The Portland daily press., 1890-03-17
WITH THE ELOQUENCE OF OTHER DAYS,
Ex-Speaker Banks Advocated the
Cause of John C.. Fremont.
Members Crowded Around to Hear
the silver Haired orator.
Topics of the Day from the City by
the Potomac.
Especial to the Press.l

Especial to the Press.l
WASHINGTON, March 16.-There was an
impressive scene in the House Friday dur
ing the debate on the bill to put General
John c. Fremont upon the retired list of the
army. Some of the Southern Democrats
were opposing the proposition, although
Mansur of Missouri. who was for the bill be-
cause Fremont was the husband of Jesse
Benton, who was the daughter of the great
est Missourian that ever lived, had lmplored
the members of his party not to vote against
bill for the benefit of the man who gavo to
this country half of its territory.
An obscure member from one of the South
ern states followed with a vociferous har-
which had sent nearly all the members of
both sides of the House back into the cloak
rooms.
The Southern member sat down, and the
erect figure of General Banks, the silver
haired veteran of Massachusetts,. was seen
standing in his seat and beckoning to the
chair for recognition. Although not before
heard in this Congress, General Banks has
been marked figure siDce it assembled. 1t
carries in his face ana his bearing so much
to remind his associates of the conspicuous
part he has borne in the struggles of his
party and his country. He has been accus-
toned to sit in his seat paying an apparent
attention to the assembly quite unusual for
an old member; although it may be that the
business of today does not occupy his atten-
tion so often as the memory of old scenes
upon that floor, especially of that memora-
BILE struggle for the Speakership in the
Thirty-fourth Congress between the forces
OF slavery and freedom, of which he was
himself the central figure and the victor.
Early in the debate General Spinola of
New York, courtly old war horse OH the
Democratic side, had been aroused and mad
made an energetic speech in behalf of FIRE.
mont. Now it was time for the still older
veteran to awaken.
AS General Banks began to speak nearly
all the members then in their seats spon-
taneously arose and gathered in a group
around the speaker, the Democrats walking
across the hall to the Republican side.
Young John Forester Andrew of Massa-
chusetts and the truculent looking Roger
Q. Mills, of Texas, walked over together.
The news that General Banks had been
recognized spread into the cloak rooms and
lobbies, and the members came trooping in
and joined the group around the Massa
chusetts veteran. Even the little pages,
whose restlessness usually respects neither
oratory nor threats were quiet for the time
General Banks dwelt upon the dis
tiDguished services of General Fremont in
the acquisition of California, service upon
which he was sent after Thomas Benton, of
Missouri, had demanded of the weak Presi-
dent OF that day that Fremont be sent be-
yond the Rockies.
General Banks spoke with a quiet and
c0urtly manner somewhat unusual in the
Aouse Of Representatives today; but with
an energy and fire that the frosts of age
hesitate for a word; but with this exception
the speech must have been not wholly un-
ike those eloquent addresses for which he
was famous in the days of his prime
AS he concluded many of the members. |
lInong them young Andrew and Springer of |
illinois walked up ana shook hands with |
he orator. Roger @. Mills did not do SO but |
walked thOughtfully away as if meditatiDg
lpon the differences between the stately
,ratory of the past and those cycionic out |
)urSt OF the present day, for which no one
s more famous than Mr.. Mills himself.
General Banks's speech had great effect.
When it came time to lay aside the resolu
ion with a favorable recommendation Qor
his scene was in the committee of the
whole) Kilgore of Texas o5structed almost
alone And it is part of the life of Kilgore
Of Texas to do such things.