The Portland daily press., 1895-12-02

Mr. Reed, on enteringsthe hall, was loud
ly applauded. Taking C position in the
a=ea before the presiding officers desk.
and speaking in an easy conversational
tone,
MR.. REED SAID:
"Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen-For
the honor which you have conferred upon
me, tender you my sincere thanks. 1
am, however, not in the least liable to
confound with my own personality this
tribute of your kindness had only the
good fortune to be so placed that I repre-
sented as well as I was able the patriotic
sense of great party, and it is to that
patriotic sense of our party that you
tender the tribute of your matured, as
you did your temporary, approval.
History will accord us praise for what
we did in the 51st Congress and it may
accord us its praise in this for what Wa
do not do. We have, unfortunately, a
divided government, which usually leads
TO small results, but there are times when
rest is as health giving as exercise and
we must not forget that our first and
greatest duty Is to do all we can to
restore confidence to business and that we
must avoid all business legislation except
in the direction of improving business.
Rather than run risks, we can afford to
wait until we'll matured plans give us
assurances of permanent benefit. Crude
and hasty legislation is above all things
ho CHI En1I1d OH.
mense popular majority to overflow into
the other branches of the governme Mt
and could we have full control, we would
create, not perfect world perhaps. but
a world rather more fit to live in than we
have lately had. Even as things are, do
stincts will lead US to make every sacri-
flee, except of principle,
TO RESCUE OUR COUNTRY
from it's temporary disaster. Not only
have we been elected by the overwhelm-
ing vote of the people as their servants,
but as House of Representatives of
which we are the majority.
'The right to initiate the taxation of
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our hands as sacred trust which we
have no right to surrender and which all
parties, however they differ on other
things, will assuredly maintain. That we
shall be ready at all times to furnish
revenue for the government, according to
our sense of public duty, no man can
doubt.
'This is the great nation of this hemis-
phere and while we have no desire to in
terfere with other nations, we shall
maintain our position here with firm ness
and self-respect and, at the same time,
with careful consideration of facts and
that conservatism OF action which shall
leave no bad question to trouble our
future. In this trust the whole govern
ment, in all It's branches, will be in
accord with each other and with the
people,
When Mr.. Reed finished, Mr.. George
E. Foss, one of the new Chicago men,
bers, in few we'll chosen words, pre-
sented him with now gaveL This gavel
is about eighteen inches in length, COM
posed Of wood from cherry and apple trees
standing on the grounds 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 surmounted with heavy
bands Of gold and silver, beautifully
chased. The inscription on the silver
band encircling the center of the mallet
is quotation from Alexander Hamilton,
reading: Gas too much power leads to
despotism, too little leads to anarchy"
Another inscription is: Presented to
the Hon orable Thomas Bracket Reed,
by the Hamilton Club, of Chicago, 1895.
Mr.. Hilborn, representing the third
California district, said California had
also gavel to present and hc proceeded
to make the presentation in speech in
which he said that the gavel was one of
oak taken from the old ship Hartford,
Farragut's flagship, now undergoing re-
pairs at the navy yard in California. He
added that the country expected from
this Congress, under the guidance of
Speaker Reed, legislation which would
bring prosperity to the land.
Mr.. REED ACCEPTED
both gavels with Enthusiastically appro-
pirate remarks. He said: "Mr. Foss
I beg to thank most sincerely the Hamil-
ton Club for their beautiful gift, which
is connected with the remembrance OF
Alexander Hamilton and Henry Clay,
whose services to their country ended
with their lives. ! en- hope to have my
name associated with the names of these
great and famous men, for this passing
moment only. And yet, brief as the
moment is, it adds greatly to the honor
bestowed on me, and ask you to con-
vey to the Hamilton Club my high sense
of the kindness with which they have al
ways treated me-.
Replying to Mr.. Hilborn, Mr.. Reed
said: "Mr. Hilborn, I have, as you have
seen. been presented with another beauti-
full emblem of office which the kindness