The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-02-12
Talbert on Secession.
THE LIVELIEST ROW OF
THE SESSION.
The Republicans Exhibit
Themselves as Fools.

ing is full report Of the row in the
House of Representatives to day:
At II O'Clock the house adjourned,
and minute later the speaker rap
ped the gavel to announce the open
ing of Fridays session Immediate
ly the house was preciplsated into
the liveliest row that has been seen
and heard on the floor since the
early days Of the Fifty-drst congress,
which ragged for au hour and a half
aud was ended by reference Of the
agitating subject the committee GU
the judiciary.
Mr.. Talbers (Dem Of South Caro-
lima. rising to question Of prlvi-
iege, said: "Zt has, been brought to
my notice that | have been misrepre-
sented by the press of the country
(unintentiorally, have no doubt.
for l cannot believe that the press of
the country desires to misrepresent
members upon this hoor) aud in ris-
ing, do not rise to apologize for or
to retract anything that said on
that occasion, but to reecho and reite-
rate every word and sentiment that |
then uttered.
'On last "Wednesday evening,
when the present bill was under dis
cussion, the gentleman from North
Carolina (Mr Pearson) saw proper,
while making his speech. to go out
of his way to unkindly criticise the
State of South Carolina, which |
have the honor in part to represent
upon this foor-the great and grand
and glorious State of which | am
proud, and State tina: is as true and
as loyal to the flag to-day as any
other State in the United States In
his remarks he criticised the promi-
nent part that South Carolina took in
the act of secession in 1860. In the
course of his remarks, as | under
stood him, he took occasion to say
that North Carolina had followed
South Carolina out of the Union in
secession, and that North Carolina
and South Carolina, too, had been
whipped. As to that l have nothing
to say I only in jocular way re-
marked 20 the gentleman that he was
mistaken-that South Carolina had
never been whipped, that she wore
herself out trying to whip the other
fellow But what he said, in sub
stance. that he was ashamed of such
on the part Of his State, l arose,
possibly in an unparliamentary man
ner, and, in the heat Of the moment,
impulsively said that South Carolina
was not ashamed Of the part she
took in it; that she was proud of it,
and that l for one endorsed secession
then. and I thought we were right. !
think so yet, and that under the
same circumstances, surrounded by
the same conditions I would do the
same thing again Now Mr. Speak
er, I repeat it"
Up to this time Mr. Talbert had
been attracting apparently little at
tention, but here he was interrupted
by Nj Barrett (Rep Of Massachu
setts, who called him to order and
demanded that his words be taken
down.
MUCH OF MUSS
Almost instantly there was much
confusion on the floor and disorder
which almost prevented Mr.. Talbert
from being heard TO say:
II am willing, Mr.. Speaker, for my
words to be taken down, and l pro.
pose to stand by every word that l
utter upon this floor"
The Speaker vigorously welding
the gavel): The gentleman will have
to resume his seat"
While the words were being tran
scribed many Republicans endeavor-
ed to dissuade Mr.. Barrett from pros
ecuting his point of order. but un.
successfully.
When the reporters notes had
been transcribed, Speaker Reed
asked: *Does the gentleman from
Massachusetts ask that the words be
taken down.
Mr.. Barrett ask that the words
be taken down because, as | under
stood the remarks of the gentleman
from South Carolina, his statement
was in direct violation of the oath
that he took at the bar of this house
at the opening of congress. (Ap-
plause on the Republican side
After the clerk had read the objec.
tionable language, the speaker sug-
gested to the gentleman from Mas.
sachusetts that the gentleman was
repeating what he said previously for
the purpose of making some modi6-
cation understood
Mr.. Crisp moved that the gentle