The San Francisco call., 1896-02-23

I that of Presidential elector- t-large on the
breckenridge and Lane ticket, prior to his
election to the Senate
lie not only stands in the front rank of
those Senators who deliver long speeches
OF high order of merit and sustained
force, but he is equally at home in a cut
and thrust debate He uses the rapier
with as much skill as the broadsword He
! is mercllcss in repartee, as the following
VIII show. 1t is we'll known that Senator
David Bennett Hill is by no means choice
OF weapons, and is restrained by no sense
OF dellcacy from striking an antagonist
below the belt If opportunity serves. Most
| people of common-sense thoroughly in
dorse Senator Hill in his tight to so change
the rules OF the Senate that limits can be
fixed to debate and the business of the
country transacted. So far he has failed
but having right on his side will succeed at
last. General Morgan fought Hills pro-
| posal with characteristic vigor and de-
nounced 1t as unconstitutional. Hill went
after him in this fashion: "The Senator
| from Alabama spoke-yea boasted-of his
Lifelong devotion to the constitution of
the United States. 1t may be so. l sup
posed that for very brief period my friend
was supporting another constitution, but
| may be mistaken. Laughter and ap-
plause in the gallery.
1.-The Senator spoke of the wrongs that
Were about to be perpetrated by this BODY
In the passing of the pending bill. If his
contention about these rules is correct
then there is no possible danger of any
wrong being perpetrated, because If the
view taken by him is correct there seems
to be no method provided by which we can
reach the result. Therefore if that is true.
he can, with the utmost safety, repeat the
statement In Imitation of another distin-
guished Senator from that State that if
we pass the pending bill in the manner
hy mo 1r,Io
of the rules we must walk over his dead
body. do not believe it. 1t is an IDLE
threat. l have heard of statesmen before
who were going to die in the last ditch,
but there are some of them alive now.''
Thereupon the galleries roared.
MephlstOphelean smile spread over
the pallid face of the willy David, and he
evidently thought he had struck blow
from which he would get none in return.
But he was mistaken for Morgan gave him
Roland for his Oliver IN this savage man
ner, which neither Senator Hill nor some
other high and mighty personages are
apt TO forget soon. After expressing the
highest admiration and kindliest feelings
for Union soldiers, Morgan said: "But, Mr.
President, do not have SO much respect
for those man who are constantly quoting
that difficulty whenever they have an op-
portunlty to make point upon brother
Senator or anybody about it, but who did
IOI nave tuS pluCh ~ SuOulUSr gun TO
out to fight. Ny respect does not extend
to that class in the cordial way that it
does to men like Morrison, Randall, Palm
er and Sickles, and hundreds of others
whose names l might call in the Northern
States who came out and took their
muskets in their hands and said:
we will try the question with you
upon the issue of BATTLE. am not alarmed
lest one of these gentlemen should quote
upon me my attitude in 1860 to 1865, for an
honest soldier who fought me in the war
never does it; only those who hired SUBJ
stitutes and stayed at home and pleaded
the baby act, or something of that kind,
for an excuse for patriotic Delinquency,
are in the habit here and elsewhere of
quoting upon me the fact that l belonged
at one time to the secession and re bel gov
ernment of the South. l did belong to it,
and when blush Of shame comes over nv
cheek to condemn me for the part l took
in that struggle, l shall still be more
ashamed OF the poor, craven creature who
can undertake to impose that as disgrace
upon me; for if there is a man in the
world who is entitled to any consideration
from the human family it is one like old
John Knox. or John Wesley, or Martin
Luther and men of that kind, who fought
the battles of Christianity and who
fought for freedom of conscience
against the strength of the greatest
com bination of political and civil
and religious power which ever existed in
the world. These are the men whom I
revere in history, not those petty po liti-