The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-13

as to the responsibility OF the federal govern
ment in its relation to State and Territorial
/ jurisdiction should be waived in the perform
| ance of a plain duty.
| Mr. FELTON,, of California, thought that if the
committee on foreign affairs had expended its
| time in examining the causes under which these
outragcs arose, If it had looked into the history
| OF the past it would have found that these out
RACES were the natural results of Chinese immi-
| grafton. The committee should have addressed
| its attention to remedying the evil rather than
to palliation and paying for scenes like this.
| Mr. Morrow, of California, said that. standing
/ alone. the measure was of doubtful propriety,
but considering the relations between China and
the United States, and the probability OF future
legislation and treaty stpulations absolutely pro-
hibiting the immigration of Chinese subjects, he
was Opposed to think that the benevolence OF
Congress might be an act of wisdom. The
| whole affair at Rock Springs had been disgrace
full in the extreme, and could not be excused nor
| ignored. The most that could be said was that
| no citizen of the United States had been engaged
in the massacre, but this did not right the wrong
which had been committed on American SOIL
| Our national fame was involved. The question
| arose. why did the federal government as
sumo the obligations of local and territorial
community The answer was that no local obi
| cations were assumed, but because the local au-
| thorities had failed to enforce the law the
United States would. under the peculiar cir
cumstances OF the case. and as an act OF benevo-
| lence, satisfy the claimants The people of the
| United States, and especially the people of the
Pacific coast, were deeply concerned in the rela-
| tons between the United States and China
| The immigration of Chinese laborers should alb
solutely cease. He was in favor of the resolu-
ton because it would strengthen the executive
| in an attempt to secure the consent OF China to
| put stop to immigration.
Mr.. McKenna, of California, expressed his hor-
| ror OF the outrage perpetrated at Rock Springs
| The House, in its excited sympathy, was apt to
| consider as "mean" refusal to indemnify the
victims, but it was not clear to him that an out
| break of race antipathies, in which no American
| participated, notwithstanding it was made hor-
rible by arson and murder, had any claim upon
the consideration Of Congress. The grooming
calendars of the House should admonish MEM
bers that there were other for the $l47, 900
than bestowing it in benevoleuce or squanderIng
| it in romantic and snowy comfy 1t Congress
| Unidentified the victims of this riot why not the
| victims of every other riot2 If this resolution
were passed, Congress could have no reason to
refuse to requte the victims of the Chicago
riot Ii the amount appropriated was intended
| to be strict remuneration for the loss OF prop
erty, the committee should have taken means to
| ascertain whether it was the proper amount
He had been credibly informed that in Rock
| Springs only 5000 worth of property was as
sessed against Cinnamon.
| Mr. Hit, of illinois. denied that the resolu-
| ton would set bad precedent On the con-
L
a settled line of policy, and would be violation
| of national honor. He cited numerous cases in
which the United States had demanded and re-
ceived from China indemnity for injuries and in
| suits perpetrated on American citizens.
| Mr. Worthington, of Illinois, favored the res
| olution. The United States boasted that it was
a Christian nation. 1t believed it was on a
| plane of civilization higher than China It sent
missionaries to heather China Should it be
said the United States would refuse that indem-
nifty to China which China had freely made to
| the United States in similar casesa He was will
ing to base his action on the broad principle Of
equity
| Pending further discussion the morning hour
| expired, the committee rose, and the House
|. again went into committee-Mr. Springer, of
Illinois, in the chair-on the army appropriation
bill
Mr. Rockwell, of Massachusetts, moved to in
crease from $500 900 to $500, 900. the appropria
ton for the manufacture of arms at Springfield,
Mass.
Mr.. Long, of Massachusetts supported the
amendment Small arms were needed, there
being only surplus of 150 900 government rifles
| in the country. while the Secretary of War had
stated that the surplus should never be allowed
to fall below 500. 600. This was not good time
to strike at the interests of skilled labor; it
not desirable thing to pass bill that was 60
ing to turn out onefourth of the skilled laborers
at Springfield, when there was need for their
work
Mr.. Bragg, of Wisconsin, suggested that the
amendment might have been offered because
Springfield happened to be in the district of the
gentleman from Massachusetts Mr.. Rockwell
There was no prospect of foreign war, and if
the government was to manufacture muskets
for the purpose of supporting the government
| skilled labor, it was time the Springfield armory
was botted out
Mr.. Rockwell repealed the intimation that he
| had been impeed to offer the amendment by the
| fact that the Springfield armory in his dis
trict Ordinary courtesy fell as coldly on the
| gentleman's Mr.. Bragg'sl heart as icy waves
| on wind-swept shores"
The motion was agreed to-66 to GA.
| The committee then rose. The House-by q
| vote of yeas 103. nays 164-refused to agree to
the Springfield armory amendment, thus re-
versing the action of the committee, and the bill
| was passed.
| Mr.. Brumm. of Pennsylvania. rising to ques-
| ton of privilege, stated that the Record this
morning. was incorrect in that 1t made MIR.
Wheeler, OF Alabama use the language yester-
day. 'the conspirator. Edwin NJ. Stanton" while
| tho language employed had been 1.-THE arch con-
| spirator, Edwin M. Stanton"
Mr. Hammond, of Georgia, disclaimed any
knowledge of the facts, but added, sarcastically,
| that il the facts were as stated by the gentle
/ man from Pennsylvania, a correction Of the
| Record should be made, for it was very impor-
tant that the adjective should be inserted. Some
gentlemen. who did not object to being called a
| liar, if called a liar got very mad
| Mr.. Morrison, of Illinois, did not see that any
| question of privilege was involved. His recol
| lection was that the gentleman from Alabama
| did use the word arch 1t was a very common
| custom to revise the Record. and when gentle
man found that he had stopped over" to revise
his language The gentleman from Alabama
might. with entire propriety, have erased the
word ''conspirator" ALSO 1t would not have hurt
| anything or any body.
| Mr.. Reed, of Maine, remarked that matter
like this always shrank in the cooling, and the
| wonder was that it had not shrunk more.
| Just as our friend from Michigan Mr.. Clutch
| eonl did when he made an assault on General
Grant and left it out of the Record suggested
| Mr.. Springer, of Illinois.
s'If some of the gentlemen on the other side
| had done the same thing" retorted Mr. Reed,
sit would have been better for their historyn