The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-05-08

p%riation bin. which was ordered printed and
recommitted.
The House then proceeded to consideration Of
business on the Speakers table.
The Senate amendment to the House bill 70
pealing The iron clad oath was c%oncurred in.
The next bill on the table was that for the re
lief of Fitz John Porter, withthe Senate amend
ments.
Nh. Keifer moved to refer the bill to the mill
tary committee.
Mr.. Bedford thought the motion for reference
was "a stealthy attempt to do injustice to a man
who had already boon treated uniustly, accord
ing 80 the testimony of the greatest Of American
generals-Gen. Grant
Mr.. Slocum moved to non concur in the Sen
ate amendments.
Mr.. Bayne moved concurrence.
Mr. Keifer briefly opposed the bill, declaring
it unconstitutional.
Mr.. Cutcheon entered an earnest protest
against the enactment of this law. Three great
Republicans were on trial-Abraham Lin
coin, Edwin II. Stanton and James A.
Garfield. No man could give a vote
for this bill without defaming the name
Of Lincoln, biackening Stanton, and sending
down to obloquy the last great martyr-Jamcs
A. Garfield. If the name of Lincoln was to be
blackened let It be by the men who fought
against him in war; if Garfield's memory was to
be blackened, let it by those menS4ho crawled
in the dirt to write cabalistic figures upon door
posts in order to attack his regulations; by those
men who sent forged letters by the carload to
California and New Jersey, in order to steal
votes; but he begged his party associates not to
add u vote to the number which would complete
and consummate this outrage.
Mr.. HiscOck made q constitutional argument
in opposition to the bill.
Mr.. Keifer, IN the the course Of further discus
sion of the question, spoke in severe terms of
Fitz John Porter.
Mr.. Slocum said he was glad the gentlemaU
from Ohio had attacked Fitz John Porter; Gen.
Porter would be glad of it, because he would re-
gard what the gentleman said against him as a
compliment, and it would be so regarded by the
country. He IMr. Slocuml had only been sur
prlse6 that the gentleman from Ohio had not
summoned Charles Garfield and Elder 10 sustain
his case in this instance, as he had done a few
days ago.
Mr.. Keifer replied that he had supposed the
gentleman would get down to something or
other, in the peculiar exigency of the case of
Fitz John Porter. which was beneath the digni-
ty Of IA member of the House.
Mr.. Dorsheimer replied to Mr.. Hiscock's CON
stitutional argument
Mr.. Laird protested against the disposition
which had been manifested to lug things
in here which did not belong to the
case and damn a Republican who did not agree
with some folks on his side. 1t would seem that
all who differed from those folks were traitors,
and were maligners of the dead Lincoln, Stan
ton and Garfield. He had never surrendered
his right to think and act for himself as to liv-
ing or dead, and never would.
Mr.. Bedford said he would take General
Grants word as to the injustice which had been
done Porter rather than The word of General
Keifer or that of any other general on the floor.
He protested against this being made a party
question.
The motion to refer the bill was lost, and the
Senate amendment nonconcurred in.
The Senate amendments to the bill establish
ing a bureau of animal industry were non-con-
Cured in.
The Senate bill donating part of the military
reservation of Fort Smith, Ark, to the city Of
Fort Smith for the benefit of a public school was
passed, and the House adjourned.