The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-01-13
. BITTER WORDS.
Congressman Mcguire and john
son Clash.
Mr.. Johnson Defends His Past
Life.
HAS SUFFERED MUCH.
California Local Politics Con-
sumes COngressman's Time.
Editor Hearst the Cause Of Hot
Warfare.
AS SUFFERED MUCH.


terday in connection with his remarks
on the bill some very caustic comments
on Mr.. Johnson'S speech and the latter
who had been awaiting Mr.. Maguires
appearance in the hall, as soon as he
saw him enter, arose and asked the
speaker if it would be in order for him
to rise to a question of personal privi-
lege. Being informed that he could do
so as soon as the pending bill was out
of the way, he bided his time AS soon
as the bill was passed, the California
member impetuously arose The house
Immediately squared itself around.
He referred to the fact that a st.
Louis correspondent had telegraphed to
his paper that Mr.. Mcguire was going
to expose the skeletons in his closet to
show that this was no sudden burst of
wrath on the part of Mr.. Mcguire. He
further said that he had received a
telegram that Mr.. Hearst'S paper had
already printed Mr. Maguires remarks
and the charges made.
1t is" Mr.. Johnson said, just as we'll
for me to face this matter now as la
ter and meet the cOWardly inSinuatiOnS
made against me at the dictation of
William r. Hearst. It is true that so
years ago 1 was in trouble in New
York, that l was indicted; that 1 went
to California to rear a new home and
live down the past, but it is untrue that
L went under an assumed name"
He went on to describe how he had
worked in Sacramento to make amends
for the past. His voice shook as he
told how by the blessings of God and
the help of his good wife he had at
last been able to pay back every dol
lar of what he owed. The house greet
ed him with hearty applause.
Continuing, he told how, ever since
1878, he had returned each year to
Syracuse and had been received there
at the scene of his youthful indiscre-
ton. He told of the hOnorS he had
been accorded in California, where the
story was known, but it remained for
from Fourth IF
California (Maguire) to delve like a
ghoul into the past in order to dis
grace his wife and family
L tell this, he said, to show that
have not concealed this blot upon it;
have not concealed this blot upon it;
can every man in this house and this
country say as much? In Sacramento
l have built up a name and a family
any man might be proud of.
In 1886. Mr.. Johnson continued,
"he had been again named and al
though the bitterest fight ever known
had been made against him, he had
carried every election district in Sac
ramento and had carried the county
by 1900 He had been most viciously
attacked by editorials and carcatures
by this person called Hearst The
honored speaker of the house and Mr.
Boutelle had been similarly attacked
While in California, last summer but
the attacks upon them had been but
the drippings of a brook beside Mag
ara, as compared with those on him.
He said copies of the paper had been
sent to his opposition, Johnson, while
she lay on a bed of sickness in danger of
death. and the caricatures and editor
ials had been put in envelopes as cor
respondence, that she might not fail
to get them. He asked:
rs it wonderful that I struck back
when L had the opportunity? Is there
any man who would do less except the
gentleman from California, James G.
Maguire2'
He knew he would be attacked, but
did not expect it to be in such an infam-
Gus, underhanded, cowardly manner
There was race in Ireland called in
formers, they hired assasns in Italy
and Russia, but any one of them would
have scorned to do what the gentleman
from California had done.
Referring to his attack on Mr.. Hearst
he said:
Every charge I made is capable of
proof | do not shelter myself behind
my constitutional privilege. Every
thing 1 say as a member of congress. L
am responsible for as a citizen or per-
sonally or financially
In a dramatic way Mr. johnson re-
ferred to the chiValry of members from
the south Then in an equally dramatic
manner he turned to the Republican
side and said he appealed to the patri-
arch of the house, Mr.. Grow of Penn
sylvania, to know whether in all his
experience he had known a man to be
attacked in such an indecent, unjust
unmanly way?
Mr.. Cooper had attacked him and ac-
eused him of being cowardly because he
had assailed q man behind his back
Yet Mr.. Hearst safely ensconsed in
New York. sent orders to have him car
featured and abused. If either the
gentlemen from Wisconsin ((Cooper) or
the gentleman from California (Ma-
guire) think 1 am a coward, let them
repeat to me outside of this chamber
the charges made inside, and their Gu
riosity will be appeased. In conclusion
he said:
every civilized nation against crime.
Is 1t right to go back "a years and I'M
lock the secret chambers and bring out
the skeletons of my past and shake
them before people; to forever throw at
a man the folles and crimes of his
youth? Should there not be a statute
of limitation against this2 Oh, may the
day come in this nation when men will
be judged solely by their acts in the
present, no man, no newspaper viii
delve into his past and bring sorrow to
his wife, his children and to the gray
hairs he has earned in building up a
good name
There was deep silence when Mr.. Ma
guire rose to reply He began:
Il never printed anything I never
asked any man to print anything. 1
never said anything that / am not will
ing to repeat before any man myself.
Last week one of the most remarkable,
indecent, malicious speeches L ever
heard anywhere. wes made here
against a man absent from this place,
not even able to lift up his voice to
say nay in this presence
He related that he had prepared the
addition to his speech which Mr.. John
son objected to. had endeavored to get
recognition Friday and Saturday to de-
liver it, and on Monday had asked the
speaker if he could not deliver it as a
matter of personal privilege but had
been refused. He had no other way
to make a defense of the man who had
been so unjustly attacked. The only
difference between the speech made on
the floor and the one in the Record was
that the latter was mild in comparison.
In fhe mart of the speech TO which Mr.