The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-03-10
GREATEST FREE FIGHT IN
THE HISTORY OF CONGRESS,
CHICAGO Record-Heraidl


Chicago Record Herald9
South Carolina has been responsible for
MANY OF the disturbances which have oc-
CURED in the legislative sessions of the
United States. The state Itself led the
secession. and it was off Charleston that
the first shot In the civil war was fired
When such an occurrence as the Tulman-
McLaurin encounter takes place in the
senate. therefore, IL is only logical tSa-
the fiery little southern state should be
the one from which the belligerents hail
Many fracaSes have happened IN senate
and house. but probabl the most Famous
was that which took place in the winter
Of 1S5S and ia which practically the whole
house Of representatives participated,
when the Lec0mpt0n constitution was Up
for debate The details cf that battle. M
which the members INDUCED nearly hais
a century ago. are rarely brought up At
TINS ddE- Only IN the SCraubOGks winch
have come down are its details and the
comments Of the leading journals OF TIE
time preserved.
Lawrence NJ. Keftt OF South Carolina,
who attempted with some success to use
the tactics OF a slave master uuon his
confreres in the house. was the aCknOWi-
edged leader OF the southern sldve-hOlding
representative. Has Tillman attempted
TO ape him2
His vulgar swagger, said the Wash
ington correspondent Of the Albany Even
ing Journal authoritative shake Of the
head and Whip-like jerk Of the arm. as ne
marches uD and down the aisle on the
Democratic side Of the chamber CRYING
out TO his party colleagues IN sharp tones:
/ stand up" Go through the telleTS- Sit
down! Don't vote Vote no! all indicate
that he has OffCidted as a Wht-SeT-fn
of slaves on a cotton or rice plantation
II was an all-uight session. The 5alk-
with Galusha A. GROW Of Pennsylvania,
| started the fun upon Feb. 2. 1895. Others
who were In the fight were Justice j. @.
Quo Low ~ fflfnnfG Innn
Sherman of Ohio John Fox Potter 81
Wisconsin,. called "Sdw-LOg, Elinu
/ Washburne of Illinois and his brother,
Cadwalader Wash5Urne of Wisconsin,
and Reuben Davis of Mississippi.
Ii was an il night session. The balk-
[ ing point between Republicans and DEM
OCrats was whether the presidents mes
{ sage on the LccOmpton constitution
should be referred to the Democratic
committee on territories or 10 select
committee Of fifteen.
While some Of the longer winded
[ speakers sought 10 DrolCng the debate
[ others dOzed on the sofas. About clock
i in the morning Galusfa A. Grow, who
. happened to be out Of his seat and on the
Democratic side Of the house. objected TO
John A Quitman's being allowed to speak
If YOU are going TO object return 20
your own side of the house said keiJ
/ Of South Carolina roughly.
This is a free hail. answered Grow
/ Every man has a right to be where he
] pleases.'
/ ct want TO know what YOU mean by
such an answer as THAR said Keitt, COM
I ing nearer
.I mean Just what I say. This is a free
I hail. and every man has a right TO be
/ Just where he pleases.'
Keitt, his temper getting the better Of
/ him. seized Grow by the throat, saying:
! It will let YOU know that you are --
! black Republican puppy"
! I shall occupy such place I'm this hail
"a 7 fnNla led
( Keitt's hand. and no negro-driver shall
/ crack his whip over me-"
That started the trouble. keitt
/ grabbed Grow by the throat Grow
/ knocked the hand off. and when keitt
/ came again he ran into a sterling right
swing that floored him Immediately the
! hitherto sleepy house was in an uproar'
I and everybody rushed into the melee de-
! termiued to do damage.
! The Republicans rallied about Grow,
] ElihU WashbuTne, q short man, tackled
/ Craig OF North Carolina. who was tall.
fand while Craig was trying unsuccessfully
l to knock Washburne out with the Ilall-
/ like movements of his long arms, the
: Illinois man butted him in the stomach.
which tactics. according to tradition
! Jared Craigs terrapin supper.
; Potter of Wisconsin made his blows tell
[ Lamar. on the Democratic side jumped
/ in and made himself useful John Sher-
I man. too. was I'm the thickeSt of the fray
/ CddWalladeT Washburne of Wisconsin
I made for Barksdale of Mississippi. think
I ing to grab his hair and draw his mead
under his arm the better to pound him.
/ Barksdale wore a wig, and to Wash
/ burne's CONSERVATION the top Of his IN
I tended victim head came off and the
I blow went wild. Lamar and Owen Love-
iov Of Illinois had paired off and were
nummeling one another in great shape
They were the last men TO be quoted
| Punch took I'D the affair, and one Of its
/ bright writer's composed an epic on the
: great fight beginning
Sing. o goddess, the wrath, the ontam-
able dander of Keitt-
I Keitt of South Carolina, the clear grit,
the tall. the OndaunIed-
/ Him that hath wopped his own niggers
/ till northerners all unto keitt
Seem but as niggers to wop, and hills Of
the smallest potatoes.
Getting into the description Of the bat
/ tie, the epic continues;
q. Come out. Grow Keitt cried. you
black Republican puppy;
Come out on the floor like man. and
! darn my eyes but III show you
Him answered straight-hittiug Grow,
WAL now ] calkilate. keitt.
No nigger-driver shall leave his planta-
ton in South Carolina
Here TO crack his COwhide around this
chiIds ears if he knows it
Scarce had he spoken when the hand
Clutched at his thrOat-had they closed
the speeches Of Grow had beer
ended,
As drops hammer on anvil, so dropped
Crows into keitt
/ Just where the iugular runs TO the potnl
at which Ketch ties his dropknot-
Prone ike a log sank Keitt; his dollars
, ratified about him.
Then came the southern friends to th'
rescue. gathering round Grow 'cata
wampOusIy Up as to chaw him
All this time the speakers gavel wa
pounding the desk, and the seTgeant-at
arms. with his mace, was trying to &c
. into the fight and separate the combat
= ants Finally order was restored. bu
not until everyone had had his share o
the battle.
Afterward Keitt apOlOgiZed. taking tn
3 blame 1pon himself. and Grow also mad
. his explanations. saying what he though
: he should have said But the s9ectacl
= must have appealed to the humorous sid
of the members when they thought
q over. however long it took for the breac
| TO heal
USED 1000 YEARS AGO.