Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1886-03-09
ion. VIM. l. Wilson'S Speech.

place, the NepreSenIattVe iFoLn onle
Congressional District. From the
Baltimore Suns report of the Con-
gressional proceedings of that day we
take the following:
Pending further discussion the
morning hour expired. and the House
went into committee of the whole on
the pension appropriation bill.
Mr.. Cannon warmly favored the
passage of measure to-pension sol
diers who were now disabled, though
the disability might not be attribute
BILE to the service, and who were now
dependent on their daily labor for
support.
MIR. Wilson CIV. Va.) regretted
that on Thursday last the House had
been presented with the spectacle of
a politician in search of some political
issue. There was no longer any sue
cessful conjuring with the issues
raised by the gentleman from Iowa,
Mr.. Henderson. If he did not mis-
take the recent action of the American
people and the general temper of the
American people. the sectional issue,
wherever or by whomsoeyer raised,
would lead no man nor no party to
political victory in this country. He
vigorously defended Commissioner
Black from the criticism of the
gentleman from Iowa, Mr.. Henderson,
and declared that the country had re-
garded his appointment by the Pres
ident as an eminentIy wise and pa
triotic selection. In the administra-
ton of his office Commissioner Black
had done nothing to forfeit the re-
spect and confidence of the people.
referring 10 the criticism that Com
missioner Black had kept Republican
members of Congress waiting IN the
ante-room while he was comforting
with Democratic members in regard
to removals from his office, Mr.. Will
son said that the country would COM
mend the commissioner if he held
those conferences little more often,
and would commend his action to
other high officers. He Mr.. Wilson,
believed in civil-service reform, but
he did not believe that the way to re-
form partisan civil service was to
preserve it in amber. Passing on to
a review of that portion of Mr.. Hen
derson's speech in which lie analysed
the negative vote on the bill increas-
ing the pensions of soldiers widows,
and claimed that it was an unfurling
of the bloody shirt, Mr.. Wilson in
quired what party it was which had
originally fixed the pensions at IS 4
month. 1t had been fixed by the Re-
publican party while the war was fla
CANT, and So was not half rs valuable
as it was to-day. During all the years
that the Republican party had had
control of every branch of the govern
ment that rate had been maintained.
And when sixty-fonr members on the
Democratic side of the House said
that rate was sufficient, the gentleman
from Iowa said that they unfurled
the bloody shirt in the face of his
friends. He regretted to hear the
gentleman from Maine [AIr: BouteIle)
criticising the Southern people be-
cause they had, in one or two points,
raised modest memorials to their
dead. Such an uttcrance hardly
comportcd with the brave and manly
character of the gentleman from
Maine. 1t was true that the Southern
people had erected humble mOnu-
ments to sons, brothers and fathers.
and placed upon them the flowers of
that section. but they had done it i'll
nolspirit of disloyalty to this country.
The mOurncrs around those mOnu-
mcnts could appeal to the Searcher of
all hearts to testify that they chcri shed
no thought, wish or aspiration that
did not throb for the greatness and
glory of American institutions. he
had served in the Confederate army
as private, but he felt the kindling
of no feeling that did not urge him to
the position he occupied to-day of
doing his whole duty to the whole
country. He saw in the war the
stately stepping of that Providence
which used the wrath of men to work
out its beneficial purposes. 1t had
abolished the institution of slavery,
which had come down as balGful her
itagc from the fathers of the republic.
The time had come when the pco-
pie of the South, no less than the pco-
pie of the North, reioiced in the sub
stantial results of the war. The
South felt no less than the North that
those results were worth all the sac
rificcs needed to secure them. The
immense treasure poured out by the
North, with the precious expenditure
of human life; the immense treasure
poured out by the South, with the
precious expenditure of human life.
and the draught of the bitter cup of
defeat. whose awful bitterness none
could know who had not tasted it,
had secured results in which all re-
ioiced. The war had secured the
preservation of the Union, bat it had
secured 4 result greater than the
preservation of the Union in the OK
tinction of slavery; and greater than
the extinction of slavery was the ut
ter humiliation of any ground, cause
or excuse for further sectional pre-
iudice or sectional hate.
Applause on the Democratic side.
Mr.. Hcndcrson.-Amcn to that.
Brother Wilson. l want that acted
upon by your friends.
N"n 10 -