Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1867-04-02
The Bingham.ard Butler Debate.

The Bingham. ard Butler Deoate'
Tho full report Of this debate is very dull
feadins.. Butler evidently wished chiefly to
set himself right with the military, while
Bingham discussed the legal point as to
whether declarations made after the fact by
an accused person were admissible in court
as testimony. The Baltimore Go=ctte's cor
respondent. who seems to lave heard the
speeches, notices them as follows:
a merchandising passage at arms occurred
this morning between Major General Butler
and Assistant Judge Advocate General Bing-
ham. The personal appearance of tic
doughty combatants was extremely hostile
and threatening. Butler commenced the
attack with infinitely more spirit and stra;e-
gic effect than lie exhibited at Fort Fisher,
and charged the enemy upon the riqAt flank,
pouring vollcy into him in the shape OF
charge of suppressing important t,siin.cnv
in the conspiracy case" by which au inno~
cent woman was murdered by parcel of ig-
norant judges and couple OF adroit ard un~
scrupulOus limbs of the law. LIc z}e1ge,3
himself 10 probe his m0ttcr to the bottom,
'here or elsewhere" by which it was under
stood that he intends 20 volunteer in the de-
fence of john II. Surratt. bingham retort-
ed with great rhetorical flourish, that such
charge came from the quarter it did with
very bad grace, since his adversary not Only,
in paetGphoricai sense, ''i;ved in a glass
house, but, as is understood, was ''cOrked
mp in glass bottle, and had TO be fed with
silver spoon" The speaker here ''calleI the
gentleman to ordGr"-and Bingham, forget
ting himself, dwe:t with lu.icrous emphasis
upon tho manifest leaning Of Collax TO the
-,
site forces. Dat (and here is where the
laugh came i'm suddenly rccollcctIng the
true attitude OF the hostile c!iJucs, sworc Il
solemn oath that never since the foundation
of the Government had the House bcen
blessed with impartial, enlightened, and
gcnt'cmanly Speaker the great Co!fax
has shown himself to be.
1t is great Pity that tiis debate (Which
lasted Only about an hour vas cut short by
the almost unanimous voice of the Radicals
Butler seemed to be during the latter part Of
it upon hot gridiron. ard made desperate
efforts to rise and get in few last words
But he was snu5bcd by his party to tie great
disapPoiatment OF those OF the audience who
believe in the proyerb that when rOgues fail
cut honest men are apt to get their dues
Upon the point at issue l acknowledge my
self to lie a Butler man." and have faith
villai..ies OF his "pccrs,' and pcrchance Of
bringing some Of them to coadign punish
nent
The SWnS correspondent says: -
NIr. Butler interrupted Mr. Bingham scv-
crai times, but the latter invariably refused
to hear him, aud treated him with the ut
most scorn and contempt 'The hero Of
Fort Fisher not taken" moved uneasily in his
scat, and locked anx:oiisiy about to catch u
sympathetic glance among his ultra Radical
brethren. lie was nervous and agiIatcG, rar-
ticulariy so when MIR. Binghams al!usiors to
Fort Fisher ana the oman IN 4 bottle and Fed
with S2oon' created storm CT applause
and laughter, whIc:i WAS confined to no por>
ton of the hail and galleries. The Whole af.
fair created no l.ttle excitement. Mr. But
Ter wanted 10 make a rejoindcr, but the OBJ
jections fem all sides were loud-lou;es;
from the ilepublican sidc-and Mr Wards
effort 70 haWe an Investigation did not secure
enough to make oorPora!s guard So much
has now been SAID that NiessrS Bingham and
Butler have become ilnp!acable enemies, end
1t Will be var between them to the bitter
en2.
The con'rGcrsy has called W rc2a'.ec-
tions Of the most unpleasant character-
When Mr. Bitter proc!ains his belief in
Mrs. Surratts innocence, he Goes no more
than reiterat6 tie belief honestly entertained
by thousands; out it was . year ago supposed
TO he an indicaton Of disloyal and, tre,sona>
h!e feeling to express sc1timctit whic',
high priest in fle Radical church now boldly
rroclaiiGs from the floor OF Radical Con
gross.