The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-11

in resolution impeaching the President?
$50 to the fountainhead, gentlemen, -
Cummings exclaimed. "You have been
taking it here for nearly eight years from
the President and not whisper have we
heard of impeachment. But the instant
that United States ambassador in for
eign country repeats the same sentiments
there is hue and cry for impeachment.
There is nothing in it, gentlemen. 1t is
only opening the tariff debate a the pres
ent session of Congress-"
McCreary CD of Kentucky, the chair
man of the last Committee on Foreign
Affairs, said that when Congress assembled
it was confronted with grave responsible
ties and the people had hoped that there
would be legislation to ameliorate existing
difficulties, but now, even when the COM
mittees had not been completed, the
first step taken by the Republicans
was to bring in resolution for the i'm
parchment of an American ambassador
simply in order that few gentlemen
might air their rhetoric and present to the
country their views on the protective
tariff. The resolution is a miserable ex-
cuse for debate on subject which Rep
in the regular style. Bayard has spoken
nothing but the simple truth, and there is
nothing in what he SAID that will justify
impeachment.
Barrett called ON Hit (R.) of Illinois,
formerly identified with the State Depart
ment, 10 say what the instructions to
diplomatic and consular officers were.
Hit stated substantially that diplomatic
officers abroad were especially cautioned
to use the greatest reserve in all their pub
lie utterances; not to allude in their public
speeches to any dispute between the
United States and any other Government,
and, better still, to avoid public speeches
whenever that could be done.
Cannon (R.) of Illinois thought that the
resolution should be referred to the Com
mittee on Foreign Affairs. He doubted
that Bayard oughJ to be impeached-as
matter of policy. If Bayard made the re-
marks attributed to him and if the Presi-
dent of the United States did not recall
him promptly, it was the duty of the
American House of Representatives in an
orderly manner, to express its disap-
proval of such action by words of censure.
Johnson (R.) of Indiana commented sar-
castically on Cummings challenging the
veracity of his chosen profession. The
moment, he added, that an American
Minister placed his feet on a trans-At-
lantic steamer he should see things with
an American eye and should stand as the
representative of the great overwhelming
sentiment of the American people. For
an ambassador 10 open his mouth in dis
paragement of the institutions OF his
country was gross improperly; not only
a breach of official etiquette, but wrong
which would call upon him the condemna-
ton of his whole country.
Grow (R.) of Pennsylvania recalled the
incident when, during the Civil War, an
English gentleman, talking with Charles
Francis Adams, the American Minister to
London, made remark as to the Confed-
crates fighting we'll to which Adams made
The felicitous reply, "They are my coun-
trymen."
Barrett closed the debate in speech in
which ne declared it to be his purpose to
secure if possible ''the recall of the man
who has put himself on record in way to
humillate and disgrace the proudest peo-
pie in the world" fApplause.l He criti
czed the President for being absent when
an important communication was re-
ceived from the British Government on
the subject of Venezuela. That commun-
ication, he said, was now lying on some
table-he knew not where-waiting until
the season of duck-shooting on the North
Carolina coast was over.
On motion of Cannon (R.) of Illinois the
words ''by impeachment or otherwise"
were struck out of the resolution.
Crisp's motion to refer the resolution to
the Committee on Judiciary was rejected
ayes so, noes 206
Crisp asked a vote by ayes and noes and
it was taken, resulting-ayes 80, noes 207.
The question required to the following
amendment to the resolution proposed by
Barrett and it was adopted:
And whereas. in public speech delivered at
Boston, England, on the I'd day of August
1895, the said Bayard is reported by the press
of this country to have said, 'fThe President
stands in the midst OF strong, self-confdent
and oftentime violent people-men who desire
to have their own way and who need to have
that way frequently DISTRACTED; and l tell you
plainly that it takes real man to govern the
people of the United States.''
Cannon's amendment to strike out the
words "by impeachment or otherwise was
agreed to, and the resolution as thus
amended was adopted without division.
A number of Democrats were observed to
vote aye and but few noes were heard.
The Speaker stated that by consent the
preamble to the resolution would be con-
sidered Withdrawn.
At 1886 o'clock the House adjourned
until Thursday.