The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1895-01-12
THE BLUE And THEGRAY
Sensational Discussion in the Lower
House Of Congress.
THE FIGHT OVER A PENSION BILL.

A Proposition to Pension General McCIer-
nand Meets with Opposition from q
Southern Mcmbsr. Which Arouses tlls
Ire Of Representative Champ Clark.
WAsnIEeToN, Jan. ALPHABETICALLY the
whole Of yesterdays session Of the senate
was occupied in the discussion Of Mr..
Hill's amendmentto the urgent deficiency
bill designed to afford an opportunity to
test the constitutionality Of the income
tax law. Mr.. Hill delivered a long and
carefully prepared speech in support Of
his amendment. Mr.. Dubois Qdaho) fol-
lowed in support Of the appropriation to
make the law operative, but soon drifted
into discussion Of the silver question In
which he said that no currency bill could
pass that was not liberal towards silver.
Mr.. Quay (Pa.) supported Mr.. Hills
amendment and said 1t would be the duty
OF the next Republican congress to repeal
the law Mcssrs. Sherman (O.) and
Mitchell (Ore.) thought the appropriation
should be made. Before adjournment Mr..
Morgan (Ala.) raised and the chair sus-
tained point Of order against the amend
ment from which Mr.. Hill appealed and
action on this was laid over.
Yesterday was private bill day In the
house, but only one bill was considered, q
claim of the heirs of William johnson, of
Fayette county, Tenn, for sl8, 900 worth of
stores confscated during the war. On ac-
count OF the opposition the bill was finally
withdrawn. Nine bills were passed by
unanimous consent. The most Important
was to amend the shipping act Of Aug. 10,
1890 so as to eliminate some Of the penal
provisions of that act, which had proved
unduly harsh in their application to sea-
men on board vessels engaged in the coast-
wise and nearby foreign trade. Another
bill was passed to protect the salmon fish
cries Of Alaska.
The feature of the night session Of the
house was the debate which grow out of
the attempt of Mr. Springer Qlls.) to pass
bill granting 500 per month to Major
General John A. MoClernand. Mr.. Jones
(Va) insisted upon making the point of
no quorum. Mr.. Springer, In heated
speech, lectured those of his southern
Democratic colleagues who constantly as
sumed an attitude of hostility toward the
pensions of Union soldiers. He called at
tention to the fact that but thirteen DEM
ocrats had been returned to the house
from the north. He warned them that IL
their course was persisted in none would
be returned the succeeding congress.
Mr.. Pence (Colo.) in an earnest speech
appealed to Mr.. Jones to withdraw his
point and spoke of the well known, dis
tinguished patriotic services OF General
McClernand when Mr.. Waugh Qnd.)
threw bombshell into the discussion by
asking If the beneficiary Of this bill was
not the same General John A. MoClerpand
who was relieved from command before
yicksburg, by General Grant, for un-
soldierly conduct, and of whom General
Halleck said 1t was premeditated murder
to place him In command. The attack on
General McClernand came from an unex-
pected source and Mr.. Marsh Qlls.) and
others hastened to his defense Mr.. Marsh
declared hotly that General McClernand
had never been guilty of unsoldierly con-
duct and the history of the transaction
would show that he had not been removed
by General Grant for that reason.
"Did not General Grant remove him for
causes which he deemed properSn persisted
MIR. Waugh.
II do not dosire TO impugn the charao-
ter of General Grant" replied Mr.. Marsh
sharply, 'but desire to say that his ac-
tion in this case was "a mistake"
What reason did General Grant as
signP" interrupted Mr.. Cox (Tenn). "Was
1t not because he was too quick at Vicks.
burgs"
II never heard It charged against Grant, :"
replied Mr.. Marsh, THAT he criticized u
soldier for going in too quick"
The discussion was prolonged for more
than two hours, and was marked by sew
eral sensational scenes, one of which was
the Kissing Of Mr.. Jones when he said that
the widow Of General John A. Logan, who
received q pension OF g., 900 year, was liv-
ing in social luxury in this city and an
nually spent more than her pension money
for flowers displayed by her az her social
functions. Later on, when he proclaimed
his pride in the Confederate cause, that
had gone down in defeat the Republicans
in chorus shouted: 1--WE have no doubt of
1t, but in the galleries many of tho spec
tators applauded vigorously.
Mr.. Springer was finally forced TO with
draw the BILL.
But even after the bill had been with
drawn Mr.. Champ Clark (Ndo) got the
floor, and In a characteristic speech scored
Mr.. Jones roundly, as he said, on behalf
of his Democratic colleagues Of the north.
He began by saying that the Democratic
party presented q dissolving view, and
would soon be lost to sight, though to
memory dear He attributed much Of the
Democratic disaster last fall to the course
of southern Democrats on the pension
question and charged the defeat of at least
fifty northern Democrats to the speeches
of Mr.. Jones. He then paid magnificent
tribute to McClernand. After appealing
TO Mr.. Jones to allow this meritorious bill
to go through he turned to him and said
impressively that the Democrats of the
north were sick and tired of having their
southern party associates come to con-
gress and stab their party in the back.
ave arc through with you," Mr.. Clark
concluded. After passing two bills the
house at 1880 adjourned.