Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-02-08
WHAT'S TREASON?
Question a Bay State Man Asks
the House to Answer.
In ECHO OF A SESSION AT NIGHT

Proceedings . Spice of Excitement-TaI-
berts Words About Secession Taken
Down and Resolution of Censure offered
Which Goes to the Judiciary Committee
Morgan's Share Of the Bond Issue.
WASHINGTON, Feb. s-There was q very
loud echo in the house yesterday of the
revival of war issues that took place in
the night session Wednesday. Talbert
rose to a question of personal privilege,
alleging that the press had misrepresented
| what he said Wednesday. On that even
ing Pearson of North Carolina charged
South Carolina with leading in secession.
the result Of which was that the rebels
were whipped. ''In a jocular way, Mr..
| Speaker" said Talbert, 81 declared we
were not whipped, but had worn our
| selves out trying to whip the other fell
lows. 1t the heat of the moment. and
impulsively, said that South Carolina
was not ashamed Of the part that she tool,
In it: that she was proud Of it, and that ]
! for one Endorsed secession then. thought
we We're right; think so yet, and that
| under the same circumstances, I would
do the same thing again. Now, Mr..
Speaker, repeat it."
barrett Considers 1t Treason.
Barrett of Massachusetts, jumped at
these words and asked that the words be
taken down. Several members appealed
to him not to de SO, and the speaker asked
| Barrett if he insisted upon his demand.
| Barrett seemed to hesitate, when Talbert
| again got on his feet and declared in q
| loud voice that he was willing to have his
| words taken down.
| Il will stand by them" said he.
| These words seemed to clinch Barrett's
resolve, and he replied to the speaker with
feeling: Eyes; insist. I want to see il
; member can violate his oath in this
fashion,"
Proposes q Resolution of Ccnsure.
| 'The chair understood that the gentle
man from South Carolina was only re.
pcating what he had said on a former &C.
cason," said Speaker Reed. Barrett re-
piled that in that case he had point OF
order to submit. Crisp, the Democratic
leader, however at this point crowded
into the arena and moved that Talbcrt be
permitted to explain. The words were
then read at the clerks de@k, and Barrett
then formally made the point Of order
that when n statement made by a member
had been called in question and he DELHI
erately reiterated it, it constituted new
statement and new offcnse. Said Bar
rett: 'Hc has said and has repeated the
statement that under certain circum
stances he believed In secession. 1 pro.
pose now to offer resolution of CEN
| sure"
| Barrett Puts His Case Plainly.
| By this time the excitement on the floor
was intense. Crisp said that he had never
| known an instance when member was
| called to order and II motion was made
| that he be allowed to explain his utter.
| ances that such motion was not consid
cred. To this Barrett replied that he had
no objection to the gentleman from South
| Carolina explaining at the proper tint
his statement. The gentleman having
taken an oath to sustain the constitution
of the United States had said he would
| under certain circumstances attempt Il
overthrow and humilate the government
Talbert Explains Once More.
Crisp's motion to allow Talbcrt to ex
plain was carried and the latter said tina
South Carolina was rs loyal and true t,
the Union as any state in the Union. TIL,
circumstances under which she seeded
could not exist again, and he was glad o
it. Democratic applause. When he hat
spoken of secession being right he hat
spoken of the circumstances then existing
The question had been submitted to tn,
arbitraInent of the sword and settled for
ever. In conclusion he declared that h,
looked with pride upon his past life an,
that he had contemp; for his comrades O
the old days who We're apologizing TO
their share in war. Democratic ap
plauSe.