Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-05-02
40 o ;, q - ,,I.;s.see1p fatiyes. MAY il.

Mr.grooks resolution relative to thezAlta.
sVela affair came up again yesterday. after
remarks from several members,
Logan madea1Violent speech in theIlat Il
Ter. Continuing, he said that the only defence
that had been made for the greatest criminal
this country has ever known, was just such as a.
was pretended to be made this evening, by VII
flainonsly attacking men as'dishonest.
TIE Speaker called the gentleman to ORDER
on the ground that his remarks were not par
iamentary. $50 ID iEsgE
Mr.. Niblack said the gentleman must Hl keep!
within the limits of order.
Mr. Eldridge demanded that the offensive
words must be committed to writing.
The speaker replied the demand came too
late: the Speaker having called the gentleman
TO orders aud, further,I that the demand was
not made at the time the words were uttered. !
MIR. Logan would withdraw the word vii!
famous" and substitute the word attack. /
This seemedtto be d coma ined attack precon-i
certed and arranged-not in this House, but
out of it. He had been notiGed that this thing
was 10 be done. They could expect nothing
else from gentlemen who had the honor OF the
country. at stake, YhoIvoted against lmpeach
ment all the time, and attacked those who ex-
pressed their opinions on the other side OF the
question: II z I ~ ~ = y 8 - 80 ~
What was the case ? Gen! Butler wrote a
letter to Col. ShaffeE,iot Illinois, an old Iac.
ouaintance Of mine "a gentleman, too, who
tbonght the Government Should exercise au-
thority. oyerstheislanduf Alta Nela, and should
protect our ctizens there. He MIR. Logan
concurred in this opinion by signing the paper,
and would do the same thing to-day He did
not Sign the paper for the President. lie did
not expect the President would ever see 1T.
The first b" knew Of its publicity was the pub
! lcation of it In the New York Herald by the
President, as heiWasD in fHc habit Of treating
every letter that fell into his hands. He MIR.
| Logan1 signed that letter, giving d mere opin-
| ion as to the duty Of this Government. The
gentleman said the claim is fora million ofdol-
| lars This was not true, and the gentleman
| knew it. -...,-,,, .rrT-,,
Mr.. Eldridge. I object to the words and
demand that they be taken down.
The Speaker The gentleman from Wiscon.
| sin makes the point that 10
O Mr.. gIgogans.<zI Withdraw them, and say he
ought to know, il. 49,, rrrrr,.sle, rto
| Mr.l EldTidge. 8 I insist that III words be
| taken doWn2TIlT 10 2GIQdoi
Mr.. Logan. Very well.
| The words were taken down and read by The
| Clerk @ 2tH@.i,!'<.51s -.l-- 60
4 L
words are pnlparllamentarg. $40 a6t .;4H
Mr. Logan made some further remarks re-
peating that the managers merely gave thclt
| opinion asto the right of this Government to
| protect it's citizens in taking guano from Alta
| Vela The gentleman from New York, said
they would have to'vote on it, When lie made
| the, statement ahe knew twas not true, and
| false, or he ought to have known it. 81.
Mr. Chandler asked whether the gentleman
| alluded tothim.a s. aH5 10 $685. y, - u =
| . / Mr. Logo r!replied.: When. you say signed
| a document relating to subject upon which |
am to vote, [ say it is not true.
i Mr.. Chandler denied that he had such a
statement. The gentleman misunderstood him.
He had expressly said that this was not a
question OF title, but OF reputation.
/ Mr. logan Then if1the question is not to
be acted on by Congress, where was the wrong
for member Of. Congress to give or sign an
| opinion as lawyer. In further explanation he
said that Chauneep F,9Blaek7went to the Pres
ideut without his knowledge OF his father OF
anybody else The President told his father
over and over again that he would make the
order; and G. r. Black sent The letter to the
President without the knowledge. The Pres
ident acted as be had always acted. Mr.. Black
suggested that be could getthe names Of mem
1
| ident to do this thing And when (said Mr..
| President put you forward as catspaW. 1t
was signed by some Of the, managers, without
knowing it was tn be used in this way, and as a
pretence that the managers had sought to In
/ fuence him And there is the trick of your
President, or you are the catspaw OF the Pres-
/ ident.)4.23ag bgUs7t aaj2iio>i OIL hH2 a.tF
| Mr.. Ross, in the course OF his Interruptions,
| said something about his colleague prosecuting
| the President; to which -. ;....
| Mr.. Logan replied that such q, remark could
emanate only from base heart but he with
| drew thesofensi9e words on the Speakers in
/ forming himTthat such language was unparlia.
mentary. 80 -.
/ Mr.. Logan concluded by saying that the in-
! vestigation was sought for base party purposes.
/ Mr.. Butler made an explanation as to his
| signing the paper in question: He briefly
glanced at the history of the island of Alta
Vela, and stated that it had been discovered
| by two Americans, who, the possession OF it
having been given to a New York company,
came to our Government asking protection. =
He had said,on consultation, that ship should
| be sent sthither to prevent the guanO from be-
ing carried off till the question was settled in
court. This was what. he told the Attorney
fcussed in his presence. When his friend Colo
incl shafer, the friend of Lincoln, asked him
for: his opinion, he gave it, in order that that
gentleman, as Colonel Shafer Gesired, might
dispose ofhis interest ''tt it was understood
the Colonel said, ssssthe Government could in
Iterfere, will you give me your opinionas law
yer 81 said: Won't you sit down and
write it? HeswroteIit on a@little bit OF paper.
There it is. Il said that won't do, quite. I
then took the piece of paper and scratched out
some of the words [ directedit to be. copied,
and signed it, with; no expectation that the
President would then be impeached. knew
would never2lie still until he was impeached.--!s
Laughter. p Until saw the letter in the New
York Herald nobody spoke to me about it. It
was not letter, after all, but a legal opinion,
and it is pretty good opinion in my opinion
still. .4U>lt =. ,,saliE }. E-1l z |i-:1 r.