The Indianapolis journal., 1886-03-31

on postoffces and post. rtsads This article, said
Mr.. Guenther, reflected not only on his integ-
rity, but on that of the Speaker and the Post
master general He had never intimated, directly
or indirectly, that he wished TO be appointed on
the committee postof1ices and post-roads. He
had never approached the Speaker regarding his
appointment on any committees and up to ten
days ago he had not seen the Postmaster-gen-
eral during the present session Of Congress In
saying what he had about the carrying of the
foreign mails, he had acted consistently with
his course in the Forty-eighth Congress, when
he had voted against the Pacific Mail subsidy.
He was of the opinion that the Postmaster-gen-
eral has done right in this matter, no
matter what his politics were. BE
[Mr. Guenther] was Republican. He
had never Greeleyized or mugwumpized While
he had undoubtedly made mistakes. he hoped that
no gentleman would think that his course had
been anything but honorable, just and upright
Referring to an article in the same paper, de-
claring that he had reflected upon Germany and
Germans, Mr. Guenther said that in alluding to
HAPPY Germany he had uttered the honest
conviction Of his heart He loved the people of
Germany, but had no sympathy with those who
tyrannized over them. He loved the land where
his father, and brother, and sisters lay buried;
but he would not exchange his proud title OF
American citizen for all the titles. honor and
wealth that the Emperor of Germany or his iron
Chancellor could bestow upon him. Applause
He had come to this country to better his condi-
ton; and when his German fellow-citizens here
would learn that Mr. Kasson had called their
former home 'happy Germany they. would
smilingly shrue their shoulders and thank Prov
idence they lived in "happy Germany" no more
but were citizens of a free. great and prosperous
republic.
Mr.. Rogers, of Arkansas, from the committee
on the judiciary, reported bill for the service
Of civil and criminal processes issued by Terri
torial judges OF courts within military and In
dian reservations, and the Yellowstone Park
Placed on the House calendar.
The House then went into committee Of the
whole-Mr. Hammond, of Georgia, in the chair
-on the postof6ce appropriation bill
Mr.. j. NJ. Taylor, of Tennessee, defended the
Postmaster. general from the criticisms made
upon him by Mr.. Burrows, Of Michigan and said
that the subject of increase had been left by
Congress to the discretion of the Postmaster-gen-
eral
Mr. Dingley said that the question involved
was not one Of substituting American steamship
lines. but Of giving them fair compensation for
mail service. We paid the British Cunard and
White Star lines 38 cents per mile for mail serv-
ice on their outward trips last year, but
American ships were paid only cents per mile
one way and even sea and inland postage, the
maximim which ever was allowed, would give
cents per mile. The last Congress appropriated q
sufficient amount to enable the Postmaster-gen-
eral to pay existing American steamship lines sa
much as he paid the Cunard line, and to secure
the establishment OF o new lineto Buenos Ayres,
but that official declined to execute the law and
it was denounced as subsidy" If this policy
was to be continued we would, in due time see
the last OF American steamships in the foreign
trade. To fill the chapter of injustice to Ameri-
can steamship lines it was now proposed to COM
pei them to carry our mails for whatever COM
pensation the Postmaster general might be
pleased to give. British steamship could come
and 60 as it pleased, but an American steamship
in the foreign trade was to be detained until it
consented to carry our mails for sum insult
cient to pay expenses.
Mr.. Blount, of Georgia, defended the action Of
the Postmaster general in refusing to use the
$400, 600 appropriated by the bill Of last year
compensate American vessels for foreign mail
service. This subject, he said, had been
sidered at Cabinet meeting and whatever of
error or crime attached to failure to use this
fund, attached not only to the Postmaster gen.
eral but to the President and his Cabinet He
argued that the Postmaster-general had COM
mitted no error, but had only exercised just
and wise discretion.
Mr. Springer, of Illinois, thought that the
Postmaster general, instead of receiving crit-
cism, should receive the encomiums OF Congress
and would receive the plaudits of the American
people The Postofice Department has here
after to be administered in the interests of the
people of the United States.
Mr. Dockery, of Missouri, pointed out that the
Postmaster general had precedents for the exer-
else of his discretion, in the action of Secretary
of the Navy Hunt in refusing to establish coalng
stations the Isthmus of Panama. and Of Sec
retary of the Treasury Sherman In refusing
to expend the appropriation for the payment Of
certain Southern mail contractors.
Mr. Houk, Of Tennessee, criticized the admin
istration, and declared that the President had
assumed an attitude before the country which
would not have been tolerated in any but two
other countries In the world Russia or Prussia
might tolerate his course, but neither the Sultan
of Turkey nor the Queen of England would have
occupied their positions twenty-four hours after
having taken the position which the President
had assumed. He then went on to denounce the
action of the First Assistant Postmaster general
in removing postofices in Tennessee from the
villages in which they had been situated for
years, and locating them in the pinery regions
because he could not find Democrats in the vii
lagos to take charge of the Offices. This action
he denominated the most outrageous, infamous
action which had ever been perpetrated upon any
community. He did not know from what infu-
ence this came, unless it came from man who
had paid himself salary out of the childrens
school fund two years after he went out of
Office.
Mr. McMillin-To whom does the gentleman
refer2
Mr.. Houk-You know just as we'll as anybody
else on earth. have the record. If you come
round privately.
Mr. McMillin-I insist that when man goes
to assassinate a character-and this is unmiti-
gated assassination-he should have the boldness
to do it like man.
Mr.. Houk-I have the boldness to tell you
privately or to meet 1t In any other way.
Vur nCullliu-INo iHdu Ougub 10 6ttompt 10 20
that indirectly which he has not the boldness to
do directly. undertake to say that the man he
is attempting to reach is the equal of any man
he can boast Of and will not under the rules of
this House, say how far the superior of this in
dlvidual Mr. Houkl in all that constitutes man
hood.
Mr.. Houk suggested that there were plenty of
men on Pennsylvania avenue now who were the
superiors of his colleague
Mr.. McMilin would express the opinion. if
it were parliamentary, that there were men
in the penitentiary who were the superiors of
his colleague, and Mr.. Houk had no doubt that
his colleagues superiors had been hanged in
prisons.
After this exchange of compliments the matter
dropped and the committee rose.
Mr.. Randall of Pennsylvania, asked unan-
imous consent to offer the following resolution:
Resolved, That committee of FIVE members be
appointed whose duty it shall be to investigate the