Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-01-25

mittee on Ways and Means was Instructed
to inquire INTO the expediency of removing
the tariff on all materials used i'm manufac.
turing printing paper. ,
Messrs. Beman, Rollins, Robinson, Bald.
win and Townsend were appointed spe.
cial committee TO investigate the circtlm.
stances attending the assault on Judge
Kelly.
The House resumed consideration of the
question of privilege raised by Mr.. Brooks
yesterday, based on Gen. Buffers letter tc
him asking explanations concerning his
(Brooks') attack OH him (Butler) in debate
| MIR. Boutwell,, who represents the district
in which Gen. Butler resides, said that
when Mr.. Brooks made the attack he re-
garded it in harmony with the oft-repeated
declarations made by Southern sympathiz-
ers. Before Gen. Butler sent his note to
Mr.. Brooks, but on the same day, he (But-
ler) addressed a letter to the Speaker of the
House, asking for an Investigation of the
charges against him. He desired to put in
issue every act of his public life affecting
his integrity or personal honor, so that il
guilty he might be prosecuted in courts, and
If not guilty, that the House might take ac-
ton to vindieate its dignity by the punish
ment OF public caluminators. AS to the
note sent by Gen. Butler, if Capt. Clarke,
who had delivered it, had been dressed III
grey, the gentleman (Brooks) would not
have been so afflighted. 81
Mr.. Boutwell, took up the charge that
Gen. Butler was gold robber, and had the
report of the commissioners read, and also
letters from Gen. Butler, to show that the
iirm OF Smith d Co., from whom $4,000
IN gold had been taken by Butler, had been
discovered to be bitter, active and unre-
penting rebels, and who refused to take
the oath of allegiance as long as Butler
was in command of New Orleans. 1t an
peared from letters of Butler that he used
the money to pay off troops who had long
been without funds. This money was re-
paid to him, and he was ready to hand it to
the War Department, provided he could be
released from the claims of Smith d Co.
MIR. Boutwell,, in concluding, appealed to
MIR. Brooks, in view of the evidence. who
had either refused to realfirm or retract his
slander on Butler. Mr.. Boutwell, claimed
that Butler had been thoroughly vidicated.
Mr.. Brooks proceeded to reply, first notic-
ing the remarks of Mr.. Stevens, of Pa. In
the course of his remarks he spurned the
charge of his having sympathized with
secessionists. In speaking of Butler he said
that Butler, at the Charleston Convention,
voted over and over again for Jeff. Davis
for candidate for the Presidency. If Butler
had been paid agent he could not have
done more in disruptiug the Democratic
party and bringing about secession than he
did at that convention. AS Warren Hast
ings was stigmatized as plunderer and
r0bber i'll India, so would the name of But
Ter bear some reputation. Mr.. Brooks said
the reason why the Secretary of War would
not take the money which Butler had taken
from Smith and his brother, was because
it was looked on as illegally taken, and chose
to leave it all in the possession of Butler.
Nor would the Treasury Department UNDER
take to indemnify him for the great wrong
that Butler had committed, but left him to
his own responsibility. Nearly three years
have passed away since the $50,000 in gold
was taken from Smith & Bro. by Butler,
yet he still has it in his possession. Mr..
Brooks in conclusion said Bad as the char
acter of Gen. Butler is at home, it is worse
abroad.
Mr.. Stevens replied that Mr.. Brooks
talked about filthy language; but the gen
tleman (Brooks) himself had ransacked
baudy houses for testimony in the Treas
uary Department examination, and gave it
to the world. 1t was stuff thatstinks in the
nostrils. lie maintained that the evidence
produced here to-day viudicated Gen. But
Ter. and expressed his surprise that he
(Brooks) should still persevere in his
charge.
The question of privilege was withdrawn,
and the House adjourned.