The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-02-17
Col. Bayne Makes Concise and Telling
Statement of the Causes Leading
to the Defeat of the Measure.
Rosecrans Votes Against the Bill and
Charges Grant with Falsehood.
Mr.. Randall Intimates that He Will Make
all Effort to Have Mr.. Edmundss
Second Bill Passed by the House.
DEFEAT OF THE GRANT BILL.
Colonel Bayne's Concise Statement of the
Causes of Its Rejection.

Colonel Baynes Concise Statement of the
Causes of It's Rejection.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 16-The bill to retire
General Grant was called up in the House to
day, and General Slocum, from the military
committee asked the House to suspend the
rules and pass the bill. The request was re-
fused, on a vote Of 1853 to 103. Under the rules,
thirty minutes were allowed for debate, which
time was occupied by Messrs. Slocum, Randall,
Cox and Bayne in support of the bill, and Messrs.
Horr, Thomas and Rosecrans against. The two
former opposed the bill because it was so framed
as to invite veto from the President The lat
ter stated that he opposed the movement to 1e-
tire General Grant because his services had been
overestimated, and because he was well pro-
vided for as it is and because the passage of the
bill would act as ligature around the investi-
CATION into the affairs of Grant e Ward.
Colonel Bayne's speech in support of the bill oc
cupied oi.y two minutes. 1t was, notwithstand-
ing its brevity, the mostp9werful on either side.
He said:
"Against this bill are arrayed, frst tne nre-
JUDGES of some of the men whom General Grant
conquered; am sorry for it. Second against
this bill are arrayed the personal injuries felt by
one or two men; | am sorry for it. Third,
against this bill arrayed the political resent
ments of Republicans because the name of Gen
eral Grant is contained in the body of the bill;
am sorry for it. No such motives should influ-
ence any man occupying the honorable position
of member of the House of Representatives,
and in yielding to such motives he cannot justify
himself before the people of the country. / be-
lieve implicitly in the power of the American
Congress to pass the bill. and to name the man
to be benefited. 1t simply authorizes the Presi-
dent with the approval of the Senate, TO appoint
General Grant to an office if the President in
the exercise of his discretion, sees fit to DO so.
lt is not mandatory; it does not say to the Presi
dent thou shalt but only says to him, you
may, if, in your Judgment, you believe it right
so to do The bill is in accordance with the
practice under the Constitution from the founda
ton of the government. and the very
President who now occupies the ex-
ecutive chair has signed three bills
containing provisions precisely the same as
17Sse in this bill | can see no justification un-
a. heaven for denying to General Grant who
was the great benefactor of his country and al
most its savior, this little boon. When any man
interposes his resentments. prejudices or per
sonal feelings against this great righteous act.
he does that which will not commend itself
either to his own conscience or to the approval
of the people of the United States"
The defeat of this bill to-day is more than
defeat of General Grant. 1t is a demonstration
again; it is further indication that during the
next four years the South is to rule the Demo
cratic party, and that no measure which the
South antagonizes can have any chance in Con-
gress so long as the Democratic party controls
the government glance at the vote by which
the House refused to suspend the rules shows
three things: First, that Colonel Bayne's first
statement of the location of the opposition
to the bill was correct diagnosis The name
of every man who held commission in the con-
federate army during the war is found on the
may" side of the tally-sheet, with one excep-
tion, Colonel Nichols, of Georgia. who voted
faye" The men whom Grant had conquered
voted solidly against him. Second the list shows
that Grants old-time enemy General Rosecrans,
allowed his personal feelings to influence his
public acts Third, the bill shows that nearly
every man on the Republican side voted for the
BILL There is no doubt that the bill would have
become law il it had passed the House to-day.
Even if the President had interposed a veto, it
ready signed three bills of similar import before
the Fitz John Porter bill was discovered to be
unconstitutional and he would undoubtedly
have found way to sign this measure Tie
three bills previously signed were as follows:
Restoring William II. Gill, resigned, to his rank
and grade a military store-keeper; promoting
Captain William D. Whitney, U. s. n, to the
rank and pay of commander, on the retired list,
and appointing Captain D. T. Kirby, u s. A.,
resigned the President to assign him to the first
vacancy occurring in his grade.