The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-04-14

occasionally overcome my modestv I
will repeat it.
"'John,' said he, allow me to con
graduate you on that speech delivered
q while ago. 1 wish to say that in all
the fifteen years I've been a member
of this body it was the best sustained
piece Of humOr from beginning to end
that l have heard. And. John. 1 OBJ
served that you reproved certain peo-
pie. Now, John, if ever you e any
one say that Benjamin Harrison sent
that message to congress with a view
of bolstering up his waning political
fortunes [ wish you would reprove
him for me. John
Mr.. Reed and / were such good
friends that I would not tell this on
him at the time, for L wanted to see
him reach the presidency if we were
bound to have a republican, and to
have repeated this talk would most
certainly lave made President Harri-
sons friends very mad
Since the death of Mr.. Reed many of
the members of the house have dis
cussed the Bynum censure and it has
been freely remarked by men Of both
parties that it was the only time dur
ing the turbulent Fifty-first congress
when they thought the speaker lost his
lLS lIley Il Ilol uIlhIllu ellouSh ~
say that he was a physical coward at
that trying moment, but attribute his
| attitude more to a fear that there was
real danger that general fighting with
fists, and possibly with weapons,
might take place. Those who were
present OF that exciting night will
| never forget the menacing attitude of
hot-heads on both sides Of the big hall.
Mr.. Reed woul ave regarded an ex-
change Of blows as ~disgraceful in the
extreme, and the delicacy of the situa-
ton no doubt accounts for the tremor
in his voice when it became his duty
by instruction of the house to admin
lister the rebuke to the house member.
Bynum was censured shortly after
10 O'Clock on Saturday night, May II,
1890. The house met at IL o'clock that
day and the Mckinley tariff bill was
under discussion in committee of the
whole. Mr.. Grosvenor, Of Ohio, in the
chair.
For three or four months bad blood
had existed between the opposing sides.
| Next to the new and seemingly severe
code of rules the republicans had
| greatly offended the southern demo-
Gratis by seating in less than two hours
in one day, without any debate what
ever, two cOlored men, Langston. OF
Virginia, and Miller, of South Carolina,
The democrats had flibustered with
such determination that for eleven
whole days the house was unable to
do any business. That was partly due
! to the fact that the republicans at the
! start. having a slim majority, and a
half dozen or more sick and old men
on their roll, could not muster a quo
rum. Colonel O'Ferrall, of Virginia.
afterwards Governor of the Old Do
minion was at times the only demo-
crat on his side of the house to make
the dilatory motions, which Speaker
Reed refused to consider.
In the heated discussion the Speaker
was denounced by Crisp, of Georgia;
lucky; Kilgore, of Texas, and other
fiery democrats as "tyrant," ~'czar,"
"usurper." Sometimes the speaker
simply smiled. At other times he hit
back from the chair, which was a de-
\ cided innovation for a presiding officer.
On the day Of the Bynum censure
the row started when McMillin, o. Ten
nessee, in an impassioned speech pro-
tested that under the rules 14O RACES
! of the tariff bill could be rushed
through with no chance to amend
them. On that point lively speeches
We're made by Cannon for the republi-
cans and Breckenridge, or Kentucky;
Holman. of Indiana, and Bland, Of
Missouri, for the democrats.
1t was two hours Or more before the
tension was slightly removed. hat
was when private" JOIN Allen. Of
Mississippi, got the floor, made one of
his humorous speeches and apparently
put everybody in an amiable frame OF
mind.
Springer, of Illinois, and Rogers, Of
Arkansas. the most exasperating men
among the democrats to Speaker
Reed, kept jumping up n throwing
frebrands. Finally. Caruth, of Ken
lucky. was recognized. AS he was
| about to conclude q short speech the
hammer fell and he was cut off. His
speech was a caustic a~rraignment Of
the republican party, and amid tn" din
and confusion, he roared out that he
simply wanted time enough to make an
epitaph for the opposing party.
The irrepressible Founding SDrin-
ger yelled: IAN epitaph is ALWAYS in
| order"
With his gavel the speaker pounded
loudly for order ard desisted only when
he heard the voice of William Mckin-
ley, chairman Of the ways and means
committee and by virtue of his posi-
ton the leader of the house. In that
courtly and pleasant manner for which
he was ever noted he astonished the
speaker, the house and the galleries by
asking unanimous consent that Mr..
Caruth might have n minute in
which to conclude.
Caruth's brief speech greatly engered
the late Congressman Thomas NJ.
Bayne, of Pennsylvania, who tfter
leaving congress committed suicide.