mr.. Taylor was the leader on the Re
publican side, but we know it now, be.
cause he has as good as told us so in his
own speech and of course that is not tt
be denied. Loud laughter.
will read few lines from MIR. Tay
! lor' s owns speech. "The Hewitt bill wal
abandoned when we showed deterinin
alton to amend it. and the present bill
the Townshend bill, was passedundel
a suspension OF the rnles." Is tina
true? Was it abandoned at ,all2 Tn,
very last effort Of Mr.. Hewitt was TO &c
his bill through. There was no attemp
to abandon that bill at any time what
ever.
eThe Hewitt bilP' he goes on to say
"was abandoned, and the Townsend bill
was passed under suspension OF th
rules, when no amendments could b
made whatever. The resolution to fi.
day for the consideration OF the Hewitt
bill was passed, and received q larg
majority. / voted against it as did Mr.
Taylor. | voted against it, because
considered that vote vote agains
the bill itself, and | was oppose,
| to the bill. On the 4th da,
| of March, when any member of tn
House Con a Monday who could get tn
floor--and they only could get itfor sIicl
i with the Speaker beforehand-lt was il
order for member to move suspen
sion Of the rules, and to ask for the pas
SAGE of any bill he might offer, unde
which circumstances debate was limite
to so minutes. and the bill required
two-thirds vote to pass 1t. Mr. Town
shend, Democrat from Illinois, withou
consultation with his party, without th
/ knowledge know OF many member
who are en- the Democratic side OF tn
/, House, offered Mexican Pension bill
| but slightly different from the Hewitt
| bill-taking. in fact believe, the bill i
| the exact words of the bill which passe
4 the 45th Congress-and moved gus
pension of the rules and put the bill
upon its passage. There followed 8
minutes debate. Mr.. Brown. OF Indiana
having control on the one side, and Mi
Townshend on the other. That bill
! passed the House, and Mr.. Taylor vote
| for it, when there was no opportunity +
amend it, and when there was bu
30 minutes time allowed fol dis
cussion. / voted against that bill, as
voted against the Hewitt bill, and
found voting with me many OF the lead
ing Republicans of the House, thoug
uue oh0 DomoCiat fotcu Will mS hsdtls
it. deemed it my duty to vote agains
that bill for reasons which l shall Civ
later on, and stood almost alone votin
against it on my side of ) the House
4 Voting with me were General Ton
Brown, of Indiana, Chairman of the Con
mittee on Pensions in the last Congress
Governor Long, Mr. Mckinley, Colone
/ IL. B. Taylor. General Garfield,a suf
cessor, Bayne and many others. TIL