Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1886-01-28
A SPIRITED DEBATE.

OS>~~
mittee last Fridayi in the House. Mr.. Bou-
telle, of Maine, had offered resolution call
ing on the Secretary Of the Navy for infor-
nation relative to alleged erasure of certain
inscriptions, and the dismissal Of Union
soldiers at the Norfolk Navy Yard, with an
amendment extending the inquiry to dis
missaIs made at the navy yard and light
house district at Norfolk during the terms
of the immediate predecessors of the pres
ent Secretary of the Navy. Mr.. Herbert,
of Alabama, stated that the resolution was
substantially the same as that originally
offered by Mr.. Boutelle, except that it was
somewhat broader. He demanded the pre-
vious question.
The Republicans resisted this, but on a
division were outvoted by eighty-seven to
eighty-four. TellerS were then ordered
The body of Republicans refrained from
voting, and upon the announcement of the
result, one hundred and eleven to seven,
Mr.. Perkins of Kansas raised the point OF
order that no quorum had voted.
After other parliamentary tactics by
which it was evident that the Republicans
desired to prevent the resolution coming to
debate at that time, all motions to that
effect were voted down, and the debate was
opened by Mr.. Boutelle, who spoke in sup
port of his original resolution, adopting the
regulation spread-eagle style and depreca-
ting the removal of certain officials from the
navy yard, as also the obliteration Of Ger.
tain inscriptions commemorative of Union
victories. His remarks were replied to by
Mr.. Wise, of Virginia, whose speech is
thus reported:
Mr.. Wise of Virginia, said that he was
Glad that he had an opportunity to make a
statement of the facts, although he had hop
ed the subject of this resolution would not
have been discussed until information about
the matter had been received from the Sec.
retary of the Navy. The gentleman from
Maine (Mr. Boutelle) on more than one oc-
casion had sought to revive the passions
and preiudices of the war. He (Wise) would
examine how much of truth there was
in the statement of these resolutions. The
Secretary of the Navy was called upon tc
report if any tablet had been destroyed at
the Norfork Navy Yard which commemo.
rated the fact that the dry dock at Ports:
mouth had been destroyed. He was glad
to inform the gentleman from Maine that
the dry dock at Portsmouth had never been
destroyed. Applause on the Democratic
side The gentleman asked the Secretary
of the Navy if the inscriptions had been re-
moved from the cannon captured from the
Confederate army He would inform the
gentleman from Maine that no cannon with
such inscriptions had ever been in the Ports
mouth Navy Yard. [Applause on the Dem
ocratic side. The gentleman from Maine
wanted to know if Union soldier hao
been discharged and Confederate put ir
his place. He would inform the gentleman
from Maine that the man who was dis
charged had never been in the Union
| line of battle, had never heard the music O.
a minnie ball. Applause and laughter or
the Democratic side.
Mr.. Boutelle-"Did he not render great
service to his country?'
"No, sir" replied Mr.. Wise. "He, sir
was in receipt of large salary in bomb
proof position, while brave men fought the
battlesof their country"
Mr.. Brady, of Virginia, rose and asked
permission to PROFOUND question. mo
Sir; no, SIR" exclaimed Mr.. Wise. 81 viii
give my attention to you in one minute
The Confederate, or the one who you, Bou
the Confederate army, was appointed at
ter competitive examination, and the mar
to whom you refer was removed for beastly
intoxication." Applause and laughter or
the Democratic side. One other fact com
mend to your consideration. During the
Arthur administration the postmaster a
Portsmouth, who was a Union soldier
twice wounded and twice promoted fol
gallantry, was removed at the dictation o
William Malone. [Applause on the Dem
ocratic side. "Ah, Mr.. Speaker, it's
good thing to raise fuss over this, isn't 1T
Your felow-citizens of Maine," addressing
| Mr.. Boutelle, "are anxious to know if Con
federate has been appointed in the Norfolk
you forgotten that during the Grant admin
istration and during the administration O
Hayes and Arthur, you sent a Captain O
Confederate guerillas-John S. Mosby-tt
represent the government of the United
States in foreign country?" Applause
on the Democratic side Have you for
gotten that Longstreet, Confederate Lieu
tenant-General, was selected by your Re
publican administration for the most i'm
portant office in Georgia? Why is it,
will ask the gentleman from Maine, tina
we have not heard howl from that ice
bound region about these appointments? p
Laughter on the Democratic side.
"Does the gentleman desire reply?" IN
! Qulreu NIT. DOulelle.
"No, SIR" exclaimed Mr.. Wise. "Gt
read the speech of Senator of the United
States, who, with all kindness, is in the es
timation of the whole country peter ct era mar
! than you are-go read the speech OF Charle
Sumner, of Massachusetts,"
eff Charles Sumner knew that his mag
unanimous suggestion would be quoted by
YOU for such purpose, he would turn II
his prayeW exclaimed Mr. BOutelle annie
much confusion.
GO" continued Mr.. Wise, "read the
speech of Charles Sumner, of Massachusetts
If | mistake not, he was the first man ir
the country who declared some fifteen years
ago that the time had come for peace, an(
that the bitter memories of the war Shoult
be removed, and mark the contrast be
tween the leader of the Federal army ant
the gentleman from Maine. The last words
spoken by that great leader on his dylnf
bed at Mt. McGregor, were that he thanked
God that he closed his eyes on the worlc
believing that peace had returned to the
distressed country. [Applause on the Dem
0cratic side. And yet, and yet the halls o
legislation are to be annoyed by the back
biting of such men as the gentleman from
Maine!
"Now, Mr.. Speaker, | want to say one
word more to him. While we sit here and
vote pensions to our soldiers"
"Our soldiers" exclaimed Mr.. Boutelle.
eyes," replied Mr.. Wise, "our soldiers
We are in the house of our fathers, and we
have come to stay. [Applause on the Dem
ocratic side While we are ready ano
willing to vote pensions to honorably dis
charged soldiers who served their country
in time of war, we will never consent thai
it shall be held and proclaimed on high thai
one who happened to have been in the Con