The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1868-05-12
Disgraceful Scene I'm Congress Be
tween Washburne, of Illinois,
and DOnnelly, of Minnesota.

q
and DOnnelly, of Minnesota.
In the House on the I'd inst, Mr.. Don.
nelly sent to the Clerk and had read q
letter from Mr.. Washburne to Mr.. Fol.
ON, at Taylor's Falls, MINI. After the
reading followed one of the most dis
graceful passage of words we have ever
read. We furnish few extracts:
Mr. Donnelly-The gentIeman's s fami.
| ly are chronic ofice-beggars. They arc
nothing if not in Office, Out of Office
they are miserable, wretched, God-forsa.
ken-as uncomfortable as that famous
stump tailed bull in fy-time. Laugh.
teri The whole trouble arises from the
persistent determination of one of the
gentleman's family to sit IN this body.
Every young male of the gentleman
family is born into the world with IN
lC." franked on his broadcast part. Laugh,
ter. | The great calamity seems to be
that God, in His infinite wisdom, did mol
make any Of them broad enough to make
room for "U.S. ST. Laughter There
was room for 81. s. but the other ssSs
slipped over, and aU. s. & Co." is the
firm. Laughter. -
stand here repeating the challenge
that, if anywhere on Gods earth, down
in the mire Of filth and all nastiness, The
gentleman can pluck up anything which
touches my honor, let it come; shall
meet, it on its merits. 4 have gone through
the entire catalogue. I have analyzed the
entire contents Of the gentleman's foul
stomach; / have dipped my hands in it
fgall, and Ihaye examined the half-diges-
ted fragments which / found floating il
the gastric juice, but if it is possible fol
the gentleman from Illinois, with his
lperistaltic action, to bring anything more
lloathesome, more disgusting, than be
has voniited over me In that letter, II
Goods name letit come. 4evs
The Speaker interrupted Mr., Donnelly
and reminded him that his language wal
out of order. fassl ~ 's7sss z2il sies.sa'
Mr.. Washourne hoped that the ssparty'
might be permitted to go on by unani
nous consent veg, s;.; .ssa5s
Mr.. Donnelly-I bow in profound ad-
miration Of Ulyssus s.. Grant. I reeog.
nize him as the greatest, bravest and
wisest intellect Of this generation.
cannot think he will degenerate into be
coming puppet to be played by wires
held in the hands of the gentleman from
Illinois. OF that he will degenerate into /
kind of hand organ to be toted around
on the back of the gentleman from Hi
nois, while his whole family sit on The
|top. of the machine grinding and catching
pennies like atroupe of monkeys. Gen
eral and continuous laughter.
If there be in our midst one low, sor.
did, vulgar soul, one barren of mediocre
intelligence, one heart calous to every
kindly sentiment and to every generous
emotion; one tongue ieprous with slander
one mouth which is like unto den o.
foul beasts, giving forth deadly odors. 4
there be here, one character which. while
blotched and spotted. yet raves and rants
and blackguards like prostitute; if there
be here one bold, bad, empty, believing
demagogue, it is the gentleman from Illi-
nois.
The Speaker, with severity in his tones
stated to Mr.. Donnelly that his remarks
were not honorable to the House of Rep
resentatives, Of which he was . member
and although the House tolerated them
the Chair could not consent that they
should go on the record except with this
protest
Mr.. Washburne said: During my entire
time Of service in this House, / never
asked leave to make a personal explana.
tion, and / never expect to. The party
from Minnesota has had the letter which
wrote to a gentleman in that State read
to the House and it goes upon the record
of the House and on the records Of the
country, and there it will remain for all
time. Every assertion made in that let.
ter is true, and whoever says it is moi
true, states what is false. If Iwere call.
ed upon, and | only desire to say that il
I, under any operation of circumstances,
were ever called upon, 80 make personal
explanation in reply to member, it Ho'd
not be to a member who had committed q
crime; it would not be to member who
had run away; it would not be to mem,
Der who had changed his name; it would
not be to member whose whole record
in this House is covered with yenality
corruption and crime.