Blaine kept his word.

Mr.Dawes, a high protectionist, was made Chairman, and Mr.Kelly, also a high protectionist, was second on the Committee of Ways and Means; but a majority were revenue reformers.

The committee reported a bill which would have been exceedingly injurious to the protected industries of New England.

That bill was pressed and reported to the House from the Committee of the Whole; but the member of the committee who had it in charge, by some strange oversight, forgot to demand the previous question.

Mr.Dawes, quick as lightning, took from his desk a bill which he had previously prepared, but which had been voted down by his committee, added to it a clause putting tea and coffee on the free list, and, I believe containing also one or two other items which were specially popular in some parts of the country, and moved that as an amendment to the committee's bill, and himself demanded the previous question.