The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-01
TOM REED OF MAINE SELECTED SPEAKER.


this l trust the whole Government, in all
Its branches, will be in accord with each
other and with the people"
When Mr.. Reed had finished George E.
Foss of the Seventh Illinois District, one of
the new Chicago members, and one of the
younger of the many young men in this
Congress, presented Mr.. Reed with a new
gavel. This gavel is an exquisite piece of
Workmanship. 1t is about eighteen inches
in length, composed of wood from cherry
and apple trees strnding on the ground at
Ashland, the old homestead of Henry
Clay, in Kentucky. The extreme end of
the handle is beautiful piece of carved
ivory, the wood of the handle
and OF the mallet being surrounded with
heavy bands of gold and silver, beautifully
chased. The inscription on the silver
band encircling the center of the mallet is
a quotation from Alexander Hamilton.
reading: "As too much power leads to
despotism. too little leads to anarchy"
Another inscription is: Presented to
the Hon. Thomas B. Reed by the Hamil.
ton Club of Chicago. 1895"
In presenting the gavel Mr.. Foss said:
"If it is in order desire to present to
the honorable gentleman from Maine-our
next Speaker-the instrument of his Of
fcial position, for no man here tonight
doubts that the unanimous wish of this
caucus will on Monday next become the
declared will of the next House of Repre-
sentatives. 1t is therefore my pleasure,
Mr.. Reed, on behalf of the Hamilton Club
of Chicago, one of the leading Republican
organizations of the great West, which
@ol- frov fha ffrct
tectionist, Alexander Hamilton, to present
you upon this occasion this gavel, the
symbol of your high office.
"a portion of the material in its con-
struction is taken from the old home of
that great commoner and protectionist,
Henry Clay, in Kentucky-a State which
has recently worked out its own political
regeneration and henceforth subscribes to
the Republican creed. Its associations,
therefore, will remind you of that cardinal
principle of the Republican party-protec-
ton, which means the encouragement of
American industries, the elevation of
American labor. and the preservation of
the American home market. Bound to-
gether with bands of gold and silver, it rep
resents that other great principle of Re-
publican aith--bimetalism. Protection
and blmetallism have always been the
watchwords of the Republican party.
"The people of the Northwest, and, in
fact, the people of the whole country, will
hail with profound satisfaction the action
of this caucus and your subsequent eleva-
ton to the Speakership of the House.
They know your ability to preside over the
deliberations of this body. They know
that you know quorum when you see it.
They know that the principle which. un-
derlies the very foundations OF republican
government-the right of the majority to
rule-will be maintained. With faith in
your sincerity of purpose, in the courage
of your convictions, in your mastership of
parliamentary law and in the breadth of
your craftsmanship, they know that your
sole aim will be to serve the country, which
is the common country of US all. 1t is
with great pleasure that l, on behalf of the
Hamilton Club OF Chicago, present this
gavel to you"
Mr.. Hilborn, representing the Third
California district, stated that California
also had gavel to present and proceeded
to make the presentation in speech. He
said:
~ have been commissioned by Edward
Walsh Garrison No. 95, Regular Army
and Navy Union of Vallejo, California, to
present to the Speaker of the House of
Representatives gavel, to be used in pre-
siding over that distinguished body. This
gavel and companion block were placed in
my hands months ago, long before Con-
gress convened, but the gentlemen who
prepared the gift, relying upon the maxim
that that which ought to be done will be
done, anticipated the action of Congress
and caused to be inscribed upon the block
the name of Tom Reed OF Maine
"You have lived among the people of
the far West and know their peculiarities.
You know their proneness to take liber.
ties with names of those they love.
therefore need not apologize to you for
the liberty they seem to have taken IN the
use of your name. Had they loved you
less they would have been less familiar
The legend upon the block is wrought in
silver and gold from the mountains of
California, and the metals seem to be
in proportion of about sixteen to one.
The gavel is made of oak taken from the
old ship Hartford, Farragut's flagship,
now undergoing repairs at the navy-yard
in California.
''This piece of wood has already had
romantic history as part of the historic
ship which bore the great admiral in naval
engagements which brought such renown
to our navy and glory to our country. AS
the victory of Nelson's flagship is en-
shrined in the hearts of EngIishmen. so
the Hartford is dear to all Americans.
This piece of wood has an interest which
will not fade, but will increase with the
lapse of time. AS an mblem of authority
in the hands of the Speaker of the House
of Representatives it will enter upon new
career of history making.
"The gentlemen who donated this gaveI
are now or have been connected with the
army or navy of the United States-the
military arm of the Government, which
stands as the exponent of order main
tanned by power. 1t demands enforcement
of the law in every part of our country and
maintenance of our National honor abroad.
To them it seemed eminently fit that this
piece of the old Hartford should be fash
ioned into a gavel-always the emblem of
authority-but in the hands of the Speaker
of the House of Representatives it repre-