The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1894-01-24
An Episode in Mr.. Crows Congress-
iOnal Career.


An Episode in Mr.. Crows Congress-
iOnal Career.
1t was ON the morning of February
9Th, 1858, that Mr.. Grow had the most ex-
citing experience in his life on the floor
of the House. 1t was an all-night ses-
sion, on a question of a reference of the
Kansas message of President Buchanan
with the Lecompton Constitution TO Sc
lect committee. The time was being ta-
ken up by flibustering roll-calls on mo-
tions TO excuse absent members and on
motioDs to adjourn. Pending one of
these, about two o'clock at night Gener-
al Quitman, of Mississippi, asked unani-
nous consent to address the House.
Grow, who had Just left the seat of John
Hickman, on the Democratic side, and
was passing down the aisle toward the
area in front of the Speakers desk, OBJ
iected Quitman commenced to speak,
and Grow again objected. Lawrence M.
Keitt, of South Carolina, who was seated
two or three seats away on the next side,
spoke up in rather a sharp tone of voice,
and said: "If you are going to object go
over 10 your own side--you have no bus
iness over here, anyhow" Grow re-
piled; "This is free hall, and everybo-
dy has right TO be where they please"
Keitt left his seat, and passed down the
aisle next to him in the area, and then
up the aisle in front of Grow, accompan-
led from the area by Reuben Davis, of
Mississippi. Keitt said to Grow: What
did you mean by such an answer?"
Grow replied: 81 mean just what / said,
This is a free hall, and shall stay where
please" Whereupon Keitt, attempt
ing to seize Grow by the throat said /:
"You are damned, black, Republican
puppy" Grow, knocking his hand to
one side, said: "Numatter what 1 am,
no slave driver can crack his whip over
me-" Keitt again grabbed at Grow, and
Grow, with his left hand parried off, and
with the clenched fist of his right knock
ed Keitt down lengthwise of the aisle.
Barksdale, of Mississippi, who was sit
first seat from the aisle, directly opposite
Grow, sprang up and caught round Grow
with both arms. While in this position
John f. Porter (of bowie-knife fame)
came up, striking out right and left, and
seeing Barksdale hold of Grow, hit him.
Barksdale, not knowing exactly where
the blow came from, and turning his
head partly round, saw Elihu Washburn
nearest to him, and, supposing the blow
came from him, let go of Grow and grab
| bed Washburn. Cadwallader Washburn
coming up then, and seeing his brother
and Barksdale clinched, struck out at
Barksdale, and the blow, glancing along
Barksdale's head, knocked off his wig.
| Thereupon Barksdale let go of Elihu,
and, STOPPING down, picked up the wig,
and in replacing it he got it on backside
first. His grotesque appearance made
those nearby burst out in loud laugh,
causing everybody to look round to see
what it all meant, and in an instant there
was a lull, with everybody looking
| around at each other. In this lull the
| Speaker (Orr, of South Carolina) who
had been pounding on his desk with his
gravel and calling for order, directed the
Seargeant-at-Arms to enforce order. He
had just returned to the hall from lead.
ing Keitt--as soon as he got on his feet
out OF the side door into the corridor in
the rear of the Speakers desk. He ad.
vanced as rapidly as possible, holding
aloft the mace, into the midst of the com
batants. AT this time the area in front o
the Speaker and the aisle in which Grow
stood was packed full Of members o
both political parties, most of them pull
hauling at each other, and every body in
the House had crowded down as near as
possible TO the centre of the conflict. II
the lull (the whole affair lasted only
minute or two) the Sergeant at-arm
succeeded in quieting the disturbanc,
and inducing the members to resume
their seats, and business proceeded as be
fore, until about six o'clock in the morn
ing, when the House adjourned. Al it
next session Keitt and Grow made apol
ogies to the house for violating its goot
order or decorum. There the matte
dropped and the House never took an,
action on it.
Connected with the fracas were a mum
Der of funny incidents. John Covode, o
T Pennsylvania, large, athletic man
went down from his seat in the area
holding large earthern spittoon in hi
hand, which Grow noticed as he was re
sumng his seat. Afterward, meeting
Covode, he said TO him; "Covode, wha
were you doing with that spittoon p Co
vode said: 81 didn't know but some fel
Ter might draw a weepon, and if he did
intended to spot him with it,