The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-01-28
WISE VS. BOUTELLE.
Debate in the House ON the Erasurc
Of Public Inscriptions.


the Navy for information relative to the al |
legged erasures of certain inscriptions and the |
dismissal of Union soldiers at the Norfolk |
navy yard, with an amendment extending |
the inquiry 10 dismiSsas made at the navy |
yard lighthouse district at Norfolk during |
the terms of the Immediate predecessors of the
present Secretar'' of the Navy,
Then occurred che most exciting political
debate that has been presented to the house
during the present session, II was opened by |
Mr., Boutelle, who promised his direct speech |
upon the resolution with a remark calling at |
tention TO the fact that the first legislation of
the house had been the passage by unanimous
consent of bill removing the political disa-
bilities of an ex-Confederate who had waited
more than twenty years before discovering a
desire to be placed in the line of eligibility to
disappointment under the executive depart
mcnt of the United States, In contrast with
this lac (Alr, Boutelle) had been tauntingly in
formed that fifteen minutes of time was an
ample allowance in which to present the case
of the outrageous dismissal Of disabled veter-
ans of the Union army from the employment
of the government, and the obliter-
alton, debasement and removal of in
scriptions commemorative of the sue
cess of the Union army. He trusted that
these facts placed in juXtaposition would
prove more instructive to the country than
any remarks he could offer The resolution
he had introduced had related TO allegations
that an officer of the United States govern
meut at one of the navy yards of the govern
ment had ordered the obliteration of honor
able iucrp,ions ON cannon captured by the
the United States, and had caused to be re-
moved form the dry dock memorial tablet
setting forth that it had been destroyed by
the rebels in 1862 and reconstructed in 1868.
He did not understand that the facts had been
in any way contTadicted. Mr.. Boutele then
t,afarraI N thn rapnnyDl of tho SDnnriDtpnIcOt
of machinery at the navy yard, because OF
his demurring to the DETACHMENT of the dry
dock, and the appointment of man whose
title to the position rested on service in the
Confederate army. He had found evidence
that since the fourth of March, 1885,, there
had been repeated and systematic removals
from the positions in which they were placed,
of officers of the government, of wounded and
disabled veterans of the republic, 10 make
room for men who had sought to destroy it,
If the time had come, or ever should come,
to oblierate the great memories of the Rebel
lion, the monuments Of the Rebellion itself
should be first torn down; let not the work
begin by tearing down Inscriptions commemo-
rative of the victories of the armies of the
United States. He had list of great marble
memoricls growing up all over this land to
perpatuate the cause of treason and rebellion.
He had description Of monument erected
in Georgia bearing inscriptions breathing any
thing but a spirit of loyalty to this govern
ment, monument bearing on its face evil
dence of the design to perpetuate the memory
of the attempt upon the life of the republic.
There were two statutes on the books de
claring that, i'll government appointments,
soldiers should be given a preference These
had not only been treated with contempt, but
in the case of the Norfolk navy yard and Gus
tom house, gallant officers, worthy, faithful
public servants, who had followed the flag of
their country across hundred battle-tields,
had been turned out that their places might be
given to men who had fought to destroy the
government.
Mr.. Wise of Virginia was glad that he had
an opportunity to make statement of facts,
| although he had hoped that the subject Of
| this resolution would not have been discussed
until information had been received from the
Secretary of the navy. The gentleman from
| Maine (Mr Routellel on more than one occa-
sion had sought so revive the passions and
prejudices of the war He (Mr Wise would
examine how much truth there was in the
| statement of these resolutions The Secretary
| of the Navy was called on to report if any tab
| let had been destroyed at the Norfolk navy
| yard, which cOmmemorated the fact that the
| dry dock at Portsmouth had been destroyed.
He was glad of the opportunity to inform the
| gentleman from Maine that the dry dock at
Portsmouth had never been destroyed. The
| gentleman asked TIE Secretary of the Navy
| if inscriptions had been removed from can
| non captured from the Confederate army.
| He would inform the gentleman from Maine
that no cannon with such inscriptions had
| ever been in the Portsmouth navy yard. The
| gentleman from Maine wanted TO know if an
ex-Union soldier had been discharged and a
| Confederate put in his place. He would in
form the gentleman from Maine that the
man who was discharged had never
| been in the Union army within one
thousand miles of 8 line of battle, had
never heard the music of mimic bullet.
! The Confederate, or the one whom you tMr.
Boutelle) allege was appointed on account of
his service IN the Confederate army, was APP
pointed after competitive examination, and
| the man to whom YOU refer was removed for
| bcastly intoxication' One other fact |
commend to your.consideration. During the
| Arthur administration, the postmaster at
Portsmouth, who was Union soldier, twice
wounded and twice promoted for gallantry,
was removed at the dictation of William Ma
hone All, Nh Speaker, it is good thing to
raise fuss over this isn't it, Your fellow
citizens of Maine, addressing Mr.. Boutelle]
are anxious to know if a Confederate has
been appointed in the Norfolk navy yard by
| this administration. Have you forgotten
that during the Grant administration and
during the administration of Hayes and Ar
| thur YOU sent the captain of the Confederate
| glltIlildS. JONI -. htSDN. 10 EeIlpSent tIh5
| government of the United States in a foreign
country Have You forgotten that Long
| street a Confederate lieutenant general was
| selected by your republican administration
for the most important office in Georgia!
| Why is it, ] will ask the gentleman from
| Maine, that we have not heard howl from
that ice-bound region about these appoint
| mcnts.
co., continued Mr.. Wise 'tread the
| speech of Charles Sumner of Massachusetts,
| If mistake not he was the first man in the
country who declared some ID years ago that
| the time had come for peace and that the bit
| ter memories Of the war should be removed
| and mark the contrast between the leader of
| the federal army and the gentleman from
Maine. The last word spoken by that great
| leader on his dying bed at Mt. McCregor, was
that he thanked God that he closed his eyes
on the world believing that peace had re-
| turned to a distracted country, and yet-and
yet the halls of legislation are to be annoyed
| by the backbiting of such men as the gentle
man from Maine. Now, Mr.. Speaker, want
to say one more word to him, while we sit
| hero and vote pensions TO your soldiers.
| While we are ready and willing to vote pen
lions to honorahly discharged soldiers who
served their country in time of war, we will
| never consent that it shall be held and pro
| claimed on high that one who happened tc
have been in the Confederate army is forever
| debaTled from the service of his country.
| protest that these honorable soldiers Of the
| Union army shall never again be subjected
to the treatment they were subjected to un
der the last administration, when men who
had fought bravely for the Union, under the
circular bearing the name of William Malone
as chairman and James D. Brady, the present
member of this house. as secretary"-
when they were required under the whil
Of master to give money for partisan pur
| rod lilo oil to hold THAR l,al
lots up that their bosses minions might SCI
hat they voted right. Oh! what an attitud,
in which to place discharged soldier of tn,
union-under the whip and the lash of F.;
Confederate brigadiern
At this point the speaker brought down hi
gavel and announced that Mr.. Wise's tim,
had expired.
The resolution. as amended by the commit
tee on naval affairs, was then adopted.