Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-05-02

astonishment and was morally forced to with
draw NOM the Trial. He pronounces the story
that be gave the President a choice between
recognizing the A1ta Hela claim and his ser
vices as counssl, to BE- false. He had never
asked !eeogpttSn Of Alta Veia except from q
III 9eooke. replying 10 the remarks Of q per-
could notst0op so low as to reply in the same
Mr.. B.sssr.-swhils. 1 was away m the
army, did You not call me a gold robbef?"
MIR. Brooks, replied that he had done SO; and
1t was because> he (Brooks) had pursued the
matter in the courts of New York and made
the gentleman disgorge to citizen of New
York S6tOOC0, that the gentleman (Butler) took
every occasion to reflect upon him personally.
He made the gentleman pay in the treasury
the amount lac had taken; not pay IN the gold,
butts eq uiy alent In legal-tender money. 1t as
because of this exposure that he (Nr. Brooks
was conunnany assailed here, and IL was be-
cause Of this tkat the gentleman had visited
him in his own Chamber, clothed with the
epaulettes and uniform Of a General. and
thrsated vengeance il a reuaction was not
made. Since then the gentleman has been In
pursuit With abuse and vituperation of langu.
to. II was language more BETTING Newgate
and Bllingsgate than the Hall of Representa-.
tiVes. But he Mr.. Brooks) would not go into
the gentleman's public history, here or else.
where. What use would it be to rake up
again the history o. the "hero of Big Bethel,
SO familiar to every man in the country; or of
Whist avail would II be to refer to the gentle.
mems exploit after ssbeauty and booty" in New
Orleans, and especially after the booty? He
might, TOO, dwell upon the "great concussion''
at Fort Fisher. ~ 4 I'D s'
The Speaker here, interrupting Mr.. Brooks,
said he must cOnfine him self to the question be.
fore the House. He (the Speaker) could not
see what connection there was bet tween Big
Bethel and Fort Fisher and the Alta yeia at.
fair. - t# s# |.t -- lid p 10 .stE
Mr.. Brooks, in reply, was sorry that the
Speaker had not found ont before that gen.
leman's private business had no connection
with Alta Vela. The gentleman from Massa.
Interruption. i tHHs1 - .tSf.-. ~ tt.'
The Speaker said he had endeavored to &C,
fairly in the matter. Tins Alta veIa contro-
versy was about q legal opinion, and the gen
tleman from Massa Oh usetts " as illustrating his
point by citing case that had occurred in New
York. If the gentleman (Mr. Brooks) would
show what connection there was between
So beauty and booty" and Alta Vela, he would
withdraw his ruling. ai-.. .fr
MIR. Brooks said it seemed then, that the gen.
tleman Mr.. Butler) was neither amenable to
the laws OF courtesy nor the laws of debate. He
(Mr. BrOOks) was not lawyer, but he had had
occasion to give his opinion upon the Alta Vela
affair as Journ alIst and also to comment upon
some OF the acts OF the gentleman. But 1t
seemed he had no remedy IN debate or discus
sion. What remedy could he have, thenl He
well remembered that when the member came
back from the war, and had the keys of Rich
mond IN his pocket. he Mr.. Butler) was
whipped in his own State by bricklayer for
insulting the bricklayer's wife, and under such
circumstances he Mr. Brooks) could not take
much revenge here or elsewhere. He hoped,
however, that the gentleman would forgive
him-now that he mir. Butier) was rich in this
worlds goods and rich too, he hoped, in the
world that was TO come for being the means OF
taking from his pocket, or somebody else's
pocket, that which belonged to another, and
giving 1T TO the rghtful owner
The whole subj, ct was then laid upon the ia
bic by vote of 20 yeas to 20 Lays.
The House then adjourned