Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1868-05-15
SHARP PERSONALITIES In CON
GRESS.
BROOHs ON BUTLER.

Mr.. Speaker Colfax will leave OF
the. records of Congress some of th,
most shameful partisan ruling tina
ever disgraced deliberative body
Parliamentary laws are stretched an,
warped to allow the utmost latitud,
of personal abuse to his fellow parti
safis; aid the utmost rigor is exertet
to gag the unprotected Democrats tn,
moment they begin retort. In tn,
House on the 1st inst, under pretenc,
of making an explanation about tn,
Alta Vela business, Ben. Butlel
launched into gross personal attach
upon Mr.. Brooks and his paper, tn,
New York Express. He even made
the basest illusions to a lawsuit in
which Brooks was engaged years ago
Colfax saw nothing unparliamentary
in this. We subjoin what followed:
Mr.. Brooks began by asserting thai
Alta Vela was not a newly discovered
Island, but belonged to San Domingo
He disclaiKed also all intention of
making any personal attacks on ell
ther Gen. Butler or Gen. Logan
The following war of words ensued
which we quote from the Globe:
Mr.. Butler-Will the gentleman al.
low me to ask him single question
Mr.. Brooks-Yes, sir.
Mr.. Butler-While l was i'm the
military service of the country, die
not the gentleman arise here and &C
cuse me of being a "gold robber? ?"
Mr.. Brooks--I did; and it is because
did arise and on this floor accuse the
gentleman of being a "gold robber y
land the fact was substantially estab
lished in the courts of New York
that he pursues me with the fire and
fury exhibitedupon all occasions when
he and come in conflict.
Sir, the honorable gentleman from
Massachusetts will never, never for.
give me, because extorted from him
or was the means of extorting from
him, through the Treasury Depart.
ment here and through the courts in
New York, 100000 in gold which he
had extorted from a New Yorker in
New Orleans when he had command
there-a sum of money which he was
obliged, by the courts of New York
to pay back, not exactly in the gold
which he appropriated in New Or
leans when 1t was at 50 so, but in pa
per as legal tender. 1t is because OF
this act of mine upon the floor of this
House, when he was commanding
General, and l, as n public man, ex-
posed his acts here, that am assailed
AS have been by him to-day, and
upon other occasions elsewhere.
Sir, as a member of Congress upon
the floor of this House when the sub
.ject matter of the war was under dis.
cussion, had q parliamentary right
honorable gentleman from Massachu
sets, and to dwell upon all his &C
tions in New Orleans and elsewhere
He first, in order to deter me, sent on
aid-de-camp of his, with epaulets, t.
my private chamber with a lette
threatening me with something OF
other if i did not retract what l hat
then uttered; and because L chose Il
call the attention of the House to thu
subject of that letter, here, elsewhere
everywhere he has pursued me will
volumes of abuse, with vituperation
with words and language of char
acter which / cannot properly her,
describe, but which would better befit
Newgate or Billingsgate than the
House of Representatives of the
United State, and would better befiI
representative from Billingsgate
than a representative from old Massa-
chusetts.
The Speaker-The chair will state
that that remark is unparliamentary
and out of order
Mr.. Brooks--Blllingsgate out of or.
der! Why its II gate in the city O
London.
TheSpeakcr-It is unparliamentary
as applied by the gentleman from
New York.
Mr.. Brools-Sir, the gentleman
from Massachusetts, in order to pun.
ish me for this discussion two Con
subject of lawsuit which | had In
the courts of New York, and which
was amicably settled between the
parties to the perfect satisfaction of all
sides. Whatsoever he has stated here
as fact has not even the merit of inn
agination, and does not approach the
domain of fact.
might, If | chose, enter into his
history. OF what use would it be to
me, when you often hear these things
uttered to proclaim the glories of Big
Bethel i'm his ear? Laughter. The
gentleman is distinguished I'm war as
I'm the arts of peace. OF what use
would it be for me to speak of the
"bcauty and booty" of New Orleans,
particularly of the booty of New Or
leans, which was of far more impor-
tance, in his estimation, than the
beauty of New Orleans? | might
dwell on the conclusion" at Fort
Fisher.
The Speaker-The Chair will re-
mind the gentleman from New York
that the question before the House is
the resolution introduced by himself
i'm regard TO Alta Vela, and the Chair
does not see exactly what this has tc
do with that.
Mr.. Broolxs-Well, If the Chair haC
not been able TO see it I'm the course o.
the discussion when the honorable
gentleman from Massachusetts, Mr.
Butler1 alluded to certain lawsuit
of mine, j would be quite able to ap'
pfeciate the inability of the Chair tc
see Ii now.
The Speaker-As the gentleman
from New York [ Mr.. Brooks casts al
imputation upon the Chair, and init
mates that he has not been fair in tho
decision which he has made, the Chan
will state to the gentleman from New
York that the remarks of the gentle
man from Massachusetts were in re
gard TO legal opinions which the gen
tleman from New York knows very
well.
And If the gentleman from New
York will now trace any connection
between the remarks he was making