Year: 1879




They were men in whose bosoms supreme selfish
ness resned and in whose heart the fire of patriot
ism had never Eindled. They speculators-
men who had no country. To such men about
against such claims and ne in favor of a constiu
tiOnal amendment excluding ch claims forever
The war was legacy left by the founders of the Re-
public, who did not venture TO decide the Question
tor themselves. Two millions of the brayest men
had settled it on the battle field, aud to-day million
OF them were sleeping i'll unmarked and unknown
graves, while the suffers and bummers appeal
ing TO the government to pay them for cotton which
they had gathered up. For himself, lie should vote
against all of these claims. tApplause


SINGLETON COMES Io THE caAEGE


charges like those made by the gentleman from Wis
consin r Bragg had been confined to the other side
of the House he inclined to let them pass with
make political capital. but when they made
by one who professed TO be democrat
he thought it due to himself and his
The conversion to democracy of the gentleman from
Wisconsin had been as remarkable. If not as i'm
portant and interesting that OF st. Paul to Chris
tianty That gentleman had thought proper to
make charge against the South which he (Mr. Sim
geton) declared to be a most nnfonnded and unjust
slander. He Mr. Singleton referred to the creation
OF a southern claims commission republican
measure. and TO the tribunal itself composed of
Union meninclined to detect and defeat any attempt
at fraud or imposition. Why should there be oppo-
siton to bill which simply allowed claim to be
referred to that tribunal Southern Representa-
tiyes who introduced such bills did not indorse
the claims; they simply presented them as
duty to their constituents and left the
decision of the question to the House.
The South had lost in money value by the war more
than the North had, but they did not complain. for
they had gone into the war with their eyes open.


large part of the federal debt had been incurred by
the payment of bounties and by hiring substitutes,
while every Southern household was in mourning
for a father. son or brother slain i'll the As
to reading the Southern democrats out of the demo-
cratic party. he cited the fact that the South had
Observation-Disclosures Jefferson. Madison. Mon
roe Jackson. Polk and Taylor that out of 1876 Cabinet
that no such President had occupied his seat against
the will OF the people and no such Cabinet officer had
been charged with corruption. CThe name of Floyd
was here sugges. ed by Mr.. Townsend of New York;


HONOR CLAIMED SOUTH.


Every battle that had been fought before the late
war; had been fought under Southern leaders-both
carried under Madison and had been
carried to successful close by General Jackson The
war with Mexico had been carried on under Polk >
administration Scott and Taylor being the leaders OF
the army. No foot Of territory toutsde of Alaskal
had heen acquired under other than Southern Pres-
dents. He commended these facts to the considera-
ton OF the gentleman from Wisconsin, and asked him
whether, under such circumstance, he had right
to read such men out of the democratic party. That
gentleman himself was only babe in the
family of democracy and would have to
The gentleman (AIr. Bragg had been long abus-
ing democracy when running on the republican
ticket for Congress and other offices that like the
old harper whose harp refused sing of aught but
love- his mouth refused to give out anything
but abuse of the democracy. Q4aughter.l He CIr.





willing to shake hands with his brother and to
bury the hatchet." The South had ninety -four
democrats the floor, while the North had only
sixty-three. and ii the Southern democrats We're
parted from their brethren OF the North the latter
would be controlled by the republicans and no one
could tell what would become of them. daughter. J
The democrats of the South democrats on
principle. If they had only been influenced
by the .loaves and fishes" they could have
sold out long ago to the republicans daughter J
They were democrats on principle because they be-


eved that the covernmen could not be admin stered
" hx-a 10Th marty He hnncd npvp tn hear
the party charged with being held together by the
cohesive power of public plunder. Southern demo-
Gratis to-day the descendants of men who had
been honored in times past and honest to-day
their fathers had been. They did not like to have
it thrown in their faces that nothing but the hope of
plunder kept them in the democratic party.
The hour having expired, Mr.. MARTIN, OF West
Virginia. who has charge Of the BILL moved the pre-
vious question.


Mr. CoNeER, (rep.) OF Mich, desired to have the
time for debate extended, but Mr.. MARTIN insisted on
the previous question.


The previous question was not seconded
Mr.. SAYLER, of Ohio, then demanded the regular
order, and the SPEAKER lunder that demand) an
nounced that the morning hour had expired
The bill then went over till the next morning hour.
The Speaker pro tem AIr. SAYLEn) stated that the
regular order the consideration OF the Army Re-
organization bill


ARMY APPROPRIATIONS BILL.
After some confusion the House refused-yeas n.
nays Ito consider that bll ana the House then.
at twenty minutes to two, went into Committee OF
the Whole on the Army Appropriation bill.
Mr. HEWITT. lden.) of N. Y. having charge Of the
BILL proceeded to explain its provisions. 1t appro-
| priated s26.747, 800 as against an estimate of
$40 Os4 500 and an appropriation of last year of
1877. The reduction in army appropriations
during the last three years had amounted to $1,000 900
They had been reduced to minimum. and il any
saving to be effected hereafter il must be by the
process OF reorganization and reconstruction. A
reorganization could be made not to impair the
efficiency with an annual saving of SS.400.00O. Two
great questions had been presented to the Forty
fourth Congress. The first had been when the House
had agreed to the settlement of the Presidential diff
Guilty and had loyay held to its engagement. The
second great question had been in regard to the Army
Appropriation BILL in which the clause known the
posse cmaifat,s clause had been inserted. That bill
had failed of passing because the House had refused
to yield To have done so would have been
base surrender OF the right of the
people to the government the army
TO give the President complete control the
army would be to turn the government into cen-
tralized despotsm During the extra session he had
thought that it.would be mistake to attempt any
reorganization reduction, and the bill had been
brought into the House without any reduction or
without any assertion of the right of the people
to control the army That had been done purposey
and the bill passed, and with it had passed forever
he trusted the wreck which had surrounded the late
Presidential campaign. In the second session of the
Forthwith Congress the bill had come from the
Appropriation Committee without the posse comiLts
clause the committee preferrng to make the fight
the ground of economy But the question ot money
and the question of reorganization were OF utter in
significance compared with the provision offered
by the gentleman from Kentucky Nfr. Knott and
adopted by the House, forbdding the interference of
the army IN electSns' should ,n ,hat provision oe re
either side of the House for the repeal of that
ment of human liberty.


Mr. McCooK, trep.l OF N VI VIII vote Tor 1t with
pleasure.


SOLDIERS THE


Mr. HEWITT hoped the gentleman would live long
enough TO devote himself To the study of the under
lying principle which the fabric of constitutional
Law had been built, The narrow construction
OF the statutes the gentleman had studied.
but when it to the law which the
fabric of human liberty had been built there
work left for him to do. Repeal the provision?
Never. Define il? Yes. The provision might be too
broad II might impede the proper action of the
ernment and it might become necessary to define it.
In conclusion he stated his intention of Offering
amendment repeating that section of the law OF 1866
which allows the army Ito preserve the peace at he
polls" and he hoped that both sides of the House
would agree i'll cxpunging il from the statute books
and not allow it to remain blot upon American
freedom


Mr. BANNING, tdem.) of Ohio. spoke in favor of the
Army Reorganization bill. lie would offer that bill
amendment to the Appropriation bill. The
army to-day ridiculous organization. Most of
the companies of infantry did not contain more than
= corporal guaryl. The bill was approved by the
line oce aud by many of the staff officers. He sent
up to the clerks desk and had read number of