Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1860-04-17

HOW H OIxsAn4sC9s
In the House, on Wednesday last, the fol-
lowing colIoquy occurred:
Mr.. Pryor, of Va, (Dem-}-I rise TO aques-
ton of privilege. By referring to the Globe
of this morning, / find the following report
adyerting TO the scene which occurred here
some days since: 49,.
.sMr. Pryor advancing from the Democratic
side of the House to the area where Mr.. Love
joy stood: The gentleman from Illinois Mr..
Loyeioy1 shall not approach this side of the
House shaking his fist and talking in the way
he has talked. 1t is bad enough TO be com
PEELED to sit here and hear him utter his tfea-
sonable and insulting language; but he shall
not, sif come upon this side OF the House
shaking his fist in our face.
Mr. Potter-We listened to gentlemen on
the other side for eight weeks. when they de-
nounced the members upon this side with vi
olent and offensive language. We listened to
them quietly, and heard them through; and
now, sir, this side shall be heard, let the con-
sequences be what they may.
Mr. Pryor-This is the point make. Let
the gentleman speak from his seat, and say
all under the rules he-is entitled TO say; but,
sir, he should not come upon this side, shak-
ing his fists in our faces, and talking in the
style he has talked. He shall not come here
gesticulating in menacing and ruffianly man
ner.
Mr. Potter-You are doing the same thing.
Mr.. Pryor-It is due to myself to say that,
upon the occasion here described, did not
recognize the presence of the member from
Wisconsin, nor did l hear any word from his
lips. nor am / singular or peculiar in that
lack of recognition of his presence, for by re-
ferring to the New York journals, and those
OF Baltimore, Philadelphia, and other places
all OF which publish separate and distinct ac-
counts of the affair, not a word appears in
any of them of his presence, or of any word
said by him. However, l find this in the
Globe, and | presume / must allow that he
did appear, aud did speak on that occasion.
In order to ascertain, however, what he did
say | have had recourse to the manuscript of
the Reporters, aud find, Sir, that be has in
terpolated the record touching our proceed
Jugs here, and affecting the record in a most
material point. Here Mr.. Pryor pointed out
the corrections made by Dir. Potter, and
which appeared in his own haud-writing1
To his remark, land now, Sir, this side shall
be heard" be added. .'let the consequence be
what they may After remark by Mr..
Pryor, that Mr.. Lovejoy should not shake his
lists in their faces. he had interjected, as for
himself, You are doing the same thing now"
Again, he added to his (Potter's) remark,
that 1.-THE Democratic side could not say
where member should speak, and they shall
not say" He would now yield for the MEM
Der to say whether or not he had made these
Dir. Potter, of Wis, (Rep.)-Mr. Speaker
am very mnch surprised that the member
from Virginia should say that he did not see
me on the occasion alluded to; but, sir, have
no right to say, and shall not say that he did,
because l, of course, cannot know it. But 1
stood, Sir, within a few feet of the gentleman,
and after he made the remarks which he has
just read relative to Mr.. Loveioy, coming
down into the area, and gesticulating, and
shaking his fists, said, ..You are doing the
same nOw;" and | was surprised to find that
was not SO reported. / did, therefore, what
L suppose every man has a right to do under
such circumstances. When l was conscious
had made the remark, and others ON this
side heard me, corrected the report in that
particular. / claimed and exercised the same
right OF looking over the reporters notes, aud
correcting them that others have done; and
believe the member from Virginia did the
same thing; at any rate. the remarks we're
corrected by some one, judging from the notes
saw. 1t is perfectly natural to suppose that
under such circumstances, and during the con-
fusion OF so many speaking, the reporters
would not hear distinctly every word, but
gentlemen on this side heard me make the re-
marks as reported in the Globe.
MIR. Pryor-I did not know the member, and
therefore he might have passed before my face
Without my Knowing him. As to what be says
about my correcting the report, did in two
instances substitute one word for another in
no respect changing the sense of my remarks,
Certainly not making it stronger or putting
myself in any more heroic attitude. UNDER
stand the gentleman was to say that he said
then did in a rnffianly and violent manner
advance towards Mr.. Lovejoy. Laughter
from the Republican benches.l Now, Sir.
wish to know if i am to understand further il
he intends by that any menace or offense.
{ Laughter
Mr.. Poitcr-Mr. Speaker, what meant
was this: While the member from Virginia
was charging Mr.. Low joy, after he had left
bis own seat, and came down INTO the area
shaking his fists at Mr.. LovejOy; and was
charging him SO that it would go to the
country with this same offence, if it be an
offence, L said, what was very natural re-
mark, You are doing the same thing" l
deprecated the shaking of fists upon one side
as much as the other, and | meant what |
said: and, as l said before, / consider that a
member has right, under such circumsian-
ces, no not only TO correct his remarks, but
10 insert any remark which he knows to have
been left out, and put it in because j want
ed the report to be correct. That was the
only motive. and | would ask the member
from Virginia now, il be did not Of his own
motive eIase that remark of niue after it
had been put in by the reporters, and ] would
ask further, what right he has to erase that
without consulting me? When looked over
he notes L saw what the gentleman from
Virginia had said, but / consider had no
right whatever to alter word, or even a
comma of it. and would have cut my right
band off before | would have done it. But,
Sir, that remark of mine, put in its proper
place as uttered it, was entirely wiped out
by the gentleman from Virginia. He erased
{ in such n way. that neither the reporters
lor any other person could have told what
he words were. Sir, it was taking liberty
which he had no right to take. 1t is the
light of no member to erase the remark of
another member, whether that remark ap-
pears in the reporters notes or not, after a
member has corrected his remai ks; it Is none
If another geutleman's business, and he has
10 right to take the liberty OF altering or
amending it.
Mr.. Pfyor-One word more and I have
lone with the subject The gentleman wants
% know by what authority took the liberty,
md he imputes the act to me of erasiug any
emark he had placed there. Sir. did take
hat liberty. / felt myself Authorised TO
,rase an unwarranted interjccton. He says
before he would have done that thing-be-
ore he would erase what somebody else had
'ut into the manuscript he would have had
Ms arm cut of, yet he could put in what he
lid not utter. Sir, the gentleman says he
tands by his language. I understand him
BY that to give me the liberty OF constituting
lis remarks as please.
Mr.. Potier.-I shall stand by my language,
Cir.
Mr.. Pryor.-I shall construe his remarks
Is please, aad whether or not be stands by
& The sequel will demonstrate.
Mr.. DAVIS. Of Massachusetts. (Rep) de-
fred TO say that he heard the member from
Wisconsin use the languarge referred 10, as
-eported in the Globe.