The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1884-03-27
THE LASKER MATTER.
3 ction of the House of Representative-A
Dignifisd RebuI<e to the German Chan
ceIIer-COngressme OcheItree and Deus.
ter EuIogise the Dead statesman.


celIer-COngressmen Ocheltree and Deus
ter EuIogise the Dead Statesman.
WASHINGTON, d. C. March 1e.
Mr.. Curtin from the Committee on
Foreign Affairs, submitted a report on
, the Presidents message and accompany
ing papers in relation to the death of DR..
Lasker in which the committee approved
the resolutions of January 9th, and regret
that they were not received in the spirit
in which they were adopted. The report
also compliments the State Department
for its course in the matter, and submit
ted the following as a substitute for His
cocks resolutions:
Resolued, That the resolutions referring
to the death of DIR. Lasker, adopted by
this House January 9th last, were intend
ed as a tribute of respect to the memory
of an eminent foreign statesman who died
within the United States, and as an cx-
preston of sympathy with the German
people, of whom he has been an honOred
representative.
ReSo1Ued, That House having no off,
ciaI concern with the relations between
the Executive and Legislative branches
of the German Government, does not
deem it requisite to its dignity to criticiSe
the manner of reception of the resolu-
tions or the circumstances preventing
them reaching their destination after they
had been communicated through a
proper channel to the German Govern
ment.
Mr. Reagan protested against any apOl-
ogy by the House for its action
Mr.. Curtin demanded the previous
question, which was ordered.
Mr.. Ochiltree took the floor for the
fifteen minutes allowed to the opponents
of the resolution, and said that no man
on the floor had more confidence in or
esteem for the Committee on Foreign
Affairs than himself; but this matter had
assumed phase which called upon every
member to see his own dignity and the
dignity of the House maintained. 1t was
not becoming in the House to explain the
meaning. The resolution spoke for itself.
An apology was unworthy the body. He
then went into an eulOgy of Lasker, say
ing the resolution was a compliment to
Lasker but a rebuke to Bismarck.
Mr.. Deuster, of Wisconsin, followed in
a set speech. He said: 81 sincerely re-
gret the hasty action of the German Chan
celOr in refusing to transmit the resolu-
ton of coincidence of this House on The
death of Lasker merely, as it appears, on
account of antipathy for departed pOlit-
ical adversary. He knows, as does every
sane person, that to place before the
Reichstag resolution of the American
any way imply the Endorsement
of sentiments therein expressed.
his Office, so far as the resolution was
concerned, was that of a medium rather
than a master. His assumption of the
latter was unfortunate only for himself.
We can afford to cover the act with
the charity of forgetfulness. ''TO err is
human, to forgive divine,' we may say
with Pericles. We are liberal in our pub
lie administration. With regard to mu-
tual Jealousy of our daily pursuits,
we are not angry with our
neighbor, if he does anything to
please himself, nor wear on
our countenance, offensive looks which
though harmless are unpleasant. The
Parliament and people of Germany are in
possession of the letter and spirit of the
resolution, even though the parchment
upon which it was engrOssed becomes
moulded in the Chancellor's waste
basket. The action of our State Depart
ment cannot be too highly commended.
1t was not only dignified, but did not
oveTstep the bounds of international
courtesy, while at the same time admin
istering a rebuke to what is justly con-
sidered an unwarranted usurpation of
the rights and privileges of the German
Parliament and people.
'Mr. Speaker, was, may say with
some degree of pride, intimately acquaint-
ed with him whose death has given rise
to this controversy. l was among the
last persons with whom he cOnversed, and
in Justice to his memory, | deem it
my dlty to make another statement. /
have DIR. Lasker's word for it, that he had
the highest regard for the German Chan
cellor both as a man and statesman. They
differed only on one question, question,
sir, upon which not only two political
parties upon this floor differ, but upon
which the members of each are not united.
Lasker was a Free Trader. This was his
only offense. People uninitiated in German
politics have stigmatized him with Mill
ism, Socialism and nearly all other 'isms'
in the vocabulary, simply because he was
a Liberal and believed in opening the
marts of Germany to the competition of
the world. It is not my purpose nor is this
the place to eulOgiZe my friend, but in
my heart mourn his loss as a man of
broad views, grand inspirations and a no
BILE heart, who, as an American citizen,
would have achieved distinction as the
advocate and guardian of institutions
broad enough for his broad mind. As a
German he claimed the right to expand
beyond the boundaries of arbitrary pow
ers, and the result is seen to-day. The
resolutions were adopted.