Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-03-08
The Pnissant Reed.

with the exceptions that he Is q giant IN size
and n ia not others but himself that cries
ont. Long live the most puissant Speakef
Of tho Republican House OF Represent
atiyes. He does not leave it for others 10
sound his praises or to set forth his claims
10 popular consideration, but proclaims
from the house-tops that he (REED) Is the
powerful leader of the hosts OF Republican
Iilliput. The larger the Democratic ma
iority in the next House OF Representative
the more determined REED appears 10 De 70
frighten his opponents by beating tomtolns'
INT the teeth of the beast have been ex-
tracted. and REEDS roaring Is the roaring
of lion that has lost Its weapons Oh OIL
fence and defence. We were about 10 say
that il was the roaring of q hon IN tne
lobby; but to say this would be 10 nonor
Ryyp above his merits and locate him SO
that be might possibly do some mlscniet'
whereas the fact is that he is as impoten'
for harm as he is averse to righteousness
GulI1vBB, though be was potent Tor mis-
chief, declared that he would never be an
instrument In bringing free and brave
people into slavery, but REED declares that
he is proud of having done all that he
could rs Speaker of the House OF Repre-,
septatives to put the people of this vast
nation into chains. He glories in his Shame
or at least processes TO do so.
Mr.. REEDS speech IN New YORK on FIJI
day night has moved us TO pen this article
In that speech he followed up the same
train of thought which has for months mol
10 ssy nearly two years, been the burden OF
his popular speeches. He knows the weak
point in his castle. and defended 1t. he
puts his finger upon the sore place
whenever he makes public speech. lie
does not wait for it to be pointed out oy
others. He declares truthfully that the
Fifty-frst Congress has been extensively
advertised. This fact is abundantly
proved by the complexion OF the Lext
House of Representatives. The Fitty-tirst
Congress was so extensively advertised
last year that it lost its popularity with
the people and was dead and sinking be-
fore the second session of that Congress
began. The people rose almost in body
and performed well the burial rites of the
defunct war-partY.
Mr.. REED makes himself laughing
stock when he challenges the world to
point to the equal of the Fifty-frst Con-
gress "for the great good it has done" Was
there ever so untrue statement made by
so conspicuous man? What good did
Mr.. REED designate as having been done
by the Fifty-frst Congress? Not one good
measure did he name. He boasts without
cause and .brags of non entities. The
arbitrary rules which wicked House OF
Representatives framed the still more
wicked REED enforced to their full extent.
These rules are ali that REED has to ex-
ult over, for his force bill is dead, dead,
dead. And it: IS nothing else than these
rules that REED alludes to when he de-
clares the Fifty-frst Congress showed to
the people of the country that it is posi-
bic to have responsible government" Re-
sponsible government! How response
bleP Let REEDS acts answer-REED who
made whatever laws he chose to make
and could make by counting quorum OF
members as present when the roll-call
showed less than q quorum; REED, who
deputed this vast power to an underling;
REED, who recognized whom he would as
entitled to the floor; REED, who has no
claims upon the gratitude of his country
men except the good service which he
rendered them when he so demeaned
himself as TO induce the people
to risel in their might and put down once
for all both him and his party.
Ouoth REED, whenever this country
awakes to the fact that the doctrine of hui
man liberty must prevail from one end to
the other then justice will be done to the
men who enforced an honest count and an
honest law" This is amusing, now that
the Fifty-frst Congress is dead and buried.
But it reads as If the ex-Speaker had writ
ten his speech before the force bill was
killed, and forgot when hs went to New
York to make his language conform TO the
facts. What honest law" does he allude
to-? What "honest COUNT? Plainly
to the force bill. But he "spoke
too late" He estimates that the
southern States do not have honest laws
nor an honest count when they come
to elect their congressman. Well, we OF
the South can afford to laugh at REED and
his gang and defy their worst efforts. We
are no longer even in danger. 1.-THE clouds
that lowered upon our house are in the deep
bosom of the ocean buried" "Our broWs
are bound with victorious wreaths." We
despise the threats of our enemies and defy
them to do their worst. 1.-THE horse and
his rider have been overthrown."
But the truth came out OF last. We said
q day or two ago that the Fifty-frst Con-
gress was to be praised for what it had
failed to do rather than for what it had
done. Mr.. REED says that what he claims
for the dead House of Representatives is
not what it had done, but what it rendered
possible for all time to be done. This reads
as if he expected the Democrats OF the
next House to adopt his rules, and their
Speaker TO follow his example. Again, we
laugh his words to scorn and leave him TO
the tender mercies of an impartial pos
terity, whilst we rejoice over our present
good fortune.