Evening journal., 1912-04-05
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
GarfieId'S Most Exciting
Experience in Congress-
By Holland

'Windom, what was the most excit-
ing episode which came under your
personal observation when you were
in Congress?' President Garfield
asked his secretary of the treasury,
upon an occasion just before the cab
met came to order But before MIR.
Window could reply the President
went on:
ITO my thinking the most exciting
scene in the House Of Representatives
while l was member, or perhaps the
most impressively dramatic, occurred
in the first year Of my service. l re-
member very we'll seeing you Win
dom, greatly moved by the incident
which / will now describe. You stood
near the speakers desk. knew you
by reputation, but did not know you
intimately. My eye fell upon you at
the moment ! refer to and you have
always been associated in my mind
with that incident.
"A man named BENJAMIN G.. Harris
was elected TO Congress from one OF
the Maryland districts and took his
seat the same day that ] did, in De-
cember, 1868. He was very able man,
but impetuous and hot-headed, and
was suspected of being secretly in
sympathy with the Confederate cause.
Because of something he was re-
ported to have said which seemed to
some members disloyal, a resolution
was offered calling for his expulsion.
There was a very exciting debate
over the resolution. / remember hear
ing Henry Winter Davis, who repre-
sented the Baltimore district, make
what / thought was the finest impas-
stoned speech | have ever heard in
support Of the resolution.
well, after the debate was ended
the resolution, as I now remember it,
was modified or amended. A good
many members did not think that Har-
ris should be expelled, but they did
think that he should be disciplined;
50 the resolution as adopted, called
upon the speaker, Schuyler Colfax, to
censure Harris for his utterances.
From great turmoil and excitement,
the House suddenly became as still as
the grave. Every member wondered
exactly how the speaker would pro-
nounce the words of censure. He did
not need to rap for order, since per-
feet order prevailed
The speaker stood with one hand
upon the gavel, the head of which
rested upon the desk. He called upon
Harris to rise and by a motion init
mated to him that he should take his
place in the open space just under the
speakers desk. With great dignity and
a slow step, Harris walked down the
center aisle and stood directly in
front of the clerk and ust under the
speaker | never saw the House so in
tensely wrought up as it was at that
moment, although I have seen many
boisterous demonstrations there.
II don't suppose there were ten
members who heard what the speaker
said. He spoke I'm a very low tone. 7
was near enough to catch the first
part of what he said. but not the sec
ond. What heard was this 'Benia-
min G. Harris, the House, by resolu-
tion. has instructed me to censure
you Then leaning over his desk he
added something in low tone to Har-
] is who bowed gracefully, then turned
and went to his seat. The speaker then
called for the regular order and busi-
ness was resumed
Later / made some inquiry and
learned that what the speaker said in
low tone to Harris was this: Now
take your seat Colfax felt that the
single announcement that he had
been instructed by the House to cen
sure the member was Of itself CEN
sure enough. and It was with wonder
full tact that he added in a low tone
Of voice: Nov take your seat
You're right. Mr. President" the
secretary Of the treasury said when
he heard this snecdote q was near
enough TO Harris to hear the very
words YOU have told us Schuyler Col
/ fax uttered -
| Copyright 1912, by Z. j Edwards
All rights reserved.
Tomorrow Mr. Edwards will tell OF
"The Crucial Moment of the Johnson
/ Trnpoochvnanf Dropaodfnvc