Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-12-18
The Prssident's Message,

The Prsssdsnts Message.
President Cleveland's special mes
sage to congress on the Venezuelan
boundary question dispute carries
with it the true American ring. Its
very tone of America for the Ameri-
cans for all time arouses the patri-
otto impulse Of every loyal citizen Of
the republic and in that response is
voiced the safety Of our institutions
and the perpetuity of the nation. In
times when the country's peace and
tranquility are threatened the Amer
lean people, regardless of political
theory. creed. or condition. become
one for single aim and that the
cause of country. Walter Wellman
in his special correspondence to the
Chicago Times-Herald tells of the
manner in which the message was
received in the two houses of con-
gress. He says:
There was a memorable scene in
the senate. Nearly every man was
in his seat. The reading was fol-
lowed with an interest almost pain
full. So eager were the senators to
catch every word the president had
written that Mr.. Hawley asked the
secretary to read more slowly. One
of the rules of the senate is that
there shall be applause neither upon
the floor nor in the galleries. But
presently a wave of feeling runs
through the assemblage. The rules
are forgotten by the most staid and
punctilious of senators. From all
parts Of the chamber comes a salvo
of hand-clapping. and now and the n
as the reading proceeds it is re-
peated. II q single senator on the
floor failed to take part in it he was
not observable frem the press gal
lery. The republicans appeared
more alert and emphatic even than
their democratic friends across the
aisle. The applause was taken up in
the galleries. and Vice President
Stevenson made no effort to check it.
Not for many years has such q scene
been witnessed in the United States
senate chamber.
"In the house Of representatives,
where sit the men fresh from the
people, there was a still more i'm
pressive scene. It. was after
O'Clock when Speaker Reed laid be.
fore the house the message and its
accompanying documents. All crit
cism OF the delay as disrespectful to
the president OF the United States
was forgotten in the presence OF the
momentous issue. Throughout the
afternoon the house had discussed,
in . perfunctory sort of way, q ques-
ton Of rules for which few. if any.
cared. Ordinarily q quorum would
have melted away in this round oil
dizziness. But today there was
something in the air besides parties
and elections. There was a question
Of war or peace to meet. A grea,
American principle was to live or die
Not . man left the hall
"When Speaker Reed broke the seal
Of the big packet which had lain SC
long upon his table and passed the
contents to the reading clerk every
eye was upon him. Every member
Ia town was in his seat. No mar
wrote letters. smoked. spoke to hi.
neighbor. or was willing his neigh
Dor should speak to him. Every one
sat bolt upright, tense. eager
thoughtful. The galleries were
thronged, too. The reading clerk
for once and q wonder, realized tn,
significance of his text. aud gave ovel
his hasty drawl, instead reading
slowly and euunciating clearly. Tn,
usual hubbub and confusion of the
great hall were silenced. The man
who coughed blushed for the commo
ton he had caused in that still as
semblage. The clerk read on ant
on with not the faiutest audibl,
sound but his own voice to disturb
the air."
The way the various stirring sen
fences were punctured with applause
is spoken Of by the correspondent
and the scene spoken of rs one Of tn
most remarkable ever witnessed il
the national halls OF legislation.