The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-02-04
The RIoaaY Banner.

A few days ago, during a racket in
the lower house of Congress, about
the obliteration of inscriptions i'm the
Norfolk Navy Yard, Mr.. Boutelle, of
Maine, took occasion to waive the old
Republican banner in the following
style. He said:
"If the time had come or should
come to Obliterate the great memories
of the rebellion, the monuments of
the rebellion itself should be first torn
down. Let not the work be begun by
taking down inscriptions commemora.
tive of the victories Of the armies of
the United States. He had list of
great marble memories growing up all
over this land 10 perpetuate the cause
of treason and rebellion.
"The soldiers who came to Wash.
ingtOn might wander i'll vain through
the great art repository of the city
looking for the counterfeit present
lnent OF one of the heroes who sus-
tanned the flag of the union. He found
that the only men who were memoir
allied and remembered in the Corc0-
ran Art Gallery were Robert +. Lee
and 9tonewali Jack son. There WAS
no Justice III the claim that broad
patriotism required the Obiiteration of
the records of the grandest trium ph
ever made for humanity since first the
morning stars sang together Ap.
plause on the Republican side The
peOple of the country ought To say as
old General Dix said of the American
nag: If any man attempts to pull
dow a memorial of the great triumph
of the loyal people of this country,
shoot him on the spot Prolonged
applause on the republican side.
Whether his position was that of
a member OF Congress or q citizen in
private life, he entered his protest
against the morbid sentimeutality
against this false idea of magnsnimity
which would for one moment tolerate
the laying of the hands of desecration
on the memorials of the triumph of
the Union armies. In case of the Nor
folk navy yard and customs house,
gallant. efficient, worthy, faithful pub
lie servants, who had followed the flag
of their country across hundred bat
tie fields. has been turned out that
their places might be given to men
who had fought to destroy the gov
ernment.' Applause on the Repub-
lican side
MIR. Wise, of Virginia, rose in his
place and replied to Mr.. Boutelle, as
follows:
1.-The Secretary of the Navy was
called upon to report if any tablets had
been destroyed at the Norfolk navy
yard which commemOrated the fact
that. the drydock at Portsmouth had
been destroyed. He was glad of the
opportunity to inform the gentleman
from Maine that the drydock at Ports.
mouth had never been destroyed.
IApplause ON the Democratic side, |
The gentleman asked the Secretary OF
the Navy if inscriptions had been re
moved from the cannon captured from
the Confederate army. He wonld in
form the gentleman from Maine that
no cannons with such inscriptions had
eyer been in the Portsmouth navy
yard. Applause on the Democratic
side The gentleman from Maine
wanted to know If a union soldier had
been discharged and a confederate put
in his place. He would inform the
gentleman from Maine that the man
who was discharged had never been in
the union army; had never been
within a thousand miles of line OF
battle had never heard the music of
minnie bullet. lApplause and laugh
ter on the Democratic side.
MIR. Boutelle Did he not render
great service to his country ?''
mo, sir" replied Mr.. Wise. "He,
sir, was In receipt of a large salary in
bomb proof position. while brave
men fought the battles of the country.
The confederate, or the one whom you
alleSs was appointed On account Of bis