The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1884-03-27
BISMARCK AND LAsKER.
The Resolutions rs Agreed Upon
In Committee Passed by
the House.
Some Excitement Among tho Members
During the Debate-The Various
Speeches.

Associated Press Reportl
As soon as the members were In their seats
Mr.. Curtin, Chairman OF the Committee on
Foreign Affairs, submitted as a privileged
question the report of the committee. This
declares that the original resolution was in
tended as mark OF sympathy for distin-
Ruished man who had died In this country.
while the committee was OF the opinion that
the resolution should have been re-
ceived in the proper spirit yet it
action of the German authorities
ia regard TO them. The dig nifed position OF
the Department OF State fully sustained the
high character the department had main
tanned since the organi alton OF the Federal
Government AS 70 the resolutions offered
March 10, the committee was OF the opinion
that they contained language not necessary
or proper TO vindicate the character or dig
nifty of the House. Therefore they would re-
port the following resolution as a substitute:
Resolved, That the resolutions referring TO
the death Of DR.. Edouard Lasker, adopted by
this House on Jane9 last were INTENDED as a
tribute Of respect 70 the memory OF an eminent
81 statesman who had died In the United states;
as an expression OF sympathy with the German
people for whom he had been an honored rep
ResoIped, That the House. having no official
concern with the relations between the execu-
tive and legislative branches OF the German
Government does not deem IL requisite TO it's
dignity to criticise the manner OF the reception
CT the resolutions or the circumstances which
prevented their reaching their destination after
they had been communit ated through the
proper channels to the German Government
Mr.. Curtin then moved the previous ques-
ton. Mr.. Reagan said he hoped this would
not be done, as the House had already made
apologies Rpoueh for teing insulted. Mr..
Cox, of New York, moved TO lay the matter
on the table, as the best way TO treat the Ger
man Chancellor, but this motion was lost-o3
TO l25. The previous question having been
orda
resolution. He declared that this al air had
gone beyond the domain OF red tape and
circnmlocution and had assumed phase
which called upon each Representative TO
preserve his own honor and dignity. IL was
not becoming the honor and dignity OF the
House To explain the meaning OF the original
resolutions. They spoke for themselves. The
apologize tone of the pending resolutions
was unworthy the representatives OF this
great nation. The compliment TO Lasker has
been a rebuke TO the German Chancellor be
cause the men were the antithesis OF each
other. The Chancellor had ever been a syco-
pha to royalty, had never upheld the rights
of the people, and never lost an opportunity
TO denounce popular sovereiSnty. Mr.. Bel
ford inquired ironiC ally whether il would be
in OF der to offer resolution presenting the
apollo gies of the House to the German Cham
oeHor for having troubled him. but was told
il would not.
MIR. Phelps, the second speaker, said that
this matter had tecome of grave conee-
quence. AS the committee had unanimously
agreed in their report, it would seem that
there ought TO be an explanation. The reso-
lutions were passed unanimously Jan. Q, just
as the members were preparing to ad ourn.
Ten days later the House was startled by the
information that the Chancellor had refused
to accept them. The members then looked up
the record to see what they had done. They
found that they had expressed regret at the
death of Lasker and also the belief that his
free and liberal sentiments had advanced
the interests OF his country. Both were true,
but the last one the House could not report.
1t had no right TO send out its opinion that
his political work had benefited Germany.
There was no refuge, The House would re-
sent the fact that its friendly sentiments had
been rejected but IL could not resent the fact
that its political sentiments had been sent
back because IL had no business To put them
on the same paper.
Mr.. Curtin reviewed and defended the
features of the report and tho resolutions
were adopted without division, though an
unsuccessful effort was made to have the
yeas and nays ordered. Mr.. Curtin then
presented a report concerning the memorial
of the Liberal Union Of the German Parla-
ment expressing dc sire for n closer union of
the two nations. and an appreciation of the
action OF the House. Resolutions were pre-
scented reciprocating the wishes OF the Liberal
Union of Germany, accepting the resolutions,
and directing that they should be spread on
the journal. Mr.. Cox thought the House
was trying TO show Its thanks TO one por
ton Of the Reichstag after having been
thoroughly insulted 10y the blood-and-iron
Minister. BY SO doing il was complicating
matters in such way as to lose all dignity
and pluck. He Cox had favored the resolu-
ton OF Mr.. Hiscock, which was dignihed and
consistent, but the House preferred TO make
repubicanism and democracy farce or I'M
digni6ed buff oOnery. The people of Ger
many were in accord with those OF this
country, and he believed that some day there
would be an uprising Of the liberty-loving
Teutons.
Mr.. Brumm said that the House was trying
TO carry water on both shoulders. Dignity
was, in his Judgment, honorable, heroic
action, and not the playing of the cow
ard, simply because Chancellor
might say the rules of etiquette had
not been strictly followed. MIR. Deus
ter commended the action of the De-
partment of State, and declared that Bis
marck' shasty action would prove unfortunate
only for him. Mr.. Phelps closed tho debate.
He claimed that the letter sent by Bismarck
to the German Minister in Washington, in
which he had expressed his cordial regard
for the American people and willingness to
transmit the resolutions If they had not ex-
pressed n political opinion, was an ample
apology. Thanks to Bismarck, to FIelng-
huysen and his skill, and 10 the Com
init ee on Foreign Affairs, the dignity of the
House had been saved. The German Chan.
cellor had entered the Eechstag for the first
time in eighteen months, in order to play the
new role OF an apologist; the gentleman from
Texas had seen his fame grow from the con-
fines of his State To the circumference of the
world; ali had been satisfactorily ended, and
the members had the hit TO ring down the
curtain on this international episode. The
resolutions were then adopted without q d.
vision.