Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-04-23
THE NoYEs-RocKwELL CONTEST.

THE NOYEs-RoCKwELL CONTEXT.
Rockwell Retains His Seat Against the Com.
mittees Report-Polisical Allusions.
The House yesterday by vote Of 40 10 90 de-
cided to retain Mr. Rockwell (democrat) in the
seat which the majority Of the elections commit
tee had decided Mr.. Moves (republican) 70 be en-.
| titled to. In this manner was officially ended
| case which has attracted more than ordinary
F, interest during this Congress and which viii
figure conspicuousy in the political history Of
| this House.
Additional interest has been attracted TO the
case by the alleged interference Of Senator
| Fill to save Mr.. Rockwell after the committees
had decided. 1t has been generally under
1 stood, and il was stated by Dir. OFerrall Ia
his speech yesterday afternoon, that Of . con.
ference of the democrats Of the committee
| after the case had been fully considered they
| were unanimously Of the opinion thai M,
Noyes. the republican, was entitled TO the seat.
| Afterward two of the democrats changed their
| position and submitted y minority report favor
ing Mr. Rockwell. and "a the case approach he'd
| a conclusion in the House certain other demo-
| Gratis OF the committee began TO show signs of
loss of interest in Gus taining their own report
INrERFERrScK OF Mn. HILL
This state Of affairs, il is alleged, was due 70
the interference Of Mr.. Hill aud the injection
by him Of presidential politics into the case.
1t is alleged that he used all sorts of political
| influence to induce democrats of the commit
tee to change their judgment Of the case aud
| there was an excited controversy between the
New York Senator and Mr.. O'Ferrall at a meet
ing between them at which Mr.. Hill tried TO
get the chairman of the committee to change
his position full account Of this meeting
between the two men was given in TIE STAR at
the time. Since then it has been generally un-
derstood that great political pressure was be-
ing brought to bear on democrats in tho House
| TO induce them to overturn the action Ut the
| committee. and the final conclusion is regarded
| as complete reversal of the sentiment Of the
House at the time the report was mado from
| the committee.
The closing argument by Mr.. O'Fsrrall in
defense of the committee report. which oc-
| Cured after The STAR had gone to press.
was one of the best speeches the Virginia
| orator has made in the House. and there were
| significant features which gave it particular
d interest and caused considerable connection IN
/ the House.
1 Just before his speech Mr. Cochran had mado
a speech remarkable for eloquence. which at
| tracted great attention and excited applause,
but was more OF political address than an
| argument on the case and was full Of personal
illusions to Mr.. O'Ferrall.
| MR.. oFEREALL's sPErcH.
On opening Mr. O'Fcrrall said he hoped that
a calm would succeed to tho hurricane which
had just passed over the House. The speech
| of the gentleman from New York reminded
| him OF little story. \ belated traveller was
journeying over a country road in the midst OF
a storm. His horse he guided by the flare of
| the lightning. But although the storm was
fierce one the flashes were infroquont, while
| the peals of thunder were incessant.
| Finally the wayfarer sent up the invocation:
| ''Oh. Lord. if it is just the same to you, 1
| would like 10 have u little more ligh: and not
quite so much noise" ILong continued
| laughter
lie said that Mr.. Cock rau always liked to ap-
pear independent, and that he was always
| wrong when he WIS independent Referring
| significantly to the peculiar interest suddenly
aroused in Mr.. Rockwell's behalf. he said that
since this case had come up gentlemen with
| whom he had been on intimate relations had
been cool and oflish with him. Why2 Because
he had dared to do what was right. What was
there about this case to place it on PIN
nacle SO high? Why were the waters dashed?
1t would seem that some great political whale
was exerting its mighty influence and power.
lLaughter.l He was a partisan but no was not
| enough of u partisan to turn his head and re-
fuse TO see the right. Nor did he belong to
that small class of democrats who would act on
| unwarrantabie assumptions and perverted
facts In order to retain = democrat on the
| floor.
| THE OUTSIDE INFLUENCE.
Referring again to the outside influence, he
said that there was little secret history in re-
gard to this case. las Mr.. O'Ferrall uttered
these words the interest instantly became in
tense. He would not have referred to it were
1t not for the speech made yesterday by the
gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Allen). In
that speech the gentleman had stated that a
majority OF the democrats on the committee
ON elections was in favor Of seating Rock
| well He (Mr. O'FerralD had arisen
and denied that statement. He stood here
| now to deny II, unless gentlemen on the
committee had changed their opinions since
| they had expressed those opinions to him. He
would not do an injustice to q human being
! much less to his worthy colleagues on the COM
! mittee, because they were all his personal
friends They were SO when the committee
was organized; they were so now, and LIE
hoped that they would remain SO. They would
bear him out in the statement that he had
been assailed by o pro bono publico gentleman.
have to go around In his country wearing on
the lapel Of his coat label with the words, Il
| am democrat" tApplause, laughter, cheers
and great confusion.J
TRIBUTE TO GROVER CLEVELAND.
He had heard all sorts OF charges made
against himself in connection with this report,
but were it not for the remarks of the gentle
man from Mississippi he would not refer to them
on this floor 1t had been charged that he was
warped in his judgment because he preferred
certain gentleman for the next Democratic
nomination for President He supposed that as
an American citizen he had the right to exer-
else the privilege Of expressing his choice. His
choice was fixed. Everybody who knew his
convictions knew what his choice was. And
yet he was to be assaled and criticised because
he preferred certain distinguished gentleman
for the next democratic nomination. 1t was
true. He did prefer a certain gentleman. he
preferred great big man Laughter and ap-
p!ause.l He preferred a man who was lion
and not a fox. [Cheers and sensational
He preferred a man who stood out before the
country, head and shoulders above every other
living democrat of this age. A man who
knew no north. south, no east, no west; O
man who knew one people; man whose homo
was the United states-the magnificent and
grand Grover Cleveland of the state OF New
York. lGreat applause.l