Year: 1878

-~~'@~~~'
twenty minutes to one o'clock. recess was taken Tor
one hour.


PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.


Al the expiration of the recess the Presidents
Message was handed in by his private secretary. Mr.
rogers ana was llereupon read by the CLERK.


COMMENTS or Mr.. WOOD.


When the reading Of the Message was ended Mr..
Woop Idem) Of n \, rose and moved that 1t bs re-
ferred to the Committee Of the Whole House and or
dered printed. But first he desired to make some
comments upon it. Although, az a whole the docn-
ment highly satisfactory. yet there were some
references in it which should be met at the earliest
practicable moment. He referred To that part OF t
relating to the Southern States He (Mr. Wood failed
South to avoid or TO annul in any degree the
recent constitutional amendments. He failed to
see any indication in the South, at any election at
any time. under any circumstances. for series OF
years OF an unwillingness to live in entire aity with
the whole country In regard to the laws or to obey
the government. He regretted that the President,
who had commenced his administration with such
noble and patriotic position. against the military
despotism exercised by his predecessor should now
indicate change of policy. He had watched with
interest the course Of tho in order to
see'whether the President would be forced from the
manly and noble position taken by him. He knew
party diss.sfed With Sd that position. I'll and It
whole country to know whether the Presi-
dent would continuously maintain his attitude.
While the President expressed his views in very mild
and very decorous language yet he Indicated quite
clearly that the condition OF things in the south
not satisfactory to him. The President hsd referred
especially to the elections in South Carolina and
Louisiana. He had been able only to single out two
States, and only two isolated Instances in those
States. That was an indication OF yacation on the
part OF tho Executive aud it only because it
such indication that he Mr. Wood felt it his duty
to declare that this foundation the aesa-
ton OF wrong to the South.


THE ELECTION IN NEW YORK.


1t was to be regretted that. while the Presidents
South Carolina and Louisiaiia they we're closed to
what had occurred III the city uf New York on the 9Th
Of November, where 1000 legal voters dragged
70 prison by government otcial where hundreds of
them were plunged into the yest dens common
prisoners and where besides those had been
rested 10000 other voters had bcen intinidated thus
making difference at least fifteen thousand votes
election Tho President had not seen that Ironicai
laughter on the republican sitr.) The republican
OF New York had not told that to the President
but i had pointed him to the South. He (Afr.
proper to lend his nigh position to the rciteraon Of
Misrepresentation, originated for him by the republi-
can press. He regretted it indication. He had
the highest regard for the President. believing him
to be an honest and patriotic man: It a matter
Of profound regret that the President should permit
himself to be instrument in the hands Of an ultra
wing Of the republican party.


REILLY OF MI. GARFIELD.


Mr.. GARFIELD trep) Of Ohio. replied to Mr.. Wood.
He characterized 1t as very unusual to interrupt the
ordinary form OF proceeding (which simply to
refer the Presidents Message and order its printing!
the kind OF suggestions made by tho gentleman from
New York are still more unusual The exact language
Of that part Of the Message with which the
gentleman found fault not. in his Mr.
dartslds) mind but tho gentleman's language
was very plain. He mr. Wood criticised
to some disturbances in the course Of federal
election in several States con,rastcd that with what
he chose 70 call the noble beginning of the admins
traton III favor OF sclgovcrnment and said that the
President had shown vaillation, because he had
ht TO rcfcr to disturbances in federal election
1t the right OF State to attend to its local
Germs undisturbed was in any way inconsistent with
the right of the national government to attend TO
called vsclllation." he hoped they should ail va
cillate' in that way.


He (dr. Garfcldl had never made himself particu-
lar advocsc or defender OF administration for its
vacAtion want OF vacllsticn. but II the gentle.
man (Mr. Wood could make no better case against
the administration than had made he had not very
well opened the ball ''this winter. That Gentleman
could not that there had been any dis rhance in
masters Of electicn-tatter . psnsel-eaeap, IN his
tNr. wocd) had some signs-if not
Of disturbance. at least Of .vacillation,'' -
were not such instances Of vaclaton AZ the the gem GEN
tlcman would have brought up in discussion.
G.aughtcr.) 1t did not signify that the gentleman
elsewhere. II tho President had them it was the
Presidents duty to say So and the President had
them and had not said SO he would not only have
boon guilty Of negligence but OF positive
fault. Tho President had referred to it modestiy.
He had invited the attention OF Congress to II.
Did the gentleman object having attention pointed
to it ih tina; way Had he any gentleman on the
ton OF pointed to the elections in the South
ern States !! For his own part he welcomed such .
calling Of attention; The President ought to be
it afforded opportunity to him to have this 'vacil-
lation' examined into closely.


THE ILLEGAL DISTURBANCES.


lie (aIr Garficld) had had the impression made on
his mind. from somewhat careful reading Of the
public journals. that q very considerable illegal
the southern states. He had even heard it
stated that bold, open and acknowledged IN.
south Carolina and in districts where there had been
overwhelming majority OF political party no Sign
OF any such majority had appeared at all This might
broadcast through the public press and which q
Congress notable the present for invcsfi-
He s Supposed this asrcasssay 1g that his trends on
the other side would welcome the Presidents suggcs-
tion exactly in the line Of their conduct hitherto.
He hoped they would not stinc investigation. Laugh
ter aud applause on the republican side.)


MI. WOODS REJorNDER.


Mr.. WOOD defended the position ne had taken and
repcatcd his expression OK regret that the President
had picked out two cases and deemed them OF suf-
ncient Importance to present them to the world in
his annual Message II was indication that the
ultra wing of the republican party forcing the
Executive to aid It in displaying the bloody shirt
sarcss,ic Laughter . % on the republican sideso tha:
continue that power by the plumber of the Treasury.


SPEECH FROM EUGENE HALE.


Mr.. HALE, rcp.l Of Me-, condemned the attempt
tho part OF the chairman of the Committee
Ways and Means, the leader of the democratic side Of
the House TO bclittle the subject matter which the
President had httingly brought to the attention OF
Congress. British Ministry had been often hurled
from power for permitting the violation Of the rights
OF SINGLE British subject, either 1t home abroad
and yet the Pfesdent blamed because he called
attention TO the deprivation of thousands of Amer-
citizens OF their rights. The question would not
and should not be allowed to he put down in
that way. The President had honestly and earn
cstly done in the direction Of conciliation
what many of his party friends believed Injustice in
Withdrawing the troops from the south but ia which
other OF his party friends sustained him. and tho
S heels 2, i there had taken place in south Carolina
President had called the atePton OF Congress- to- and
IL vas alleged by the gakflenxn from New York
that the President had been dragooncd by the radical
wing of the republican party into the course indi-
Gated in his Message and that that wing the party
was likely to control the administration. He would
tell the gentleman that the great fundamental
doctrine of the protection OF the citizen ia all his
rights there was no radical nor conserva-
tive wing in the republican party. but there
one party in the land unitcd to man on the
proposition that the American citiscn-North, South
aud everywhereshould be protected In tho exercise
OF his constitutional rights. tApplause.)


SUNSET RESCUE.


Mr.. Cox, tden of N. T. declared himself lin . tone
of peculiarly fcigned surprise) delighted to see his
friend from Maine al wondered that that gentleman
had not complained of OF the vacstions in the