The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-06-14
SCORED THE MAN FROM IOWA
MIR. HENDERSON DOUBTLESS RE-
MEMBERS JUDGE NORWOOD.

nv Henderson During the COnsid-
Grafton of the General Pension Bin
by Congress in 1856 Recalled Now
That Henderson Is Likely to he
come Speaker-The House Kent
Roaring With Laughter for Half
an Hour at Henderson's Expense.
W. c. p. breckenridge Followed
Judge Norwood With an Address
That Moved the Members to Tears,
The prospective election of Hon. David
r. Henderson of Iowa as speaker of the
House at the next session of Congress.
10 succeed Speaker Reed, recalls a very
interesting incident in the career of Mr.
Henderson, of which he doubtless has
very distinct remembrance.
Hon. Thomas NJ. Norwood of Savannah
was responsible for the incident, and the
occasion was the reply by Judge Nor
wood to an attack which Mr.. Henderson
had made upon the South because of the
opposition of some of the Southern mem
bers 70 a pension bill in which he was
Interested.
The speech was delivered by Judge Nor
wood in the House March g. 1886, the
speech of Mr.. Henderson having been de-
ated quite a sensation at the time and
copies of the congressional report of the
speech were in great demand Many of
them are still extant. The speech has
been generally declared by members of
Congress and others VINO have read it
10 have been the most remarkable piece of
sarcasm and ridlcule ever delivered upon
The floor of the House. Even Henderson's
Republican colleagues roared with laugh
Ter at the neat manner in which Judge
Norwood fayed the pension advocate.
Judge Norwood was seen yesterday and
asked TO narrate the circumstances which
lei up TO this remarkable speech.
The circumstances were simply these
said Judge Norwood The general pen
sion appropriation bill for the ensuing hs-
cal year was under considerat ton by the
House. Everything was entirely harmo-
NOUS there was no opposition, and there
was not a single ripple of ill-feeling to
disturb the harmony which prevailed.
About month before the widows pension
bill increasing the pensions of widows of
union soldiers from IS to $l2 a month had
passed the House. A number of Southern
members had voted against the bill, as
had also a number of the Northern mem
bers Mr.. Henderson, who was a strong
advocate of the measure, became angry
al this opposition, but nursed his wrath
nu the general pension ball came up.
Without the slightest reason or excuse,
the Democrats offering no opposition TO
the measure, and everything being in per
feet harmony he launched a fierce diatribe
against The South, waving the bloody shirt
Tor all 1t was worth. and repeating the
Old threadDare charges against the South
Of shotgun rule, murder of negroes and
ballot-DOX stutiing.
q was not present at the time. and did
not hear OF the speech until The next day
! then got a copy of the House proceed
ngs and read Henderson's speech. The
pension bill was still under consideration
aud under the rules, only the members of
that committee were entitled to speak,
eaen beng allowed one hour. Gen. For
hey Of Alabama was the only member of
the committee who did not intend to speak
Learning this, sought him out and re-
Tach he consented. w. c. p. Breckin-
ridge of Kentucky also requested a part
q Gen; Forneys time, and we agreed to
divide ii. l did not expect to speak more
than fifteen minutes, and so informed Col.
blecKnrIdge. However, the laughter and
upIoar caused by my speech and the sew
eaI Interruptions caused me TO be on my
yet thirty-five minutes. Col. Breckenridge
followed in very eloquent speech on ex-
aeuy the opposite line with mine NV
line was ridicule, and l aroused the House
with laughter. Breckenridge took the SEN
umenlal view of the results of the war to
me South and moved the members 10
Judge Norwood still has a few copies of
as speech on hand, and one was OBJ
famed from him. 1t is worth reading,
even if there We're no special occasion to
yectlye and satire, Judge Norwood has
cong been acknowledged TO be without an
| equal IN the South and his reply to Hen
uelS0n undoubtedly deserves to rank as
masterpiece
The speech is as follows:
MI chairman, the valuable time of this
rouse has been wasted for four days in
uie CONSIDERATION of a bill to which l pre-
SSlme not one member has any objection.
ol. thiS arrest of the public business has
WbilL ca -, IN consequence of an assault
made without i'm on
ne south and on the commissioner of
PRe5uslohs by the gentleman from Iowa
I%I. henderson,. Being from that section,
1,uesre 20 submit a few remarks in re-
Ky TO that gentleman. His speech on
ulat occasion, If successful In no other
Iespect, was successful in one, SO far as
ann at1 concerned, for l never before re-
SSpp1ed any truth in the cynic's witticlsm
beware of Scotchman when he smiles
p nS gentleman must have been exceed
js-y eager 10 deliver himself of that
Eete OF defamation which Is as familiar
W lnts House and this country where il
aiT TS5 Deen delivered q thousand times as
rl ne boy stood on the burning deck" or
pSi4ty mad little lamb" daughter
Of %9t ~ do not mean to discredit the style
Sero 'e gehtleman's defamation, for l say
u the presence of this House. that his
Tl..eaInation OF that aged piece of classic
a4oalsa,n was one of the finest physical
eIBglts l ever saw or heard. Q4aughter)
,rnIut say the gentleman was exceed
HEM HEN eager to declaim that piece of an
s4LI'g on mat occasion, when we con-
of lhe circumstances and the moment
Oh or ume which he seized upon to enforce
ySa attention; The House was considering
c me general Invalid pension bill. Demo-
Cs ana Republicans ex-Federal and ex-
IN ".lelSrate soldiers were moving abreast
o. so,lu column. without a single strag-
10 'ti 20 90 an act of mercy and of Justice
"a We survivors of the Union army and
gsDT ne widows end orphans, when the
ssy yr'..I,an from Iowa, stepping forward
Sei he column and smiling upon
&c.,. anfe9 er,,i,, in that line as
~ tne capitol on "the ;des of March :"
""'n ne invited him to lie down and take
CONN. r o. "a oil1nef . statue
in ueqd 10 address those Confederates
suas,Iou l me following delicate and per-
without "A Hating Heart.
hest now approach this subject with great
n NV SI 1lon and deleacy. The weak spot in
har" ma ure is. / have not got a hating
AM H. can knock fellow down when /
AMI hiHH ana the next minute pick him up
6eTo" eip him and be his friend The ten
or o. my mind is for fraternity. There
her, Deg TO say, you have no right to be
an5 toq got here by stufI1ng baflot-boxes
lapaf ktHng negroes with shotguns
'HIilef) DO NOT f11tsfptarr,rat No