The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-01-13
HE LIVED DOWN HIS SHAME


Representative Johnson's Impassioned
Address In Answer to Personal Attack
by Representative Maguire-A Brave
Avowal of Past Sins and Life of Re-
pentance-The Speaker Breaks Down.
Washington, Jan. 12.-In the house,
to-day, Mr.. johnson, rep, of California,
took the floor.on a question of personal
privilege and made an impassioned ad-
dress in answer to remarks inserted in
the Congressional Record of this morn
ing by Mr.. Mcguire, DEM, of California,
under leave to print. Mr.. Johnson said
that last Friday during the debate on
the Pacific railroad funding bill he had
been informed that Mr.. Mcguire had
intended to assail him personally on
the floor with reference to his (John-
son'S) remarks about another person,
and he had waited for Mr.. Mcguire to
do so without being gratified.
This morning he found in the Record
whole column devoted to bitter per-
sonal attack on himself. That speech
was not delivered. He did not know
whether that was a violation of the
rules. But he believed it a wanton and
malicious disregard of the right of the
members of the house to publish a
wanton and bitter attack on brother
member. Telegraphic information from
California had come that the San Fran
cisco Examiner had published the
speech alleged to have been delivered
| by Mr.. Mcguire on the floor of the
/ house. "He made a coWardly insinua-
ton against me-" said Mr.. Johnson,
"and had not the courage to make a
manly attack"
| Mr.. johnson explained that it was
| true that thirty-four years ago he had
been indicted in Syracuse. 1t was true
| that he went to California to create a
new home But it was not true that he
went there under new name.
| In g. voice choked with emotion, Mr..
Johnson said that by the blessing of
God and the help Of his wife he had
been able to pay back every dollar he
owed in Syracuse (Applause.)
| No man, continued Mr.. Johnson, had
suffered pecuniary loss at his expense.
| He had made q. clean breast of his
early life to the convention at Sacra-
mento that nominated him for the leg
islature, and he had been nominated
by a three-fourths vote and elected.
During his congressional campaigns ne
had told the people that he was the
same Grove Johnson who had been in
dicted, and he had been nominated and
reelected.
81 did wrong" he remarked; Il know
1 it. But I have made UP for it as well
as any man could" (Here Mr.. John
sons voice broke.) He said that the
people Of the city and county of Sacra-
mento, where he lived knew his whole
life, and yet, despite the fact that Bry-
an had received 800 majority in Sacra-
mento county, he, a republican, carried
every district in that county. CAP
plause.) He said that Irish informers
and Russian police spies would have
scorned to do what Mr.. Mcguire had
done.
Mr.. Johnson sat down amid ap-
plause.
Mr.. Mcguire said that he was not
afraid to speak. He referred to Mr..
Johnsons attack on Mr.. Hearst as the
most bitter and malicious assault that
he had ever used against an absent
man. Mr.. Mcguire told of ineffectual
attempts to answer Mr.. Johnson, and
denounced as false the charges made
by him.
The senate bill constituting the acts
of congress in relation to bestowing
life-saving medals was passed.
During the discussion Of the bill pro-
yiding a penalty for the use of con-
gressional mail franks without author
ity. Mr.. Loud, rep, Of California, ex-
planned that during the late campaign
his frank had been used by persons
who had no such authority.
| Some opposition developed to the
measure, Mr.. Boutelle, rep, of Maine,
in one instance making the point that
if member of congress or his clerk
We're to inadvertently put unfranked
matter in a frank envelope he would
be liable to fine or Imprisonment He
thought it better that the government
should lose two cents once in a while
than that quorum be arrested.
A motion for the previous question
was lost, and after a wrangle over a
point Of order the house at D. m. ad-
| journed
In the house. Mr. Brosius rep, OF
Pennsylvania, called up a house bill
increasing the classes to which pref
erence shall be given in appointments
in civil service. 1t provides that these
classes shall be disabled union soldiers
and sailors of the late war and hon
orably discharged union soldiers and
sailors and widows and orphans o1
| rnion soldiers and sailors
The present law gives preference to
those union soldiers and sailors who
are discharged by reason of wounds or
i sickness contracted in service. After
some discussion as to whether state
| troops might not be included under the
provisions of the bill it was modified
so as to read that preference would be
given to soldiers and sailors of the
United States in the war of the rebel
| lion.
The bill was passed.
In the Senate.
L