The New York herald., 1868-05-31

bar OF the House and attended by his counsel, an
that the Managers be permitted to address to thu
witness eny questions that the House may decide Il
Mr.. BUTLER declined to allow the amendment Il
be offered and proceeded to discuss the question al
to how Mr.. WOoley had been treated
MI ELDRiDGE, (dem.) OF Wis.,, inquired whether
that was relevant to the propositionS
The SPEAKER ruled that 1t was
Mr.. ELDRIDGE inquired whether that would opeu
the question as to how the witness had beer
Mr. BUTLER declined to yield for any remarks.
Mr.. WOOD made the point of order that the Speaker
had already told the gentleman from Massachusetts,
tnat ne would not nave authority even by order Of
The SPEAKER remarked that the gentleman from
New York was mistaken-that the Speaker had
stated that he did not deem the House even could
give him authority to break the seal OF letter ad
dressed to Witness and thereupon the gentleman
nom Massachusetts, had changed his proposition
and modified 1t so as to require that all cOmmunica
tions.
Mr.. wooD said he did not SO understand the
The SPEAKER remarked-Then that gentleman
had not heard the proposition OF the gentleman from
Mr.. WOOD inquired what the Speaker would do II
the communications came seaeds
The SPEAKER replied that they would not be de-
livered to witness.
Mr.. BUTLER remarked that II gentlemen would
listen instead OF insisting on talking he thought
they would understand something. In reply to the
suggestion OF Mr. Blaine that it would not be possi-
BILE to prevent counsel smuggling letters or tee-
grams 80 the witness Mr. Butler supposed that on
their being reminded OF the order Of the House and
put upon their professional and personal honor they
would not do so.
Mr.. BLAINE said he referred only to such letters
ana dispatches as counsel might deem necessary for
the defence OF their client.
Mr.. BUTLER said it was very clear that almost
everything could be done by fraud and in detection
they could only protect themselves as they could in
the usual and ordinary course. The gentleman from
New York tMr. WOod) had told the House that there
were many things which the House could not do.
He agreed with him entirely on that. The House
had tried, in the gentleman's case to bring him
to sense of his duty by censure, but it had failed.
He called attention to the fact that the recusant wit
ness was taking up the time of the country more
than all that he was worth.
Mr.. BROOKS, (dem.) of N. Y.-That is true
Mr. BUTLER-That Is true.
Mr.. WOop--It Is the gentleman from Massachusetts
who s taking up the time of the country In an unjust
Mr.. BUTLER-I did not hear what he said.
Mr.. WooD-I say 1t is the gentleman from Massa-
chusetts who is taking up the time Of the country in
an unjust, improper and unconstitutional persecution
Of an individual.
Mr. BurLER-l have taken up such time as deemed
right. This witness comes here through seventeen
gentlemen, more or less, who appear for him. Now,
have only to ask the House to protect ITSELF ! am
aware of the great desire of Mr. Wooey aud of those
In completely with him to get at the testtmonyi and
If they could get it before the House there would BE
great rejoicing, as other people would square their
Speaker NOT TO let WOoey have kilograms or letters;
but call the attention Of the House to the fact that
the Very first Use he made OF the courtesy was to ih-
@ peap Ts psrm e se
the hands Of the gentlemen on the other side, and
will they their fathers in the oden times did mott
allow the House to be insultedP
Mr.. BRO6KS-We will do exactly with Mr.. WOOey,
thus imprisoned, what the democratic party did with
Mathew Lyon imprisoned under % the Alien and Sedi-
reference to his being fined at New Orleans-repay
him back all his expenditures with compound inte-
rest, for the sufYerlngs inflicted upon him.
Mr.. LAWRENCE, (rep.) Of Pa.-Whether he is guilty
or not9
Mr. BUTLER-will the gentleman also pay back the
$16,O 600 which WOOley either sent to Cincinnati OF
which he placed in Sheridan Shocks hands, which
he spent In his own private baslnessg And on the
a M II M S orey Ss1
Mr.. BOYER, (dem.) Of Pa.-Will the gentleman
allow me to make suggestiOn3
claimed on the other side that take up too much
time move the previous question.
Mr.. WOODWARD ask the gentleman rom Mas
sachusets to let me offer my amendment.
Mr.. BUTLER-1 cannot permit that you may have
any time for discussion.
Mr. WOODWARD do not want to dlsuss 1t.
Mr. ELDRIDGE asked Mr. Butler to yield to him.
Mr. BUTLER-HOw long does the gentleman want
Mr.. ELDRIDGE-Only few minutes.
Mr.. BuTLER-Say how many.
Mr.. ELDRIDGE-Well, say ten minutes.
Mr.. BUTLER-Ten minutes-Yes, sir.
Mr.. ELDRIDGE said that, to his mind, the proceed
ings against Wooley were an unmitgated persecu
ti0n. He had endeavored to argue yesterday, in the
ten minutes allowed him, that the only question 9
contempt with which he was charged by the commit
tee was In not answering the question az to the tee
gram In relation to the $50, 900. He asserted now
se Sar no G5 1e o e
gentleman from Massachusetts, to say II there was In
the report OF the committee any other charge OF
tempt than that OF refusing to answer with refer
Mr. BUrLRR-Yes, sir; there is the charge of send
then running away to New York at night, and there
conceaing evidence which would have been within
our reach had he not run away.
Mr.. ELDRtDGE-f that be the ground on which the
gentleman bases his proceeding, then he Ii proceed
Ing outside Of the record for this House has acted
on no such proposition. 1t has originated In some
thing OF which the House Is not Informed; some
hostility OF feeling, some anger, some passion, some
resentment some modification which 1t feels in re-
ference to something which has transpired and for
that reason the committee proposed to visit the ven
geance OF the House on the witness WOOley. This
House has never determined the propriety or i'm
proprlety OF questions to WOoley. It was for
the House TO determine, In the first place,
what questions wOoley should answer, and then II
he refused to answer them he would have been In
told the House that he was prepared at any moment
10 answer any and all questions which the House
as am informed, to answer proper questions which
this House OF Representatives, composed az 1t Is
largely OF those opposed to him, shall decide that
he ought to answer. Here Is committee cOnfessedly
raised for another and different purpose than
that of investigating the conduct OF members Of
the House OF the Senate raised for partisan
purpose, raised for the purpose OF impeachment,
nominated In political caucus, and their
names presented to this House and con-
OF them from one State-an unprecedented commit
tee. This witness comes before that committee, COM
posed 1t 49, created as IL was and complains that
It's members are inspired by hostile and angry feel
ngs towards him, and that he is not fairly treated
by them. He claims that the questions which they
put to him are improper. ] say that the House
ought to decide the question itself as between them
selves and the committee. II the House shall decide
that the questions shall be answered, and the wit
ness shalt then refuse to answer them, would
myself consent to the justice Of its Judgment and the
country would be satisfied; but If you persist in
insisting that the witness shall be subject to the ab
solute will Of the committee you will not be justified
before the country. II Ia wrong unheard OF In this
country or any other country not only Is 1t unpar-
but in my judgment II II an outrage on
the personal liberty OF the citizen which this people
cannot long submit 10 and be free. We have appealed
to you In every form to give this witness an opp0ru
nifty Of having one man, or two men, or three men,
ON the committee who differ with you the question
OF impeachment to whether he is fairly dealt by.
The gentleman from Massachusetts, told US yester-
day that the proceedings OF the judiciary Com
mittee last summer were made public, aud
that was the reason for Keeping gentle
men on this side OF the House Off the committee. I
state TO the gentleman, as being member Of the
Judiciary Committee that there never was COM
mttee OF this House so long in session and taking