Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-03-31
much az American steamships because
they performed 40 much more service.

Mf. Diount, OF georgia, defended tue
action Of the Postmaster GENERAL in re-
fus,ng to use the 100000 appropri-
sted by the bill OF last year to compen-
safe American vessels for foreign mail
service. This subject, he said, had been
considered at a Cabinet meeting, and
whatever was error or crime attached
not only to the Postmaster General,
but 10 the President and his CAB.
inet. But be argued that the
Postmaster. General had committed
no error, but had only exercised just
and wise discretion.
Mr.. Houk, Of Tennessee, criticised
the Administration, and declared that
the President had assumed an attitude
before the country which would not be
tolerated in any but two other countries
in the world--Russia OF Persia. They
might tolerate his course, but neither
the Sultan Of Turkey nor the Queen OF
England would have occupied their po-
sitions twenty.four hours after having
taken the attitude which the President
had assumed. lie then went on
TO denounce the action Of the First
Assistant Postmaster General in re-
moving post Offices in Tennessee
from villages in which they had been
situated for years and locating them in
piney regions, because he could not find
any Democrats in the villages to take
charge OF the Offices. This action he
denounced as the most outrageous,
infamous action which had ever Been
perpeirated upon any community. lie
did not know from what influence this
came unless it came from man who
had paid himself salary out of a
childIen's school-fund two years after
be went out Of office.
Mr.. McMillin To whom does the
gentleman refer?
Mr.. Houk: You know just as well
as aDybody else on earth. have the
record ii you come round privately.
Mr.. McMillin | insist that when a
man goes to assassinate character-and
this is unmitigated assassination-he
should have the boldness to do it like
man.
Mr.. IIouk / have the boldness to
tell you privately or to meet it in any
other way.
MIR. McMillin: No man ought to at
tempt to do that indirectly which he
has not the bOldness to do directly. |
undertake to say that the man be is at
tempting to reach is the equal of any
man he can boast Of knowing, and !
will not, under the rules Of this House,
say how far he is the superior Of this
individual (Mr. lIouk) in all that con-
stitutes manhood.
Mr.. Houk suggested that there were
plenty of men on Pennsylvania avenue
now who were the superiors Of his col
league.
Mir. McMillin would express the
opinion, if it we're parliamentary, that
there were men in the penitentiary
Who were the supeIiors 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 was dropped and the COM
mittee rose.
Mr.. Randall, Of Pennsylvania, asked
unanimous consent TO offer the follow
ing resolution:
RcsOlced, That committee Of five
members be appointed, whose duty it
shall be to investigate the circumstances
and causes attending the killing on the
18th Of March, 1896, in Carrollton,
Miss. OF a number of colored citizens
Of said State.
Mr.. Reagan, Of Texas, objected on
the ground that Congress had no juris-
diction over the matter.
Mr.. Randall then asked to have the
resolution referred, but Mr.. Reagan OBJ
iccted, notwithstanding request made
by Mr.. Barksdale, Of Mississippi, in
behalf of the Mississippi delegation, that
there might be no objection.
Adiourpod