New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-13
HOT WORDS IN THE HOUSE.
ANOTHER REMARKABLE SPECTACLE ON
THE FLOOR
MR.. JOHNSON. OF CALIFORNIA. CONFEssEs AN
OLD OFFENCE FOR WHICH HE HAS MADE
REsTITuTIoN-A BITTER EXCHANGE
OF pEESnNA
COLLEAGUE. MIR. MAGUIRE.

OF PERSONALITIES WITH HIS
! COLLEAGUE. MR.. MAGr'IRE.
fBY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIBUNEl
Washington Jan. ia member OF Congress
acknowledging on the floor to his brother men,
bers and to the galleries that he had been guilty
+ Of a violation Of law. and had been indicted for
1t. was the remarkable spectacle presented In the
House or Representatives to-day The after
math Of the debate on the Pacific Railroad Re-
funding bill was raked over and aired by Messrs.
Johnson and Mcguire, OF California The former
was a stanch advocate of the measure and the
latter was an equally earnest and bitter oppon-
emit In the course of the general debate Mr.
Johnson delivered a speech in which he violently
assailed Mr.. Hearst, of THE San Francisco Ex-
amner"
The language he used and the charges them
selves were bitterly resented by Mr.. Mcguire,
who had prepared a speech against the bill. To
this he added a few paragraphs in which he at
tackled. by innuendo, the personal character Of
Mr.. johnson. and branded all the accusations
against Mr.. Hearst and himself as absolutely
and maliciously false" This part Of the speech
he did not get time to deliver on Saturday, but
under the genera leave granted to members to
extend their remarks in THE Record" it ap-
peared in that publication this morning. 1t may
be added that Mr.. Maguire's intention ito roast
|
the latter asserted to-day that the speech
published in full in Mr.. Hearst's San Francisco
newspaper before it appeared in THE Record"
MR. JOHNSONS CONFESSION
Mr.. Johnson felt that he could not afford to ig-
more such an attack himself. especially
that had not been openly made and to-day he
sought and obtained leave to reply to il. Nearly
everybody seemed to know what coming
and when he took tho floor he faced an attentive
House AS orator he possesses considerable
magnetism. and h. has always been able to COM
mand attention when he has addressed that
body. 1t was evident to-day that he spoke under
the pressure of strong emotion. and several times
he hesitated and his voice broke and faltered.
He admitted that thirty-four years ago
when he was twenty-five years od-he had
mitted offence for which he indicted in
the town where he was born and in which he
grew to early manhood. He did not say what
the Offence was. but his old schoolmate and
friend from boyhood. Colonel Poole. of the SYRIA
district. did say. It was forgery. Mr..
Johnson removed to California soon after the
Indictment was found. but he vehemently denied
tina. he had concealed or sought to con-
ceal his identity the cloud tina; overhing
his past.
He had made complete restitution. he said,
and this statement was cOrroborated by Colonel
Poole. ana he had since been able to hold
up his head ir his native town. which he had
visit 81 nearly every year during the last TWEEN
ty-five years and where he warmly es-
teemed by many who knew all about his early
troubles and disgrace. In California. and espe-
cial,y in Sacramento. where he had lived for
more than thirty years. and where all the facts
respecting his early life were known to every
body. he had been repeatedly elected 10 office
by the suffrages of his fcllow-ctizens. as well
rs ~ H'~ brethren of the order of Odd-Fellows
ana ot several otner orders 10 which he re-
ferred.
MR. mcguire BITTERLY ATTACKED.
After these and other statements of a personal
nature Mr.. Johnson turned toward Mr. Mcguire |
who sal not far distant and poured him a |
tor-e.. of inyectiva the like of which is seldom |
heard in the House OF Representatives. The |
lattcr's attack on him. and especially the man |
ner of it, he repeatedly characterized as "un- |
manly. indecent and cowardly.' He several
times referred to mis- colleague as the person |
who represents the WITH District" and once he |
called Him this human hyena." Withou. being |
called to order In truth. Mr.. Johnsons frank |
confession and his recital Of the persecution to |
which he said he had been subjected on account |
OF his advocacy of the Funding bill. we'll as |
his pronunciation Of the "underhanded" attack |
himself had captured the sympathies of the
House. which is swift 10 resent unfair methods
OF attack on OF its members and several
Of his periods were greeted with general and
generous applause.
In the course Of his speech he referred to Mr..
Friday had denounced him on account of his
violent assault on Mr. Hearst. and exclaimed.
IF the gentleman from Wisconsin. Mr.. Cooper,
or the gentleman from California, Mr.. Mcguire.
thinks / cowardy let either repeat to me
outside this chamber what he said inside. and
his curiosity will soon be appeased
During the delivery OF Mi Johnsors philippe
Mr. Mcguire sat silent and apparently unmoved,
but as soon he began his reply l. was evident
that the shafts had struck horne. He declared
that he had never said behind any mans back
what he afraid to say To his face and then
he explained why hia attack on his colleague
had not been made in open House and in his
presence. instead OF through the medium OF
to denial Of the charges against himself and
to a further defence OF Mr.. Hearst
EXPI'NGED FROd ''THE RECORD
After a motion to refer the remarks Of Mr.
Mcguire to a committee had been rejected Mr.
Poole moved thar the be expunged from The
Record i'm its permanent form. and the motion
was adopted In doing this, however. it was
necessary to reprodu = tho Objectionable re-
marks So trat they will appear in the perma
nent edition Of The Record" after all
Mr. Towne OF Minr esota. then moved that
that portion Of Mr. Johnson's speech which had
provoked the attack on himself he expunged,
and the motion rejected by a small
iority probably on the Theory that Mr. John
sons language and charges directed
against maa who was not member of the
IIou-e OF Representatives. and also because Of
the mode OF Mr.. Maguire's attack which seemed
To be regarded as even more culpable than the
language he had employed
Outside of this incident the proceedings
tame \ number Of bridge bills and other minor
measures were passed and at > o'clock an ad- |
journment was taken until tomorrow.
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uTcUiNiCrUENJ TO RE EYpOSED