Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1892-07-13

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Mr.. Catchings, of Mississippi, was
anxious that the republican side should
take a hand in the debate instead of
listening very willingly to his demo-
cratic opponents, and he now yielded
Is minutes to Mr.. Reed, who was re-
luctant to accept the time and sarcastic
cally said that he should feel obliged if
the gentleman from Mississippi would
wait until somebody had spoken in
favor of the bill. He did not want to
start with negative He was, how
ever, compelled to do SO, Mr.. Catchings
insisting that the republicans should
now be heard from.
Mr.. Reed in his usual sarcastic style
sincerely congratulated the demo-
cratic party on its attitude of repent
ance," remark which launched him
into the debate with the attention of
the whole House. He said that his
mind was occupied by the picture OF
the democratic party as a minority IN
the last Congress. He remembered
how fierce they were then for free
coinage. He remembered the an
nouncement by the distinguished gen
tlemen who had since become the pre-
siding officer of the House (Mr Crisp
that the one thing which the demo-
ocratic party yearned for land MIR,
Reed put a strong accent on the
''yearned') was free silver and that
declaration was followed in the Record
Shy applause on the democratic side"
Oaughter). He remembered how
many democrats said how earnestly
they were for free coinage, and for
moment it actually seemed that they
struck level which might possibly be
called level of principle. Naughter).
But Mr.. Patterson had cleared it all up
and explained the real principle of the
party, only he had embellished the
principle in order to make quotation.
That gentleman said that the great
principle was ''public Office" and added
that it was public trust" declaring
thereby principle and making a quo
tation as well. This thrust was re-
ceived with loud laughter and all over
the House there were smiles when Dir.
Reed said that he did not mind 1.-THE
hating language and trembling voices
of the sinner returning home" Mr..
Reed then endeavored to score a point
for the republican party by declaring
that it existed for principle and not for
office (Which remark the democrats
iecred) and saying that it had taken
the lead in this fight and would enable
the democratic House to do better
service than republican Senate had
done.
Mr.. Reed was followed by Mr.. Abner
Taylor, of Illinois, who spoke against
the silver bill rs measure providing
for debasement of the currency.
Mr.. Pierce, Of Tennessee, then fol-
lowed for the free coinage men in a
speech which attracted close attention.
He declared that the democratic party
was free silver party and he agreed
with the remark of the gentleman from
Maine that in the last House all except
II democrats had voted for free COIN
age. Loud applause on the republic
can side.
Then he paid his respects to the dem
ocrats who are opposing the passage Of
free silver bill under cloture rule
because it cannot now become law by
exclaiming (amid loud cheers and
laughter on the republican side) "why
then did you shoot through those pop
gun tariff bills under a suspension of
the rules 2" He told his colleague, Mr..
Patterson, that he was elected on free
coinage platform and that when the
smoke had cleared away in his district
he OIr. Patterson would be least off
baggage" a term Mr.. Patterson had
used in his speech against bringing sill
yer forward as an issue in the cam
paign.
Dir. Culberson, of Texas, received
the undivided attention of the House
when he arose for twelve minutes
speech. This is more time than the
Texas lawyer, who is regarded as one
of the best attorneys in the House,
usually takes. He said amid loud APP
plause, that the debate was attracting
general attention because it was "a bat
tie of the common people against mo-
nopoly.n He asserted that the demo-
cratic party was not in favor of debas-
ing the currency but was the defender
of sound currency. MIR, Culberson
maintained that the democratic party
by declaring in its platform that it was
in favor of bi-metalism had favored
free coinage of silver. The democratic
party, he said, stood for the money of
the Constitution.
Mr.. Bland closed the debate and then