Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1890-05-31
Speech of Representative Edmuads, of Vir-
ginia

Eecond-class inatter.l
Speech of Representative Edmunds, of Vir-
ginia
II tbs U. s House of Representatives
last Wednesday on o motion so arrange the
osdsr in which public building biHs shonld
be taken up, Mr. Edmuads, She representa-
tvs fror The Lynehhurg. YirSinie, district,
said
Mr. Chairman, am very grateful to the
distinguished gentleman from Texas ar.
Mills VINO i;ea given me some OF h.s time.
thtnk shat every gentleman IL this btouae
With whom have been thrown in contact
will acknowledge that am ct least very
modest gentleman, but 1. too, have my
'ttale Of Woo' which l Gesirs to lay Eaicre
this body. Ia accordance with the modes
ty mbioh claim for myself, I have iatrc-
duced only one bill IN the Congress Of the
Uuited Statea, and that bill for e pubic
building In the city of Rcsnoke, II ScHth-
west Virginia, city which, in the last ten
years, has -eached population oi over
10000 inhabitants, q cisy that pays annually
over $23, eco of postal revenus5 10 the gov
ernment, yet 1t is without public building,
and the government is rentiue little ONCE
SO small that when, Oh one occasion, called
for my mall. hearing sene confusion, the
Dostnaster Informed ne--erc you |ill see
that an not large noan-thHS ino <oom
wss go small only one 1ap co0!d come 10 et
8 time. Laughter Yet this greet city!
that I believe il tDe 1sxs zen years will
bsye q uopuiaticu Of 60 0C0 souls, is not TO
have 6 public building Laughter
As SOON Gs l WEE eec:ed nsmcer OF th;a
House aud had taken my seat, or SIS soon
thereafter Sc possible, appeared before the
committee on public buildings snd g:0nnds
;p relation TO ihat bill I aust gsy thss tbe
gentleman fom Maine hIr. Milkeo the
chairman OF the committee, is certainly ole
of tbs nest plessant, most cordial, and, be'
lieve, enc of the bsst men 10 the world bIf,
cir, be "h9eps the word Of premise TO the
ear and preaksit 80 the hope" with "a emile
that Is chiidiiBe and bland" Laughter
Why, sir, ewing 10 his promise / an today
like that famous animal mentioned In the
Holy scriptures, more noted for the loud
ness than the melody OF his voice, that tell
between two bundles Of hay. Great laugh
te..l Oae part Of my constituents ate Won
dering Why am rot present tC-dey in Rich
mond ST the uoveiiing Of the statue OF the
immortal General Lac, and 1 would have
been shere but for the fact that On the day
before yesterday had very pleasant COZ
versetion with the gentleman from Maine.
Mr. Miliiker |, the chairman cf the commit
tes en- public buildings and grounds, and be
told ne had better stay here; that they
were going to call up Soma bills snd that my
Rosnoke building bill would undoubtedly
60 through. Great laughter.
Mr.. Milliken. VIII the gentleman sllow
me word?
MIR. Edmunds. Not now. My time is
limited, and besides I would get oil my line
Of argument. am an old farmer, you know.
Laughter. Why, sir. except for the mod
esty of gentleman l em very Intimately
acausinted with, bis picture would adorn
the Farmers Journal besides tbs distinguish
ed gentleman farmer from Missouri Mr..
Hatch.
Mr.. Chairman, have noticed that gentle
!nen here like to a!lude now and then to
the length OF time they have been In Cor
gress. and have no doubt, sir, that Ii / am
permitted to remain here natil get that
Roanoke bill through too will be able to
point to quite long period of service in
this House. Laughter Although em
new member here, am not wholly Without
political experience. l served eight years
In the Senate of Virginia and never spoke
nalf an hour during that time, srd could
have been there still, but rny people, appre-
ciating my silence and bsrG WORK as 9 nam
bar Of that body, sent me to the CaD9Eess OF
thu United States by 1900 mejosisy. Laugh
ter Nov, sir, the gentleman from Maine
has told ne that nobody has ever oifsred
word of objection to my Roanoke bill. he
was very pleasant about it. Laughter.
also submitted the matter 70 the gentiaman
from Alabama Mr. BankheaG q demo
cratic member OF that committee, Dnt when
went to the committee 30 look after my
bill found that they had lost ell tins papers
Laughter Then appealed to the gentle
man from New jersey Mr. LehlbHcb re
also received NE pleasantly, out hs oop!a
not find any Of the papers, apd he wtote
report and left out Of it about Sl3, ,0O0 oi rev
enue that should have been credited TO Bee
anoke. Laughter And so. Mr., Chair
man. here to-day am soissng the giorions
old Confederate time la Richmond ~ inV!-
tation of ihe gentleman frou Maine, vino
promised me that ny bill would bs called
up. Laughter
Mr. Milliksr rose.
Mr.. EdmunGs Wslt moment. IheTe
ms been alluslon made here 20 political
mattere in connection with these bills, and
while this discussion has bssn going on l
happened to cast NY eye upon tbs list and
saw there two bilis reported for buildings
in places in Virginia, and, By the stfaogest
coincidence il the world, they were both for
republican districts. Great laughter.
do not charge snything upon snybcdy in
connection with this matter, because am
the poltest as we'll So the most modest of
men. but do cay that 1t is q very remark
able coincidence that both those bills should
be for republican districts. One of the dis
lricts. the Fourth, is democratic nov, but in
a very short time. for the edict has gone
forth from the committee on elections, the
place that knew ny friend Venabla will