Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-12-23

Hostile Feeling OF Mr.. Randall and
OtherA

( tion Ol the gentleman from Ieunsg lFduias
/ exclaimed Col. Morrison in the House thC
other day, 'that anybody finds fault witt
/ the Appropriations Committee because II
4 has helped to reduce expenditures Is
largely gratuitous. Why, sir, our chap
lain without eyes has not followed his
God more blindly than have followed the
Committee on Appropriations in every re-
ductiOn it has proposed in these last l.
years.
And / hate to part with you now"
sarcastically remarked Mr.. Randall.
And the assumption that you will part
with me is equally gratuitous," hotiv
replied the Illinois statesman. The
/ House laughed and the two rivals turned
their backs upon each other as they sat
down.
The quarrel between Randall and Nor
rison is one OF old standing. 1t dates
back tot the Forty-tourth Congress. Then,
as two years ago in the case of Carlisle,
Morrison secured by shrewd management
the election OF Kerr as Speaker. He was
comparatively Young, inexperienced
member. He had served up to that time
only four years in Congress, while Ran
dali had served twelve. 1t was only
natural that Kerr should feel DESTROYS
OF rewarding Morrison, and he offered
the Craftsmanship of the Committee on
Military Affairs to him. OF giving him
the Ways and Means Committee nobody
probably had any idea, least of all Mr..
Morrison himself. II was at this time
that lilden was laying pipes for the Pres
idential nomination, and he was psrticu-
larry anxious that man whom he con-
sldered suitable for the place should be
selected as chairman Of this important
committee. Fernando Wood and 5. ;.
tn ~
one Iilden objected on the ground that
his record was not quite good enough; to
the other because he could not be trusted.
W hat he desired was, if possible, a West
ern man with Eastern ideas of finance.
Morrison seemed to fill the bill. He was
young, it is true, and mex perienced, had
never made his mark upon the floor of the
House, was neither IA speaker nor able TO
take prominent part in debate, but he
could be moulded and depended upon
TO do what he was bid. 1t was decided to
make him chairman The tOrty-ffth
Congress elected Randall Speaker. 1t
might have been supposed that the fact OF
Mr.. MOrrison's having been chairman of
the Ways and Means Committee in the
previous Congress would have had some
weight with Mr.. Randall. Ithad nothing
OF the kind. Mr.. Randall not only APP
pointed Fernando Wood to that place, but
went out OF his way to snub Mr.. Morrison
by not giving him a place on the Ways
and Means at all. He made him simply
chairman of a minor committee. Even
IN the Forty sixth Congress MIR. Randall,
who discovered the mistake he had made
and probably thought he had gone too far,
could not quite forget his reser tment
toward Morrison. He appointed him on
the Ways and Means Committee, 1t is
true, but only at the tail end OF the list.
Mr.. Morrison has never forgotten this.
His dislike of Mr.. Randall is pronounced.
The course which the latter took in the
last Congress with reference to the tariff
bill has only intensified this feeling. The
successful! movement for the distribution
of the appropriation bills was made use OF
/ by Morrison for the purpose of curtailing
Sir RabdalPs powers and paying off an
old score. He seems to have succeeded.
Mr.. Morrison is a man OF strong convic-
tiOns. Honesty 'Bur Morrison" his
! friends often call him. SAID Gen. Hun
ton, of Virginia, once, when Morrison's
name was mentioned as possible caudi-
date for the Presidential nomination: All
'BilP Morrison is elected more hon esty
and less manners Will 90 into the White
| House than ever went there before" Nor
| rls0D overheard the remark. Meeting
Gen. HuntOn in the street sometime after
ward he said: "You remember what you
! said about me the other day?" Gen. Hun.
| ton pleaded ignorance. He thought that
Morrison had not heard the remark. SC
| he answered: "NO." "Wel. It's all
right" replied Morrison, with a Sly
/ wink OF the eye. Il told my
wife what YOU said. and do you know
what she said?" ''NO." "Sne says, = guess
{ Gen. HuntOn is about right" This little
anecdote illustrates MOrris0n's character
| He is honest, blunt, OutspDken. If be
| thinks man is scoundrel he will tel
him so. There is no diplomacy about
him. de has mRde more enemies by in,
cautious remarks than any other public
man. He is unable 10 disguise his feel
/ ings, and certain intirmity Of temper ID
not the least of his faults. 1t betrave
dim into doing things he afterwards re
| grets. He can ne the rudest OF men anC
the most engaging talker by turns. His
moods are not To ne accounted for. The
President trusts him implicitly, but does
not always respect his judgment. MorrI
sons word as To the fitness of this or thai
candidate for office will be accepted anC
never questioned, but his advice on mat
ters of greater importance is neither asked
nor followed when offered.
In the distribution of the spoils in Hi
nois Morrison seems to be in the lead
But for the presence in the field of suct
men as Commissioner Black, Assistant
Postmaster General Stevenson and Com
missioner Sparks, who eau use theil
Offices TO their own advantage, be would
be a political "bOss." He secured the an
p0intment OF Second Auditor Dav. who il
his trusted lieutenant: Of the Chicago
Postmaster, Mr.. Judd; of the Marshal ioi
the Northern district OF Illinois, Mr.
Marsh; OF the internal Revenue Col
lector at Quincy, Mr.. Kelly; O
the Marshal for the Southern dis
trict, Mr.. Weber, and a number OF Other
more or less important men. Hi,
success has arrayed against him his owl
delegation. Town bend is intensely zeal
Gus of him. So is Springer. Combina
ti0ns are constantly forming TO beat Nor
rison's candidates, sometimes with sue
cess, but more frequently ending in tn,
discontinue OF the schemery. Sparks
hand is discernible in most Of these move
ments. Not that ne hopes to accomplish
anything for himself by It, but he likes {,
make mischief and sow the seeds OF dis
sension. Malice is his second nature.
Commissioner Black Ia constantly in
triguing against Morrison. II ne coult
wipe out Morrison one Of his deares
wishes would be accomplished.