Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-10-31


laws which vanished from the statute
books under the weight Of the hand OF
that lamented patriot, Samuel j. Ran
dali.
Here Senator Kenna, displaying
marked emphasis, arose and walked the
door, made an occasional gesture, stood
or moved with the fluctuations OF his
voice, and gave the force and feeling CT
au Grafton to the following
NARRATIVE:
'I was elected to the House Of Repre-
sentatives of the FOrty-ffth Congress,
in 1876, on the ticket with Samuel j..
THden. The regular meeting or that
Congress would have convened on the
first Monday In December, 1877. In
stead of that a proclamation was is
sued by Rutherford b. Hayes converting
Congress in extraordinary session on
the 5th day Of October of that year
Why was this extraordinary session?
Has the country forgotten so recent an
eVentP The proclamation recited that
the Forty-fourth Congress had sd-
iourned without making the usual
appropriations for the support OF
the Army for the fiscal year ending
June 80, 1873. Upon what grave and
momeatOus issue did the Forty-fourth
Congress refuse supplies to the army OF
the country? The democrats OF the
House of Representatives, standing
upon their own responsibilities as rep
resentatives Of the people, refused 10
supply the army, except on the cOndi-
ton that the law should be so amended
as TO prohibit the prostitution OF its
bayonetS TO the maintenance OF fac
tiOnal and partisan government in the
State of Louisiana. The Republican
majority in the Senate stood sQuGrely
for the assertion OF this dominion of
force, and there was the Force bill issue
IN It's prime and yigor.
"The regular session Of the Forty
sixth Congress would have convened on
the first Monday of December, 1879.
Instead Of that a proclamation was is
sued by Rutherford b. Hayes converting
Congress in extraordinary session on the
lS.h day Of March OF that year. Why
was this extraordinary session? Is it
not fresh in the recollection Of our
countrymen? The proclamation recited
that The fOrty-fiith Congress had ad-
j0urned without making the usual and
necessary appropriations for the legls-
latiye, executive and judicial expenses
of the government for the fiscal year
ending June 30, 1850, and without max
ing the usual appropriations for the
support OF the army for the same fiscal
year. Upon what grave and mo-
mentous issue did the FOrty-tlfth
Congress refuse supplies to both
the army and judiciary OF
the country? II was because the Dem
ocrats Of the House OF representatives,
standing upon their possibilities TO
the people, refused to support the army
except on condition that its iron hand
should be restrained frem intimidation
at the polls, and refused 20 support the
judiciary except on condition that the
test oath Of jurors which Yrostituted the
courts 10 the purposes OK party should
be repealed, and refused the public sup
port 10 a band of hirelingS in the form
of Supervisors and marShals to pOliute
the polls and overawe the people. These
are the features of the Force bill issue
as they confronted men who entered
Congress with me fifteen years ago, and
these are the features OF the Force bill
issue as 10 stands, = hYdra-headed mon
ster, threatening the liberties of the Re-
public to-day.
1.-The result of these conflicts in Con-
gress was the modification of all these
statutes. Scarcely anything remained
except the supervisors and marshalS for
cities OF certain population, and the APP
preparations went on as usual. There
were
STIRRING SCENES IN THOSE DAYS.
The House of Representatives was a
great arena in which gladiator met glad
iat0r and the survival was to the fttest.
In his farewell address Mr.. Randall,
standing in majestic form aud with that
voice so well remembered aud cherished
BY me, declared: In this hall party has
been arrayed against party and inter-
est against interest In fierce and bitter
struggle And, as If in parting rebuke
OF appeals to force, in the sOftening spirit
in which alone a. such q time he could
make il, he proclaimed that genuine
concord between all the States and the
citizens thereof is the corner stone of
cur national prosperity One scene in
particular recall as wildly as saw it
when it occurred. Garfield, leader of
the Republican side, in the climax Of
fervered speech, appealing to that pre-
iudice against the Southern element
upon which his party so strongly relied,
facing the Democratic majority, declar-
ed: You tried to shoot the Government
to death in war, you are now trying to
starve il in peace. Responding to this
sentiment Atkins, Of Tennessee, Chair
man Of the Committee on Appropria-
tiOns, and leading the Democracy in its
demand for repeal, arose in his place,
tall, majestic, determined as his foe and
answered back: History is full OF de-
malls by the people Of supplies except on
conditions Of relief unwillingly yielded