The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-02-01
Williams On Legislation
Against Miles.
SHACKLES ON DAVIS
Williams Recalls the Time When Miles
Abased Himself BY Seeking to
HumiIiate the President of the
Confederacy. Postoffice
Bill! Debated.
(By the Associated Perss.)

washington, Jan. 3l.-The treat
ment by General Nelson A. Miles, OF
Jefferson Davis President of the Con-
federacy during the time he was a
prisoner at Fortress Monroe, Va, was
recalled in the House today when Mr..
Williams of Mississippi, the minority
leader, tired to secure the adoption of
the Senate amendment to the House
provision regarding retired officers
serving with the State m litia. Messrs.
Hull, of Iowa, and Hay. of Virginia,
both members of the Military Affairs
Committee, endorsed the House FRO
vision making it retroactive. The lat
ter declared it was democratic doc
trine to save money and for that rea-
son called upon the Democrats to
stand by the comm ttee.
Mr. Williams motion tC agree 70 the
Senate amendment, which does not
make the law concerning retired Of
ficers retroactive, was lost II to III.
The bill then was sent to conference
The Postofiice Appropriation Bill
was debated for an hour, but It's con-
siderat on had not been concluded
when the House adjourned.
Mr. Williams in h S reply to Messrs.
Hull and Hay said that he was not at
democracy. Il am not,.' he said,
afraid of my loyalty or fcalty as a
Southerner. / dislike so much to stay
under cover that we might as we'll
come out. / share the feeling that
Southern men generally entertain re-
garding General Milesf conduct when
he put shackles upon the ankles of
jefferson DAVIS, and / do not believe
will sound in history to his credit
or that It will sound in history to the
discredit of Mr.. Davis that he was
helpless and sick as he was at the
time If this legislation has been
pointed at anybody else than General
Miles-a Democrat appointed by q
Democratic Governor undee those cir
cujnstances and believed by me, right
fully or wrongfully, to have that mo-
tive behind it would have taken the
same course that l have taken, except
that I have taken it much more anx-
iously and much more warmly.
II stand in the relationship to JEFF
ferSOn Davis that some OF my cri ties
do not: First, he was a Mississipiar
and l am one. My grandfather was
the sen or captain Of mis- regiment in
the Mexican War aud his favorite cap
tain, and in the third place, he was
my friend as far IS ar old man can
be a friend of a child or boy. If you
want to punish General Miles or any
body else for what was done lii those
days; if history is to hold out it's con-
dcmnation all rght, but this is not
the time nor the place, nor the way
to get even. The people Of the South
don't punish III little ways like shat"
Mr.. Williams was loudly applauded
OH the Democratic side.
The Postoffice Appropriation Bill
aroused a discussion on government
finances in VIII ch Mr. LittIefield (Me)
asserted that if appropriations were
kept at their present size there would
be a deficit of SCI 100000. MIR. Payne
IN. " would not commit himself, in
reply to questions by MeSsrs. Minor
(Wis.) and Gaines CTennD as to
the House would pass d pub
lie building and l.Ver and harbor bill,
but said that the present session would
be brought to q close with appTopria |
tions for the next fiscal year that
would be within the governments in
come.
Charging that the Republicans had
expended during the lastl
few years hundreds of millions of dol |
lars, Mr.. Moon (yenn.) declared that
# that party had been true to the peo-
pie of the United States the deficiency |
that was no* threatened and which |
was denied just before election could !
not possibly have existed.
The deficiency is before YOU" he
said, facing the Republican side. Now |
make it up, but account to the people |
for your conduct in eXpending their
money
The House adjourned until tomor- |
row.