Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-25

! AS to congratulating the free soilers. ]
want to say that the gentleman (Mr.
ChurchilD is mistaken l will state
| to the gentleman my position. l have ever
| been WING OF the Henry Clay school and
| one of the few who supported him in the
| Philadelphia convention until Gen TAYLOR
| was nominated and that, too, when a por-
| ton of the Kentucky delegation voted
| against him.
| Talk OF Grating.
| 1t appears that in the first session of the
Thirty-third Congress. like the present day,
| there was some talk of grating and dis
| honesty in the postal affairs of the country.
| In order to correct any evil that might be
| able to exist under the conditions as they
| then We're a bill was introduced in the
| House providing that all letters passing
| through the United States mail must bear
| q stamp, instead of having the postage pre-
| paid in coin at the receiving office, was
| then the custom This bill brought forth a
| storm of opposition. Mr.. Sage was one of
! its irmest supporters, approaching the
great saving to the government that such
an innovation would bring. 1t was claimed
by the opponents of the measure that 1t
would be difficult to obtain stamps in out
of-the-way offices, and that letters would
| thus be delayed. Mr.. Sages principal ar
gument for the passage of the bill was that
] 1t would give the government some check
| on the deputy" postmasters which was
not then available In fact, 1t was stated
that the government had absolutely no
manner of telling just what amount was
due from the various oostmasters, aid had
to accept just such sums as they turned in.
In his first real effort for local benefit Mr..
Sage directed attention to an appropriation
in the river and harbor bin which was pre-
sented to the House on July II, 1854, affect
ing the Hudson river. Mr.. Sage contended
that, while this appeared as a local matter,
it really of national benefit and inter-
est The bill presented to the House
oa11ed tiOn of $500 for
this purpose, but Mr.. Sage would not ac-
cept this amount and insisted on an amend
ment calling for S146,142 which was the
amount fixed by the chief of engineers. In
his objection Mr.. Sage said:
In offering this amendment I but per-
form duty to my constituents as well as to
two-thirds of the whole country, for II there
is such a thing as national work in this
country, and believe there are many, then
the Hudson river must be claSSed as such
on account of its connection with the great
waterways that are open and being opened
throughout the great state of New York,
which give access to the great lakes and
the commerce Of the great west.
was told yesterday by leading member OF
this House that we must pass the Dill With
out amendment, or 1t would be vetoed has
it come to this, that we have got to sur
render our judgments, our consciences to
the whims and will of the executive?
trust not, I for one shall never do 1t. Al
ter the secret treaty with Mexico and the
L
strip of her land and other like appropria-
lions at this session of Congress, l think IL
comes with bad grace to talk OF vetoes OF
t bills for economical APPROPRIATIONS 10
complete great Waterways The amend
ment was lost, and incidentally the bill was
vetoed by the President.
Made Short Speeches.
The first session of the Thirty-third Con-
gress closed without Mr. Sage having made
nf few WOr6q in
length.
At the opening of the second session Mr..
Sage again entered actively into the work
of the House but as before, his words were
few and far between.
In February, 1855, a bill to extend patent
rights of certain harvesting machinery
which belonged to Moore Haskell of New
York was brought up for consideration. 1t
appears that Moore & Haskell had allowed
patents they held to lapse for period of
Ave years, because they had failed to prop
erly protect them. The patents having ex-
pired, certain minor manufacturers and
others had commenced the making of the
machines which had been formerly pro-
tccted by the Moore & Haskell patents, and
in doing SO had invested quite large sum
of money in plants, machinery, etc. The
friends of Moore & Haskell wanted the pat
ents put back in the hands of that firm and
thus wipe out the Investments of the small
manufacturers who had put their money
and labor into what was then common
property Mr.. Sage could not see 1t that
way and at once became one Of the strong
est opponents of the bill and advocates for
the protection Of the small manufacturers.
In O short but forceful speech on the sub
ject Mr.. Sage said:
II confess 1 am opposed to all bills of
like character. This is one of the most
fragrant attempts for the renewal of pat
cnt since I have been member of this
body. The proceeding is most extraordl-
Tive a a
oired when more than million dollars has
been invested by others, the patentees como
into this Congress and ask for renewal
of the patents without making the slightest
provision for the protection of those who
have put money in plants. Why, 1t Is most
extraordinary" Following up this line of
argument, he again made an address on
February 10 In which he classed as extra
ordinary the attempt to get such lesfsla-
ton through Congress. The men who
have invested in these plants are COMPARE
lively poor men. They have wives and chill
dren who must be supported and protected
1t Is crying shame that an EFFORT should
be made to take bread out Of their mouths
end cast their labors to the winds"
Mr. Sage made no further speeches OF
moment throughout the rest Of the Thirty
third Congress.
A Strenuous Session.
The opening of the Thirty-fourth Con-
gress on the 9th of December. 1855,
was particularly strenuous one. and Mr.
Sage was in the thick of the fray during
the entire time There was a deadlock over
the election of a Speaker until the I'd of
February. and some stirring times in which
parliamentary tactics, political maneuver-
ing and wire-pulling held sway.
When the nominations for Speaker were
first made there were about dozen names
mentioned principal among which were
Representative n. p Banks OF Massachu-
sets, an anti-Nebraska man, OF whom Mr.
Sage was a strong supporter from start
to finish (and in the finish Banks was
elected; William A. Richardson of Illinois,
a democrat, and H. NJ Fuller of Pennsyl-
vania. Ballots were cast every day, and
with each Intellectual attempt Mr. Sage, in
order to secure delay, would move an adj
Journment. which was usually successful
In the fourth week of the session, without
having secured a presiding officer the DEM
ocrats in caucus claimed that the oppo-
sition was blocking legislation and pre-
venting the will Of the majority from being
executed. They suggested by resolution
in this caucus that the House remain In
continuous session until a Speaker should
be elected. Mr.. Sage called this resolution
terming it "a bluff by introducing reso-
luton that the House be not allowed TO