The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1892-06-09
POLITICAL PYROTECHNICS.
A Lively Scene In the House of Repre-
SontatIyOS

sentatlvos
WASHINGTON, May 27.-While the
politicians in the Senate were strug-
Cling with the silver question the men,
DerS OF the House were lighting phan-
tom force bill. On the proposition to
appropriate 100000 for the colored
mans department at the Worlds Fair
a bitter partisan discussion ensued.
Representative Johnston. of Indiana
a young Republican who represents
President llarrison's district in Con-
speech. with the probable intention of
reminding the Southern delegates to
Minneapolis that it is their duty to
stand by President Harrison, the
champion Of the force bill. Gen.
Hooker, of Mississippi, made pa
trlotlc speech, defending the Southern
people, black and white, and denounced
the effort of the young man from In
diana to revive sectional feeling at this
late day.
For some time there was considera-
ble excitement in the House, and a
number Of stormy scenes occurred.
The more prudent Republicans con-
demned the course of Johnston as i'm
hand 1T gave the Democrats an oppOr-
tunity to appeal to their Farmers AL
lance friends, who are disposed to
drift away from the Democratic moor
lngs. Thousands of copies of John
ston's speech will be Immediately
printed and distributed throughout the
Southern States for campaign effect.
After Gen. Hooker was through with
the Indiana Johnston Representative
George Johnstone, of South Carolina,
challenged certain statements which
MS Republican namesake had made re
ilecting upon the people of the Pal
metto State. Mr.. Johnstone was al
lowed but three minutes to speak, but
IN that brief period he delivered one of
the most Scathing rebukes to the In
diana Congressman ever heard in the
llouSe of Representatives. With con-
siderable feeling in his voice and ges-
lures that could not be misunderstood
the South CarOliniaR proceeded to ar
ralgn the protege of President Harri-
son. Said he:
"N1y conception, Mr.. Chairman, of
the grandeur and the destiny Of this
country and my conception of the
dignity OF man forbid me to reply to
the gentleman from Indiana in the
terms III which he addressed this
1louSe. lie assumes to speak for the
Republican Administration. AS an,
American citizen | deny the fact that
he does. l do not believe that there
exists today a Republican Admins
tratlon which would allow the gen tie
man from Indiana, in the terms which
ne used, to become its spokesman
| lhey are peacemakerS, the sworn pro.
tectors Of the liberties and rights of
the American people, not diSsemina
tors of discord. But, sir, to show how
far he has gone wrong, how far he is
treSnaSsing upon the courtesy OF The
Democratic House, and has permitted
MS Viperous tongue to slander the peo
pie oil the section that / represent, the
State which | represent, l beg but {
moments time to call the attention OF
the ilouse to the facts underlying his
words and to give him and the country
the true history of that which he seeks
to detail. l challenge him, sir, here
and now in the face Of the American
people to deny that it was a Republi.
can Supreme Court, compos ed of a Re.
publican native Carolinian, Il Republi-
can negro and Republican imported
from the North, which determined the
question of the validity of the vote of
South Carolina in 1876. If that be so,
and challenge him now and here to
rise In his place and deny it, his SLAM
der, coming with the venom that it did
from his serpent tongue, falls back
with its malignity buried in his own
BOSOM"
Mr.. Johnston, Of Indiana: "That is.
| understand the gentleman to deny
the allegation and defy the alligator"
MIR. JohnstOne, OF South Carolina
There is no alligator here; hear but
permit mo to state that the gentleman
from Indiana, after having indulged in
the bltterest vituperation against the
Democratic party throughout America,
has been able to instance but one place,
the 7th district of South Carolina, in
which he says specifically that the
rights OF the colored man have been
subyerted, and in the same breath in
which he makes that statement he
tells the country that at the time to
which he alludes Democratic House
seated the Republican nominee upon
the contest made.
zone word more, Mr.. Chairman. l
had imagined that the judicial Office is
sacred one, l had imagined that no
Judge with the spirit OF right implant
ed IN his bosom, with broad cOncep-
tlon OF the judicial character, would
permit himself to sit in Judgment upon
a case not yet heard and to deliver q
decree therein. But that is the position
IN which the gentleman from Indiana
stands. He is q member of the COM
mittee on elections with q con test
pending in the 7th district of South
Carolina with not syllable of tcsti-
mony. Yet before the committee, with
the case unheard. he violates the sacred
oath he has taken and attempts in adj
vance to PREJUDICE the case, and to de-
liver his decree. II that be the spirit
that actuates the gentleman from In
diana, If that be the sense OF Justice
that is implanted in his bosom, do
not believe that even the Republican
membership of this House can COM
mend 1T, and know that il any of the
training usually given to American
youth has been expended upon him he
will yet hang his head in shame for his
departure from the correct rule" APP
plause.l
While the South Carolnian was
speaking his Democratic associates
gathered around him and listened at
tentively. When he concluded there
was burst of applause on tho floor
and in the galleries, which showed that
he had %on the approval of his Demo-