Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-07-01

rescued nation. should gladly welcome them
now on their return There are those who will
appreciate the thought that Thousands and tens
in September next for the first time TO see this
dear old Capitol which they saved, and that the
occasion ought TO be made worthy OF their COM
ing.
TEE COMING EScAxPNENr.
have myself no small means Of personally
knowing what the attendance will be here.
Correspondence and intercourse with the sol
diers at Detroit, when IL was determined that
the reunion should be held here Cfor was a
delegate 20 that encampmentl, conversation on
the train with soldiers ON they way homo and
the talks have had with them since have all
satisned me that there will be q much larger at
tendance At this encampment than at anv held
since the war. had a letter the other day
from Capt NJ. E. Erwin Of INV own city, Du-
buque, chief Of staff for the department of
Iowa. He wrote me that there would be here
from, Iowa alone 5000 soldiers, uniformed. to
march up Pennsylvania avenue in procession.
Our city has sent probably from 500 20 900 70
previous encampments. There will be here a
similar proportion also Of the relatives and
friends Of these soldiers.
Mr.. Speaker, the pleasures of that occasion
VIII include visiting the old battlefelds all
around Washington. To many of the soldiers
OF the western army this will be a new ex-
perience. They. have heard of those battle
fields and know Of them by the history Of
events from 1861 TO 1866, but they have never
seen them. l tell you these western soldiers
will flock to this eacampment eager TO zee
those old defensive spots. l can understand
their interest in this matter, for know what
were my feelings when a short time ago
visited the fields OF Gettysburg and Antietam,
which had never seen before. Then. again,
from all around this region will come the men
don GaxrSx Uan audi .saNa
Hancock, and who were connected with other
army organizations OF the east Do YOU not
realize that they will come here TO see the
fields on which they camped and fought?
merely mention these things that every
thinking man may realize the fact that the
holding OF this encampment at the national
capital Is sufficient inducement 10 bring thou
sands here. There will be drawn here by these
old historic scenes and associations a gathering
that will I'LL this city with numbers never be-
fore dreamed OF in connection with an occasion
OF TINS Kind. Col. Edison told me only this
morning that he trembled at the responsibility
which he found resting upon his shoulders as
chief OF the local committee having this matter
in charge. L want TO do my duty here to this
District and TO this common council by i'm
pressing upon members that 800 900 added to
the So, 600 which the people of the District will
raise In order TO carry out these arrangements
will be, if anything. too small. Gen. Cogswell
suggests to me that there must be raised
100000 outside of this. and have no doubt Of
the truth of this statement. And Col. Edison
estimates for 500. 900. And since that testi-
mony was given all the estimates indicate a
largely increased necessity for preparation.
am talking to the common council of WASH
ington, not to the House of Representatives
and appeal to this common council to adopt
the substitute which L have offered. which is
practically the Senate amendment. adding pro-
visions which We all agree TO. even the major
ity conferees of the House, looking TO the use.
by permission of the Secretary of War. where
it will not do injury, of certain public squares,
reservations and Streets in connection with this
celebration. 1 appeal to you not to make the
fatal mistake Of stepping outside your current
line Of treatment of this city. Iappeal to you
as common council TO appropriate dollar for
dollar as you do in other cases.
MR.. coNProSs ATTITUDE
Mr.. Compton of Maryland protested that
Congress was not the common council of the
District.
This BODY" he said, ''does not act simply
as legislative body for Washington city, be-
cause, under the organic law. fifty cents of
every dollar appropriated for the maintenance
of the local government in this District comes
out OF the pockets of the people: and il is the
Congress of the United States which properly
legislates on this question. Therefore. sir, our
powers are broader. our responsibilities are
greater. infinitely greater. than those imposed
upon any common council in America. But,
Mr.. Speaker. my friend has made an appeal
here which l hoped would not be made.
acquit him of any purpose to give TO this mat
ter any political coloring. Ii has been my
pride and pleasure since the assembling of this
Congress TO serve in intimate relations with nv
friend from Iowa upon the committee on APP
proprlations-particularly on this bill. L recog-
nize in him a man who has demonstrated the
capabilities of American citizenship on the
field and in the forum. L know that his capac-
ity is large: know that his vision is extensive;
know that his impulses are noble and gen.
erous and patriotic as those that abide in the
breast of any man on this floor. Therefore
acquit him of any purpose to give TO this ques-
ton political coloring so far as he is con-
cerned.
But, Mr.. Speaker, the gentleman appeals to
the patriotic impulses of the members of the
House, when he makes the speech he did. and
the illusions he has seen proper TO inject into
it as to the conduct and the suffering of the
soldiers who are to come here. now lame. halt.
blind and manned. and seeks to move our
sympathy by appeals of this character to our
patriotism. Sir. that is not the Issue. That is
not the question that is presented at all. 1want
to say to him that while neither wore the blue
nor the gray, and though my sympathies were
with the gray, no man now living feels more
kindly than 1 do, or appreciates more deeply
and sincerely the magnificent valor displayed
by the Union soldiers in the defense of the
Union.
There is a scene. sir, connected with the
streets Of this capital that was witnessed at the
close OF the war. a scene unparalleled, in my
judgment, i'm the history Of the world. and that
is the march of these gallant men following the
banner of the Union, the banner for which they
had been willing to give their lives. and the
Union they loved and the capital they defended
these remnants of the old army. marching down
these streets in an unbroken column. And for
one want to say that if the purpose and OBJ
ject Of this appropriation were TO commemorate
that grand event would not hesitate to vote all
of the money necessary out of the federal
treasury itself for that purpose. But I repeat.
sir that is not the question. This is an entirely
different matter. Ii is a question that has been
raised deliberately and premeditatedly by the
citizens of Washington themselves in their own
name and for their own sake.
''As one of the conferees," Mr.. Compton said.
81 am willing TO put my hand into the treasury
to make up a reasonable amount to supply the
wants and requirements for this occasion. But
l insist, a matter OF right and justice, that
that money should come out of the proceeds of
the revenues collected in this District. This is
District show and nothing more or less. Now.
gentlemen. do not let us say it is not right be-
cause the District of Columbia is not able to
stand such strain. Why. sir. are told today
that there vii be nearly half million of dollars