Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-23
Mr.. HEWlTT'SS SPEECH
1t E1oites the Ire of Southern Men
In Congress.
SOME EXPRESS THEIRFEELINGS
They Accuse Him of Misrepresent-
ing the Real Facts.
B AID FOR DEM RACY

The speech of Abraham 8. Hewitt at the
banquet of the Southern Society in New
York last night has created intense indig-
nation among the southern men in Con-
gress- As soon as the attention Of few
had been called to the matter, the papers
publishing the fullest account of his speech
were circulated freely through the House,
and expressions of contempt and indigna-
ton were vented on every hand. A large
majority of the southern men refused to
give public expression of opinion on the
matter beyond saying that 1t was contemp-
uble and unworthy Of notice. Mr.. Nc
Creary Of Kentucky said that he found the
Dest way of treating such things was to
Ignore them, and he should do so with this.
MI Alien or Mississippi said that he would
hnd occasion to give extended public ex-
preston OF his opinion after considering the
matter.
VIII injure the Democratic Party.
Mr.. Lester of Georgia said that he did
not feel like using language in comment
Ing upon this matter which would be suit
able to print. but he regarded such a speech
as calculated to do great injury to the
democratic party. Mr.. Bankhead of Ala
palna said that the utteranceS were con-
temptible. He believed that it was premedi-
tated, and a part of a plan of concerted
action on the part of so-called democrats
CT New York, and elsewhere in the east, to
ueStroy tne democratic party.
he SAID that he could see nothing else in
IL except this vicious object, that there
could be no excuse for il except upon the
assumption that 1t was malicious. and II
was OF kind with the action of some of the
eastern men in the House today. AS for
himself. he said he could see no solution of
the problem except to tell Mr. Hewitt and
his kind to go to the devil and then to
take Horace Greeley's advice and go west
The future alliance must be between the
south and west.
To Insult the Southern People.
Mr.. Enloe of Tennessee said that it was
deliberate purpose to insult and traduce
the southern people. because they would
not consent to be robbed and to take COM
mands from a small section of the party
around New York. AS for Mr.. Hewitt
himself. there was a time when no one
could dispute his intelligence but that II
might be that he was now in his dotage
and suffering from disappointments, or 1t
might be that he had Joined that gang In.
the east who are trying to put their hands
into other peoples pockets, and in
dignant that there should be any resistance
or protest. The applause which Mr.. Hew-
tits speech received was evidence that,
however feeble Mr.. Hewitt's Intellect
might have become, there were those who
Of Kentucky said simply that Hewitt was
in his dotage- Mr.. Dockery of Missouri
said that the speech was unworthy of Mr..
Hewitt and departed far from the truth.
M 10 wen Oh bru1uS
Mr.. Livingston of Georgia said that Mr.
Hewitt uttered an absolute falSehood when
he said that the men of brains of the south
had gene north. THE southern men of
brains who have gone north.' said he. ''are
few and far between. I do not mean to say
that no brainy southerner has gone north,
but do say that few have. He makes an
other false statement when he says that
the Industrious men of the south have re-
. hpc how uvpr fnn rnnr
to go north. The southern people controlled
this country from the beginning of it's his
tory until the war, and now again they are
getting control in every department of the
government and every path of industry.
For every intelligent southern man who
goes north. fifty intelligent northern men
come south The southern people do not
want to go north. They have no business
there, unless they go to gamble In stocks
and bonds and to Join the robber band, and
do Mr. Hewitt Is dOing-make money out
of the manipulation of the revenues of the
government. AS for the ignorance of the
southern men, being a southern Congress-
man myself, shall say nothing; but when
he speaks of our devotion to silver as the
touchstone of our ignorance 1 must remind
IN that in this We follow the Constitution
our government and in the footsteps OF
Calhoun, Clay, Webster and Lincoln"
Mr. Heyvitt's Remarks
The remarks of Mr.. Hewitt were in re-
spending to the toast, THE National Cred
it," which had been assigned to Secretary
Carlisle. The latter was unable to be pres-
ent and ex-Mayor Hewitt was substituted
You gentlemen who are assembled he-e -
said Mr.. Hewitt. have proved your title to
be leaders IN this community by achieving
success in every walk of life YOU have on
tered. 1t has been to the great and lasting
benefit of this metropolis that YOU have
come among us. But Ii seems tnat what
has been our gain has been the loss of the
south Applying the gauge of history to the
south of today, we find that a great change
has come over the character of her public
men. Where are her sons today to COM
pare with the giants whom she was wont
TO send to the national Capitol? 1t must be
that she has lost her best men or that her
best men no longer devote themselves to her
public interests
southern representatives in Congress suc.
cumbiDg TO the fallacy that a position on
the bench OF the Supreme Court of the
United States is purely local question tc
be settled according to the demand of some
local politician made on the President, Sup
pose
Mr. Hewitt went on without intending tc
pause. but for fully minute his voice was
drowned by cries Of appreciation from his
hearers.
Hear, Hear, Hearv' came from all n,r,s
Of the banquet hail. while the hand-cIap-
ping and stamping Of feet fairly shook the
candelabra the tables. When silence
had been restored. Mr.. Hewitt continued
In other times. before 1850. your national
representatives supposed that the Supreme
bench Of the nited States was the con.
Germ of the whole country-that Ii should
be filled without regard to party politics
They supposed" exclaimed the speaker
stepping uD closer to the table before him
anu gripping the chair which he had
leaned. they supposed that seat on the
hencn or the highest judicial tribunal in the
word WIS not to be made a football fol
ward politicians TO kick about at WILL
Ihats true"' shouted some one high
aDove the fresh tumult that brake out In
evidence of the fact that the audience was
In full accord with MIR. Hewitt.
Go, gentlemen" Mr.. Hewitt said dra-
matcaiiy. go and tell the men who are
sent to Washington from the south TODAY
that Benton and Calhoun and Crawford
ana the other great men of the south OF
me olden time would have abandoned the
nigh position of Senator and returned to
.helr homes in sackcloth and ashes sooner
than nave been degraded to the mere servf-
tude or man who is utterly without repu-
tatlon. and without character, and withou,
tne right TO speak for the great state OF
New York. -
1ou are young men, and come of a peo-
?Ie VINO We're not afraid to speak out, even
"hen II involved the greatest sacrifice Are
you less brave now? Are you less ready 10
sacrl1ce yourselves for what you consider
the right?
You owe IL to yourselves to express to
hold. 'O
II am speaking as the substitute of Mr.,
bw Ii