Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-06-26
BAYNE'S VlTUPERATlON.
PENSION VETOES PROVOKE A
DISGRACEFUL ATTACK.

The COmmOnest Civilitles ID ne the Presi-
dental Ofiics Violated in a Rufflsniy
Attempt to Make Party Capitai-Mr.
MatsOn Makes n Mild Reply In Defense
of the President.
WASHINGTON, June 25.-While the
House was considering pension bills this
evening Mr.. Gibson, of West Virginia,
criticised several OF the reports submitted
by the Committee on Invalid Pensions,
and stated that he would raise the point
of no quorum upon certain measures.
TheTeupOn MIR. Bayne, of Pennsylvania,
rose and attacked the President for his
recent veto messages on pension bills.
He was astounded at the vetoes. In the
whole history OF tue republic they were
without a parallel. Austere and
rigorous Andrew jackson, de-
sirous OF asserting his power and
making his individuality conspicuous,
had never m0nOpolized power as the pres
p ent President had dOne with reference to
these pension bills. This man had even
had the temerity to sneer at the reports OF
the committee Of this House. He had the
temerity to put the seal Of his sarcasm on
the reports Of the committee granting
pension to the widow of some man who
had been slain In the service of his c0un-
try.
BATTLING FOR POLITICAL EFFECT.
This man--himself no soldier, himself
walking the path Of peace when all these
other men imperilled their lives to save
the Unlon-came in and put his veto on
the unanimous vote of the House and SEN
ate OF the United States. What constitu-
tional authority mad the President for go
ing to this length? VINO had invested
this man with such power that
he must assert himself and say TO
the people OF the country: II am larger
than you, and / know more about what
should become law than 325 members of
the House OF Representatives and ~ men,
bers of the Senate. 1t was the fault of
men endowed with brief authority to ar
rOgate knowledge that they did not pos
sess. He was no better Than any others;
he was no better than any American citi-
zen; and he, by God, was not the equal OF
any man who periled his life and went out
to save the Union. Applause on the Re-
publican side.
THE PRESIDENT DEFENDED.
Mr.. Matson, OF Indiana, defended the
President, who he declared was far and
just and prompted by his conscience.
Two men might honestly differ upon
question, and that was all there was IN
all this talk. All the gentleman has said
in the way OF abuse of the President was
uncalled for. The President was an
honest luan and the people of the country
knew 1t. Applause. Though he Mr..
MatsOn did not agree with the President
on this question, the President was
courageous man, and he h0nored him for
it. He was President of the United
States, and was called upon in the eXer-
else of his high office to take the grave
responsibility of approving or vetOing
bills. and when he did it
honestly, though he Matson) might
differ from his views, he would not abuse
him, and the gentleman from Pennsylva-
MIA could make no more capital out of
abusing him than he made out OF abusing
his own President Arthur.
NOT IGNORANT OF HIS PRERoGATIvEs.
Mr.. Peters. OF Kansas-We cannot
honor President for an ignorance of his
prer0gatiyes.
Mr.. Matson-He knows his preroga-
tives, and knowing them he has The cOur-
age to exercise them. Applause.
Mr.. Warner, OF Ohio, defended the Presi-
dents course, declaring that his aim was
only to keep off the pension roll men who
were not entitled to go there. The at
tempt of the gentleman from Pennsylva-
mia and others to make capital out OF
NebOeB WOulu ldll DeCduSS buc COuubIy
believed that, though in some cases the
President was mistaken, he was honestly
endesvoring to keep off the roll men who
were dishonesty endeavoring to get
there.
NO NEED TO ANSWER.
Mr.. Blanchard, OF louisiana, thought
that there was no need to answer the as
sault made upon the President. The
President could stand the assault made
upon him by the gentleman from Penn
sylyania or any other gentleman. The
country was prepared TO applaud the
action of the executive when he pointed
out mistakes which had been made by
Congress. The discussion continued at
some length, the Presidents action and
the conduct OfJbe Pension Bureau under
Commissioner Black coming in for criti-
cism and defense, and then, without
transacting any business, the House at
1O:45 O'Clock adjourned.