Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-01-15
FALSE AND UNTRUE
Nc TIE WAY SENATOR CALL DEFINES
THE LANGUAGE OF SENATOR
PLUMB.
The Usual Dignity and Decorum of tho
Body Laid Aside by Both I'M
Heated Discussion.
tny telegraph to the DIspascn.l
WASHINGTON. January IA. 1890.

tty teicGtaph w ttr btrpbEn.l
WASHINGTON. January IA. 1890.
The resolutions heretofore offered by
Ar Call in relation TO the claims Of Flo
ia under the swamp-land grant. and in
,,laton TO the alleged unlawful selections
a. land in Florida. were taken up. and MIR.
tail addressed the Senate upon them.
The burden OF his remarks was that the
land. which was not swampy and over
S0wed. but which was ut for cultivation,
had been selected under the swamp-land
at. 70 the injury Of the peoples rights.
liz asserted that 2o0, 000.0 900 OF acres had
been selected and approved in all the
states rs swamp and overlooked lhlds,
while everybody knew that no such extent
q territory Gas large as Eur ope) consisted
If swamp and overfiowed lands. This
vas fraud upon the people of tho United
kiates. for whom public lands should be
lad as n sacred heritage. OF. the II. 5000, 900
t1c swamp and overflowed lands act, he
asserted that ii 900, OG0 were high and dry.
Mr.. Plumb replied to Mr.. Call. He said
that the United States had granted 10 tho
State of Florida more than half Of the
lands within It's limits. The State con-
Toned about 100000 acres. and more
faan one half of that had been given TO
the State for various purposes. Every
single acre of land so granted had been
placed under control Of the Legislature of
furida. Some 10000. 900 or 1900, 900 acres
ia1 been granted rs swamp and over
flowed lands. The Senator (Mr. CalD had
sl.t told the Senate that most of 1t WAS
ut swamp but arabic land. So much
lr,ator was the derelicti0n Of the Senator's
i'ate if it had betrayed rs trust. He
wished the Senator would say on the stump
g. his own State what he had said here to-
day.
He DIR. Plumb did not care how much
81 the dirty linen Of the Senator was wash
al here and elsewhere. That was a ques-
ton 10 be settled between the Senator and
lisconstituents. The Senator had not said
O. word to-day that was not IN denunciation
e the conduct OF the authorities of his
own State. But. for himself he would re-
ficn his seat in the Senate If he was. TO
irinc forward such n complaint against
lis own State after being too cow
trdly 10 proclaim 1t on the stump
within its borders. Let the Senator, he
,sid. 90 back to the people who sent him
here. let him 60 back TO the Legislature
which has despoiled the public domain.
The United States lost jurisdiction OF the
question when 10 conveyed these lands 10
FLORIDA. The Senator SAYS they were not
twsmp-lands. More is the pity for the
morality of those who received them
When once these lands were conveyed TO
the State of Florida the jurisdic-
them ceased absolutely and entirely, and
they became the sacred trust Of the state.
AZ all events the responsibility II WIN ms
own people and not with the people OF the
United States. and not with lts Legislative
body. | find that the State Of FLORIDA did
do something for the settler. believe
that that State il better to-day than II Is
represented ODE. The charge isunworthy
of the senator's position to his state. 1t
does not become him, unless he
has taken the stump In hrs own STATE
and denounced at every cross-road the
had actions OF the people who committee
them, 10 appeal to the Senate on that SUD
iect. Especially does 1t not become hun
20 irnpugn the motives of the men on TINS
floor (moaning the members Of the sub
rommittee on public lands) who did not
agree with him. and who have not been
able 10 find in his compact, terse, ana elo-
quent sentences that pith and marrow
which lie imagines are 10 be fouhd IN
them. MIR. Plumb went on 10 say that Mr..
Call had lsome sessions ago. appealed TO
j 4 rs chairman of the Committee on
Public Lands 10 report q bill 10 ratlfy
and confirm the title TO certain railroad
lands in Florida. SO that the alleged frauds
(said Mr. Plumb were 70 be condoneu
under certain circumstances but were
never TO be cOndOned in speech. Inc
Senator. he said. had always been IN the
openly. and he Plumb had sometimes
been inclined not 10 reply 10 him, but to
convict him Of falsehood. But, SAID he,
there are some accusations which are lost
in the accuser Mr.. Plumb went on to say
that he believed IN the virtue OF the peo-
pie Of Florida more firmly than their Sena-
tor did. He was aware that the most con-
spicuous rape of the public domain had
been perpetfated in Florida, and he hoped
that when the Senator was next tempted
20 speak on the subject he would speak
where speaking meant rlsk-to his own
people.
Mr.. Call replied to Mr. Plumb. He said:
] will not be moved. Mr.. President, 10y this
extraordinary example OF the Senator from
Kansas To follow his bad manners, nor his
contemplate methods. He cannot have a
poorer opinion of me than ! have of the
Senator from Kansas. ! have not been IN
the habit Of violating the decorum OF de-
bate and discussion; but If the Senator
thinks bv his idle trayado by his defence
of his vast spoliation of the public do
main IN the interest of those who have pro
fitted by it, that he can intlmidate me IRON
defending the rights of the people OF my
State treat him with the scOrn and con-
tempt that he deserves. The Senator from
Kansas has spoken without truth. My re-
cord in the State OF Florida IS known.
There Is no bOodlertherc whom he defends
VINO does not attack Inc with similar Ian
Cuage and denunciatlOn Is he has used to-
day. / confute and dissipate with scorn
the ALLEGATION Of the Senator that had Sc
crcilv done anything contrary To my pub
l.c uttcrances. What object has the
senator in defending the title of these
bOadiers against the peace and repose OF
ine entire country What object has he Tor
attacking me in common with boodlers
who have prOfted by these frauds No
,uiEc interest, but idle bravadO. | am
nlt afraid to canvass Florida or Kansas
with the Senator on that question. My
position is well known IN relation To 1t IN
the State of Florida. The officials OF the
State are as honorable and as able as the
Senator from Kansas. BY their side he
would sink into insgnifcance The state
mont- of the Senator in relation to their
violation Of the trust are entirely untrue,
and as chairman of the Committee on Pub
DC Lands (Which has jurisdiction over the
Inatter) he should Ice ashamed not to
he better informed in regard 10 the special
circumstances. Ii is disreputable 10 the
Senate that u should have rs chairman of
that committee senator who not only de
tends the interests of the boOdlers but
shows his ignorance of the subject special
Is committed TO him. All that the Senator
has said about the Legislature OF Florida IS
utterly false and untrue and has been sald
for the purpose If making mn attack against
me. lie has his place well by the side OF
those who have drawn those enormous
profits from the misinterpretation OF the
law. With an audacious assumption OF SUI
periority on his part he speaks of senators
rs not being suited 10 their places, as not
being entitled 10 respect. and yet the Sena.
tor exhibits himself az entirely Ignorant OF
the facts. Let me teach him little lesson.
viii not try to teach him prOpriety.
care not for his language or his as
sumption or his demeanor but as a
senator let me seek to teach him a
little knowledge about laws. Having
made statement as 10 the grants to Flori-
ola for railroad purposes and under, the
swamp-land law. Mr.. Call proceeded: l
have not any reputation among the people
OF NY State of having sympathy with
those who commit wrong and error in the
performance of public duty. IL the things
he says were true, and if were as bad q
man as he is. as weak mau as be 10, as
vain man as he is--eyen II were all that
he is himself and all that he says |
am, still would it remain true That
a large number of people nave