Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-13
TEXAN ELOQUENCE.
SPEECH OF MIR. DE GnAFFExRrEb
ON NATIONAL DEFENCE BILL.
EVEN TOM REED HyPEoglzED.
A Whiriwind OF Enthusiasm That
Almost browns the Perorasfon of
the Lone-star state orator-Aid for
the cubans.

WASHINGTON, ID. c., March 12.-(Spe.
ciaL)-Tuesday, IN the House of Repre-.
sentatives, was a memorable day II
was the extraordinary item OF 10000. Coz
Tor the national defence in the urgent de-
nciency bill. giving notice to Spain and
the world that the United States were
not engaged in empty bravado, which
evoked one Of the most salutary and
edifying examples Of American manhood
ever seen In the history of the country.
The occasion was remarkable In many
ways. 1t saw at a crucial time a great
representative legislative body solidly
welded for one great stroke, numerous
partisans OF widely divergent convictions
cheerfully casting aside party differences,
and giving not merely TO the President,
but to the country. vote of confidence
that the national honor would be pro-
tected and INDICATED at all hazards
There was not even a hint Of dissenting
voice 1t was remarkable most in the
| fact that II was the first time since the
| civil war that northern and southern
members were found not only voting as
| one man, but vying with each other In
| expressions of devotion to the country
| and it's flag.
OF the fervent assurances of loyal
| fidelity given by southern members, none
was more thrillingly eloquent than that
afforded by Representative Reese c.
| De Graffenried, of the Third Texas Dis
| trict. Stalwart, swarthy. magnetic,
! graceful, with the look of a born gladi-
ator. the young Texan seemed inspired
with his theme, and gave the House such
| an exhibition of genuine oratorical elo-
| quence as il has not seen in many a day
IT was the manner of the man as much
as his burning sentences which capti-
waited his auditors. He even hypnotized
Speaker Reed. De Graffenried was soar
ing to his peroration, when the ruthless
gavel pounded interruption. Hold on
a minute" shouted the infamed Texan,
with arm extended toward the Chair.
Members around cried, go on! Go onv'
and De Graffenried. thoroughly master of
himself, completed his closing period in
sonorous notes, that rang through the
hall of the House. arousing such a whirl-
wind of enthusiasm as almost drowned
his last words.
Said Mr. De Graffenried:
MR.. DE GRAFFENRIEDs SPEECH.
"Mr. Speaker, ii seems that war is in
evitable between our country and Spain.
My colleagues upon this floor have spoken
eloquently OF what their respective
States will do in that event, and what
contribution they will make in the cause
of our country.
"Mr. Speaker, the great State of Texas
need send no messenger or representative
TO this House to say what 1t will DO In
the coming crisis. The State whose gal
Ia off
of her Alamo; the State whose noblest
sons bones bleached upon the massacred
field of her Goliad; the State whose Yalo-
rous and intrepid minority, led by an IN
trepid and valorous leader, upon the red
fought fields of her San Jacinto, evoked
light out of darkness, order out or chaos,
and wrenched victory from the hands OF
apparent defeat; the State which FUR
bullets with which she achieved her liber-
ty. and sent leaden death to the tyranny
that once overpowered her-l say sne
needs no messenger here 10 say what
kind of soldiers she will send (Applause) |
That State can point to a past which has |
furnished soldiers drawer than ever FOL |
lowed the glorious Napoleon-aye grand |
err than those led by the Duke OF Well
lington-and to-day, Mr. Speaker, II need |
be, the sons OF those sires and those SOW
ereigns will come with armor on and visor |
down. and lance at rest. They VIII De
men who can look the harnessed ana
fiowered chivalry of Spain in the face and |
say, We are not only thy equals, but tiny |
superiors' They tell us that this Is lingo
ism. Aye, II this be jingoism, behind this
jingoism stand the American people, and
behind the American people stand the
American guns. (Applause)
II am glad that for once the South mas
AN opportunity to dispel the lie that she
is dsoyal to this Union. (Applause9
There is not a red line in the flag or
our country-that glorious banner, the
emblem of American liberty, that floats
above our hands-that would not be MADE
redder still by the blood that the south
ern people stand ready TO shed In us de-
fence. (Applause9
MIR. Sneaker, | am glad of this oppor-
tunity to show 10 this House that patriot-
ism is not measured by parallel OF lati-
tude nor meridian of longitude. L am
glad OF the opportunity to say that the
people of my State will plant their feet
as far as those who go the farthest In de-
fence of national honor The boys VINO
wore the blue and the boys who wore
the gray, reconciled and reunited in the |
great and grand bonds of true brother
hood and love, side by SIDE, neart IN
heart and hand In hand, will go march
ing on with the one purpose, the one IN
tention and one exclamation. and that IS
that wore irretrievable woe, shall betide
that country that nation, and that peo-
pie, against whom brother Americans
blood shall cry TO us from the ground:
(Appause) Aye, Mr. Speaker, even II
it should cry to us from the blood -stained
waters of the sea. tinged and colored by
the blood of American victims 20 Spanish
treachery. (Applause)
II say that l am glad of this opportu-
nifty, also, because of the aid 1t will give
to the struggling patriotic sons of Cuba
| am glad because it will be a message
Of love and peace to them. For fifteen
years, day by day, they have sent their
Inquiring dove to us with their appeal
and for fifteen years. night by night, no
cheering response, but nevermore Will she
return to them again weary and leafiess.
II bespeaks one thing more-it bespeaks
that the candles of the weary night OF
their oppression have wellnigh burned
out, and that the opening day of the sue
cess of their struggles for freedom sits
smiling, upon the mountain tops. 1t be-
speaks, also that the Spanish prison
walls of wrong will not longer hold the
cuban principles of right. 1t means much {
10 us. but more to them. II means that
while we in this land in the past have
been singing as we shall sing during all
he future, MY country, tbs OF thee, II
Win be only few days more when the
ali mountains OF Cuba will send the
wifi answer back over the glad seas,
Sweet land of liberty tAppiause)
1