Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-04-27
SENSATIONAL SCENE In THE
SENATE.
Eye Replies TO SpragHe's Speech.
Several Senators Also Speak.
sprague Denounees Them as
Ours.
Abbott Demands RetFaetiOn or
satisfaction.


the final adjournment.
Mr., Conking very properly thought
the Senate had better proceed with the
executive business, which was pressing
them, than to listen to explanations. So
great, however, is the American instinct
to hear speeches that the Senate refused
to go into executive session, and Mr..
Nye took the floor to deliver his long
deferred speech in reply to Mr.. Spragns.
As a stump speech, it was success; as
a dignifed argument, or as defense Of
the Senate from Mr.. Sprague's harangues,
or Of General Burnside, it was failure.
1t was in bad taste, considered in any
way, and Senators SO pronounce it.
Messrs. Chandler, Abbott and Morton
also thought it necessary to pronounce
something like a funeral eulogy on Gen.
Burnside, merely because he had been
attacked by little Sprague. Nobody
wondered at the others, but all were
surprised that Mr.. Morton should add
to the general stock, so unnecessary and
out of place.
At. ength Sprague got the floor. He
looked around eagerly and yet leisurely,
first on the Republican and then on the
Democratic side OF the chamber, as if he
meant to assure himself that Burnside
was comfortably buried, after the con.
gressional fashion; then opening his
portfolio he exhumed thsrefrom first a
huge pile Of letters and then a manu-.
script speech, all of which he arranged
with great deliberation on the desk be-
fore him. He had evidently expected
Nye's attack, but Judging from his
speech, he had no idea of the Burnside
movement and was not prepared for it.
The spirit Of Little Rhody" was up
however, and she launched out boldly
at the jolly Senator from Nevada
Sprague evidently felt that he could go
it alone for few minutes, at least, with-
out his manuscript. He commenced in
good style, hitting right and left, and
apparently careless as to where his
blows fell or who was hurt. His man
ner was unusually earnest and his voice
was pitched in key which made him
audible over the whole chamber. Fin
ally, seizing his manuscript, he rushed
in front of the Telegraph pole, Sher-
man." and out into the centre aisle in an
excited manner. He was then on the
subject of Anthony and Ives & Brown,
whom he terms ."Anthony's owners"
Poor Anthony was presiding at the time,
as mild as lamb, and some timid people
supposed that the wrathy Sprague was
rushing madly to the chair for the pur-
pose of dragging his colleague therefrom.
But the little man stopped when he
reached the main aisle, and commenced
to read in loud tone from his manu-
cript. At the end of every sentence
he would stop and look Anthony squarely
in the face, with a savage gaze. He got
through the first page of manuscript,
which was fastened together, very
smoothly; when he went to turn over,
however, there was evidently some hitch,
and he stopped all of sudden in the
middle of sentence, as if he had ran
against snag. The person who put the
manuscript together had failed to page it
properly, and Sprague turned over the
sheets for some time to find the place.
L
nervously, in his anxiety to get the con-
nection, and then looked up at Anthony
to see if he showed any signs of rejoicing
at his embarrassment. To have done so
would have been fresh cGSus belti.
Fortunately for Anthony he did not
move a muscle, but was looking around
the Senate as if in search of sympathy
At length Sprague got his manuscript in
order and proceeded with his speech,
talking all the time at Anthony and acus-
ing him Of all manner of crimes. The
denOuemeRt to the whole affair was the
proposal Of Sprague to read through The
huge bundle Of letters which lay on the
table on the desk before him. The first
one was from a son Of Charles Francis
Adams, but Sprsgue read it in such a
tone of voice that its contents were maud
IDLE. He kept on reading letter after
letter, to the infinite disgust Of the Sens
atOrs, until at last Trumbull begged him
to suspend. Sprague was not to be put
down in this way. If he must stop he
would have some recompense for it.
Trumbull would give him anything ifhe
would only stop.
"Will you allow me to print such Of
these letters as choose in the Globe, in
connection with my remarks, if | stop ~
inquired Sprague.
II am sure there will be no objection"
said Trumbull. 81 hope" he added,
mo Senator will object" laying emphasis
on the word mo"
Sprague had got all he wanted and
quietly sat down. He afterwards nOti-
fled the Globe reporters that in accord
ance with the privilege granted him by
the Senate he would give them enough
letters to cover half dozen copies of the
Globe. ..
Mr.. Brownlow had read by the Sec
rotary, some remarks 'in vindication OF
that noble and gallant officer, Burnside"
in which he stated that no one could
make an imputatiOn on Burnside before q
western Tennessee audience without
being roughly handled, and that there
were enough children named after him in
that region to chase away such orator
| from the State. Laughter.
Mr.. Abbott send to be read words
uttered to-day by the Senator from
Rhode Island, Mr.. Sprague., as taken
down by the reporter
Mr.. President, in answer to the TRADE
of the Senator from Nevada and the
| Senator from North Carolina, am re-
minded of little illustration. In my
travels from the center here into the ru'
raj districts, through the woods and
farms of the surrounding neighborhood
chance at one time brought me to a farm
house. | discovered, on looking up, 6
large mAstiff and mongrel puppy dog
The little dog moved on me with rapid
ity from behind, bit at my heels, and
frightened at his temeIity, ran fTightens>
and bowling away, followed by his large
companion. The Senate will observe
that the mongrel, whining puppy, en-
couraged by the mastiff and emboldeneC
to make the attack from the shadow Q
his hacker, ran rapidly away, alarmed a
his temerity, whilst the overgrown Gu
followed after, with ears Topped and tai
between his legs, to place of safety be
side his menaced companion" ...
Mr.. Abbott-When / arose in execu
tive session to ask that the doors b
opened, some time ago, said that | di
not intend to utter anything unbecomin
this floor. What | did intend to do wa
to ask the Senator from Rhode Island
he intended to apply the term puppy
to me, as is implied in the connection I
that language. If he did intend to apPl
it to me, my purpose was to ask him iC
retraction as full as the implication I
, the language and if he refused that IT
| -, 80 ocl- for CO