The morning times., 1895-12-22
SCUFFLES IN CONGRESS
Hall of the House the Arena Of
PuglIistic Encounters.
THREE MEMORABLE SCENES
Noted Statesmen w no Exercised Their
Muscles in Settling Disputes-Hon.
Galusha A. Grow a Principal-He
Knocks Out an Antagonist Three
Times in Single Evening.

knocks Out an Antagonist luree
Times in u Single Evening.
The spectator who sits In gallery
overlooking the House chamber to wit
ness the proceedings from day to day, aud
whose eyes are gladdened by an occasional
glimpse of his Jealous member as he poses
before the country in his first Congressional
clothes, is reminded by nothing that trans
pires in these tame opening days or
newly constituted national legislature OF
the many thrilling scenes that were en-
acted upon that floor in the earlier Con-
gresses.
There have been since the "Filties"
some very exciting impromptu exhibitions
there, as, for example, the struggle over
the force bill; the episode in which Messrs.
WashbuTn and Donneily and Rosseau anu
GriDnen figured; the pyrotechnlc display
over the election of 'T6, and other events OF
more or less gravity. But the aDte-bellMn
struggles were more noteworthy because OF
their unhappy elimination, and for the ad-
ditIonal reason that at that time the iafnil-
iarity which breeds contempt had not ma
terialZed as to that particular feature.
Three OF those occurrences, idBueu GoWn
from the Aud Lang SyDe by the Congress
slopal Globe, have but rarely been re-
frrred to in print, and as some of the prin-
cipals are still in active political life and
others are well remembered, a reproduc-
ton at this time will be OF interest.
If one had not the privilege of a view
OF the swift-passing panorama when Gear
Reed was earning his spurs as Speaker
OF the Fifty-rirst Congress, or when his
his successor held sway inthe Fifty-second,
he will probably have no conception of
what can be done i'll the hall or the ma
tional councils, and If, i'll casual scrutiny
of those in view, his glance should fall
upon the tall, still erect and evidently
vigorous form of the Hon. Galusha A.
Grow, present venerable Congressman
atIarge from the State of Pennsylvania,
he would, without previous knowledge or
present reminder, be very apt to pass by
the gray hairs or the old-timer without
thought OF selecting their owner as a SAM
pie pugilistic champion of personal lib
erty.
MR.. BUCHANANS MESSAGE.
Mr.. Grow was and is much more than
that designation implies, but for the pur-
poses of this story the term must stand.
Mr.. Buchanan submitted to Congress on
the st OF February, 1888 state paper that
was, in a measure, counterpart OF the
one just now under discussion as the
product of Mr.. Cleveland.
1t was special message, but II did not
come to a united body. II was of vital i'm.
portance, as Is the present one, and it
enuncated great principle and challenged
the attention of Congress and the country
1t conveyed in its lines a suspicion OF war,
as does that on the Venezuelan question,
but, unhappily, it referred 10 a strife Of
next of kin, while the present one, If the
analogy shall be carried to the end, will
be a battle of the reunited household against
an ancient foreign foe.
President Buchanan incosed with his
message, with his Endorsement, n copy of
the Lecompton constitution, which had
been brought to Washington by John c.
Calhoun.
The House was soon In a state OF almost
complete disorder, and various PROPOSE
tions were advocated concerning its proper
disposition, including one of reference. The
President had said that by the admission of
Kansas at that session the dark and
omnous clouds would be disspated, but
In the event that the proposition should
be negatived those clouds would become
darker and more ominous than ever Yet
threatened the Constitution and the Union"
There was an all-night session on the
succeeding 9th of February, with the GUS
tomary scenes, grave, solemn, farcical, and
ridiculous.
Clerk after clerk broke down in the
exercise of calling the roll, and the pro-
ceedings lapsed into a state of exceeding
dullness. one-third of the members heing
asleep: a few were engaged in smoking,
and, tradition informs US, a small proper
tion of the Solons were keeping the trail
hot between the hall and the hole in the
WALL" where liquid refreshments were
served
A member asked for permission to send
for a "daguerreotypist' to take a view
OF the scenes" whereupon another inquired:
''How in the devil can they take pictures
by gaslght?" query which, in this day
OF advanced science, would not be pro-
pounded.
Mr.. Davis-Reuben, not the other one-of
Mississippi asked for permission to speak
hour, and then addressed himself briefly
to q privileged question, complaining that
the heat OF the gas was blistering his head j
which was quite bald, and asked permission
to cover his pate with his handkerchief
Another member with bald head objected.
A sCUFFLE FOLLOWED.
At a late hour, when fatigued Congress-
men were occupying sofas and seats, many
of them slumbering to the verge of snoring,
Mr.. Quitman of Mississippi arose to adj
dress the House. He had no authority, he
said, to speak for his friends, but suggested
that they come TO an understanding that
all motions subsequent to the previous ques-
tion should be withdrawn.
Mr.. Grow was walking down the aisle on
the Democratic side, when Mr.. keitt, a
prominent Soutberner, accompanied by
friend of his, approached the PenBsylya-
nian.
scuffle ensued between Grow and !
Keith, which instantly threw the House
into the most violent excitement. Blows
were exchanged by the principal belligerents
before they could be separated, and almost
thereafter Keith again aimed
o bio W at his adversary, whereupon Grow |
Knocked him down.
This was the signal for a general fight, |
and various members were engaged In the |
area fronting the clerks desk. Washburne |
OF Illinois and Potter of Wisconsin, history |
us, were conspicuous in the scrm- |
mage dealing their blows with great mus |
cular TO rec in alldirections. 1t had its funny |
too, one being supplied when Co. |
vode of Pennsylvania, in defense of his Key |
stone colleague, raised a monstrous spit |
toon on'high and was about TO strike Barks- |
dale of Mississippi.
At this juncture the latter's wig fell off, |
revealing a pate as bald as his hand. Co. |
vode, appalled, at the spectacle, dropped |
his weapon with its wealth of cigar stubs |
and retired permanently from the ring.
The Speaker demanded that the House |
should be in order, and the House continued |
Its scenes of extreme disorder until Mr.. |
Grow was again involved. Heinterposed an |
objection TO the remarks OF a Speaker and |
was ordered by his late adversary to go TO |
his wn side of the House.
"This is q free hail." Mr.. Grow retorted: |