Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1893-08-26
FIFTY-THIRD CONGRESS-.
WASHINGTON. August &c, 1898.
HOUSE.

The galleries of the House were full
of spectators this morning before the
hour of meeting 40 a. N.Y. attracted by
the announcement that the last day OF
the great silver debate was to be sig
nalized by a battle of the oratorical
giants of the House. The chaplain in
his opening prayer asked Gods blessing
on the closing hours of this long debate.
"Thou hast, already" he said, "sent
Thy blessing, for it has been conducted
with mild, christian-like spirit. May
nothing occur to mar that spirit, as the
debate comes to its close. And we be-
seech Thee, whatever may be the re-
suit of it, that that result may prove to
be q lasting benefit to the largest num-
Der of Thy people"
The Speaker announced the order of
the days proceedings. Under the hour
rule, he said. the time in favor of the
bill would close with the member from
West Virginia (Mr. WILSON, and the
time in opposition to it by the member
from Missouri (Mr. Bland).
The first thirty minutes was assigned
by Mr.. Wilson to Mr.. Clark. He be-
lieved it the duty of Congress to fix the
ratio at 16 to /. In his opinion there
was no difference in the ability of the
country to carry out silver coinage be-
tween 16 and 20 ratio. If the coun-
try could do it with ratio of 20 to /,
it could do it with ratio of 16 to l..
The trouble was thought to be due to
the policy Of purchasing silver under
the Sherman law.
The House came to q sudden and
complete condition of quietude as Mr..
Reed stood up in the most easterly aisle
on the republican side Of the chamber
and began to address the House in slow,
strong, measured tones. He took de-
cided grounds in favor of the repeal of
the Sherman act, though he did not be-
lieve it would correct the existing evil,
and concluded as follows We stand in
very peculiar position, we republicans
of to-day. The representative of the
democratic party, just chosen President
of the United States, iinds himself pow
erless in his first great recommendation
to his own party. Were he left to their
tender mercies the country would wit
ness the spectacle of the President
of its choice overthrow by the
party charged with this country's
government. What wonder then that
he appeals to the patriotism of another
party whose patriotism has never been
appealed to in vain? Never, say, in
vain The proudest part of the proud
record Of the republican party has been
its steadfast devotion TO the cause OF
sound finance. When this country was
tempted to pay its bonds in deprecated
money, the republican party responded
with loud acclaim to that noble senti-
ment Of General Hawley that every
bond was as sacred as q soldiers grave.
1t cost us hard fighting and sore strug-
gle, but the credit of this country has
no superior in the world. When the
same arguments heard to-day were
heard fifteen years ago, sounding the
praises Of a deprecated currency and
proclaiming the glories of tiat-money,
the party of Abraham Lincoln marched
steadily towards specie payments and
prosperity. What we were in our days
Of victory we are in our days of defeat,
champions of true and solid finance;
and when the day comes as it surely
will come for us to lead this land back
to the paths of prosperity and fame,
which were trodden under republican
rule for so many years, we shall take
back with us our ancient glory I'M
dimmed by adversely, our ancient
honor unsullied by defeat.
When that part of the speech was
reached which treats of the threats of
the democratic party to interfere with
the tariff, when Mr.. Read declared it as
a fact that the chairman of the commit
tee on ways and means did not know
to-day what he meant for tariff-al-
though his predecessor probably would
the humor of the thing was instant
ly caught up, and there were shouts of
laughter on the floor and in the gal
leries. Then there was applause on
the republican side Of the chamber
when he declared that the efforts of
the democrats would be not pieced out,
but made whole by the patriotism of the
republican party, he was very i'm
pressive, and produced marked inn
preston on the audience when, in
speaking of the banks, he declared his
belief that they were doing, at this
moment, as thoroughly patriotic
duty as any man whom he saw
in front of him. They were the
main stay ofthe country at this time.
At the closing sentence loud and long
continued applause burst out from the
rennhlican side of the chamber and