The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-12-11
He II Charged with Denouncing Pro-
lection, Landing Cleveland, and
Calling Us evident People,
SPEECH BY MR.. II. q. JOHNSON
SEVERE CRITICISM OF BAYARD'S
CONDUCT AND OF HIS UPHOLDERs.
Remarks Of Ex-Speal<er Crisp, Repre-
sentatives Barrett, Mccall, Dingley,
McCreary, Cannon and Others.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 10.-The first fight
on strictly party lines in the House took
place to-day over Mr.. Barretts resolution
impeaching ambassador Bayard for the I'M
American and tactless speech in England
recently, assailing the American policy OF
protection. Mr.. Crisp led the fight for the
Democrats, but he confessed the weakness
Of his position by ignoring the real cues
ton at issue, and haunting the Repub-
licans with cowardice in not daring to
bring in a protective tariff bill. passing II
through the House and then going before
the country on that issue next fall Repre-
sentative Johnson. of Indiana, pulled the
ex-Speaker up with a sharp turn in a five
minute speech, in which. among other
things. he said:
"The trouble with the gentleman from
Georgia CMr. Crisp is that he has shot
wide of the mark; that he seems, as do
other gentlemen on that side of the House,
to have Inexperienced the real point at
issue in this matter. The question is not
whether protection is right or protection is
wrong. The question is not whether the
tenets of free trade will best advance the
interests of our country or whether they
will injure it's interests. Nor is the Issue
whether or not these questions, which the
gentleman from Georgia has been pleased
to call academic shall be discussed IN the
proper forum in this country. Nor Is 1t
even a question as to whether a private
citizen Of this country, being upon foreign
soil. has the right to express his unfavor-
able opinions either of the policy or the
morals of his fellow-Americans at home.
But the question is whether a man who is
the chosen representative Of the people Of
this country. who bears in his hand the
insignia of office, SHALL on a public occa-
sion. on the soil of the government to
which he is accredited, in the presence of
foreigners, not merely speak disparagingly
of the tenets of political party in this
u of i his remarks to his Country
men shall impeach their integrity and
honesty. This Is the question before the
House, and the gentleman nee s not attempt
ton by undertaking to impute to gentle
men on this side of the chamber simply
disposition to lug in debate on the sub
ject of the tariff
DUTY OF OUR AMBASSADORS.
at undertake to say that whenever an
ambassador to a foreign country puts his
foot upon a transatlantic steamer to go to
his destination to represent us from that
moment he should be a sealed book as to
the internal discussions or diverse views Of
his countrymen. From that moment he
should see everything. to quote the lam
guage of Daniel Webster. solely with
American eyes, and he should stand as the
representative not of any particular pol
icy or of any particular part of his coun-
trymen, but as the guardian and ex-senator
East and West. 1 undertake. too. to say
that for foreign ambassador from any
country to open his mouth upon the soil
of the country to which he is accredited
either in disparagement of its institutions
or in the disparagement Of the institutions
of his own countrymen, Is gross impropri-
ETY., a breach not simply OF official ETH
Quette, but a wrong which should justly
call down on him the impartial censure of
all his countrymen.
Nov. as i have said, the gentleman
from Georgia has evaded the whole ques-
ton at issue this question of privilege,
and seen fit to talk about the result of the
election, and to discuss the merits of the
question of protection or free trade. which
are in no wise involved on this occasion.
do not wonder that the gentleman has seen
fit to announce to this House that he is
not diplomatic. The very awkward man.
ner in which he sought to evade the Ques-
ton put to him by Mr.. DINGHY is of itself
and shows that his opinion of himself is
we'll entertained. He will never again be
called on to make the declaration on this
floor, after the experience of to-day, for the
House will hereafter assent at once to the
truth of his proposition that he knows
nothing of diplomacy. daughter on the
Republican side)
CRISP'S BLUNDER.
when the gentleman cites the re-
suit of the election of 1892 as
proof that Mr.. Bayard reflected
the views of his countrymen in the Ian
guage employed by him abroad which Ian
guage. 1 insist. he had no right to make
use of in that tribunal. the gentleman is
unfortunate and overlooks the fact that
the last expression of public opinion at the
polls is the one to which the most impor-
lance should be attached. The gentleman
forgets that the voice of the American
people. ever since they committed the IA
tai error of putting the Democratic party
in power, has been in the line of reversing
time Mr.. Cleveland assumed his office up
to the present hour. they never have had
the polls, that they have not FASTENED to
do II with patriotism and with alacrity.
Now. the gentleman from Georgia need
policy of the Republican party on this
floor. He need not undertake TO challenge
us to bring in a tariff bill, and to thus
raise the issue and go TO the country. He
may rely on it that the Republican ma
jority on this floor will not present to the
country the scene Of imbecility and dissen-
SlOn W0lcn MS own party exniDlteu IN the
last two Congresses. daughter on the Re-
publican sde) The gentleman will observe
before this Congress terminates that the
Republicans on this floor have both the
capacity and the patriotism to reconcile
their individual differences. IL any exist, in
caucus, and TO present a solid front on
some line of legislative policy which they
believe will conduce to the interests Of all
the people of the country. The gentleman
will have occasion, before the session ex-
pires, too, j trust, to observe that the Re-
publican party will not follow the example
of gentlemen upon the other side: that no
Republican dirty linen is to be washed in
the presence of all this House and OF an
indignant land Disguised country. in imi-
tation OF the course which has subjected
the Democracy to the animadversions OF
the people of all parties and of the press,
irrespective Of its party predictions.
Now, IL is not necessary that / should
detain the House further upon this SUBJ
ject. The public press of this country has
been heard on the subject Of Mr.. Bayard's
utterances. Right-minded men. patriotic
men. who have regard for the prophecies
of official life. and for the dignity IF the
Nation. have been heard to express their
opinions on this subject. II would be a
burning shame, which would ieservedly
bring reproach upon this body. r. with all
its powers and prerogatives. 1t passed by
this indiscreet. this ill-timed. this indeli-
cate. this untruthful declaration Of our