The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-02-06
FIRST EDITION
WASHINGTON
A Fiery Debate in the House
Scannell, the Recusant Wit
ness, the Cause.-The
Spicy and Pathetic
Blended.

tOIlOWlnp:-
UnQuestlona ably the spiciest bit of debate that
has occurred in Congress for along time turned
up in the House this morning. Mr.. Brooks
started the fun by Offering resolution for the
discharge of the contumacious witness Scan
nell, without cost promising by saying that
the witness had got TO be q quasi member of the
House, whose expulsion was desirable Brooks
then solemnly declared that the witness was q
poor New York boy, unable to pay the costs in
sisted upon Dy the inexorable Judge Lawrence,
ofOhio. He eappealed TO his fellow member hairs
man of the Investigating Committee, not TO in
teTpOse an objection to the prisoners discharge.
ButJudge Lawrence would not be appealed TO in
that way, unless the prisoner should make
affidavit as to his inability 10 pay the noe de-
manded by the insulted dignity of the House
of Representatives. Judge Lawrence slyly re.
marked that he saw no evidence to prove that
larly destitute or starving condition. he
had heard that the honorable Scanuell had
Council, and wickedly intimated that II the
illustrious constituent OF Sophomore Brooks
had not consequently grown rich he ought to
have done So as IL was well known that mem.
bers of the New York Common Council were
mn no' at his .sneer" at the Integrity of the I'M
maculate municipal legislators OF New York.
At least he feigned great indigation; said
of his slandered by Judge Lawrence or "any
other man." that the right of habeas corpus
and personal liberty was violated by ScannelPs
detention in a Congressional prison, and that
the House was demeaning Itself by prosecuting
poor, artless, innocent youth, who had com
mitted no crime, but merely had strven to
avoid betraying confidence reposed in him,
would the House persist in this tyrannical
courst2n asked Brooks, IN a highly pathetic
tone. would it allow poor, hard. working man
to be longer incarcerated?' Brooks about this
time had his handkerchief to his eyes. while
members on both sides were splitting with
laughter. Brooks was going heavily into the
pathetics, when he was suddenly checked by
who wanted to know II the prisoner, who had
money enough TO carry company of voters to
raise a little to pay the trifiing bill Of costs
Brooks played the highly indignant again and
lectured Judge Kelley tor presuming to
stituents He was Interrupted again, hcw-
ever, by .Dickey, of Pennsylvania, asking
wear diamond breastpins. an Inquiry which
fairly brought down the house. Members
ter BroHks S however was not to be- @tr put down
in that way, and therefore turned his guns
upon pichey How did his honorable friend
breastpin contained a genuine diamond-might
1t not be only paste? His honorable friend
statements. He would not suffer the rights Of
his constituent to be sneered down or ridiculed
into high pathetics, keeping the diamond
orees,stpin In sight 10 Might -, not , the
had saved some rich mans son from death and
destruction ,and been rewarded by the wealthy
not have borrowed the breastpin from some
friend in New York? (Roars OF laughter) The
s well aS h cod e
assembled wisdom of Congress. Judge X elIey
struck in with another ugly inquiry about this
in his deepest Forrestian tone, raise enough
money to pay the costs by mortgaging his
femous trotting horse Hero? More laughter at
the expense OF Brooks, who re torted by saying
something quite inaudible about nortgaging
Kelley himself and something very audloly
of bogus voters and voting. Kelley sprang to
his feet again to make another inquiry. but
wanted no more "horse talk" from the PHila.
delphia gentleman. John CovOde suggested
that enough time had been spent in "this here
his delegation were willing TO subscribe the
amount Of the costs In order to get rid Of the
choRed off by Brooks Calling the previous
99dnG That the prSoneT be
making an affidavit of his inability TO pay
costs. During this comic performance on the
pathetically pictured by Brooks as O captive
pining away IN a Congressional dungeon, was
stairs. A fine, big-chested specimen Of a New
York BOY ne Is, TOO. apparently muscular
enough to break through d the doors sol OF dozen en-
Ordway, the good. natured Sergeant-atArms OF
the House. a bright, smart looking parsonage,
OF the correspondents here as looking
like regular BOwery boy. He resents the
papers have been pitching Into him for
The last ten years very unfairly. He says ne
lives in the Eighteenth ward, and knows every
voter there by his first or last name. Upon
Judge Kelley's charge about bringing
he had been indicted in that city therefor, he
answered that he had heard of his indIcI ment
but had been @ TO that that city lately and nobody
| Perhaps 1t might have been left to MIN
since his dSparture from New York,
respondents interview With the prisoner
Terminated by the latter extending an invita-
| tion to go with him to The minstrels to night,
an invitation not accepted owing TO pressing
| engagements. Scanneil will probably find
| means TO pay up to morrow, should he still be
kept in Brooks bastile, which, by the way, CON
sists Of comfortable quarters at the National
Hotel The entire bill of costs is not more than
1 seVenv-nVe dollars altogether.
Personal Difficulties Among Members.
There Is q rumor afioat tonight about a
4 threatened ulmculty between q candidate for
! Speaker OF the next House ana two broIher
I members The cause Of the difiiollty is said to
Speakership, at a private dinner party moi
many days ago, not complimentary to the two
have been the despatc ching OF beiiieose sttSS az
l by one OF the congressman aggrieyed asktno
the party who is supposed to have made
OF what was said. On receiving this letter ths
member addressed went over TO the aRgrieved
1 know very well what mean, sir. aT do noi
understand your meaning exactly" IL think
you must understand me, sir. 1 want no apo
The interview Is said TO have terminated by
l the asgrisYed party saying, "MF. -. in CON
l lnneilon with many other Democratic mem
psrs, haa made up my m!nd.that OF two evil,
dmouid choose the lesser. and that inssmuct
aswe could not elect Demoorat speaker W,
WY wouia vote Tor You. But now, sir,
\ Will bee you In first." The other ag
grisyed member, who Is . Repuolican. is said {,
De IN o great rage, protesting that he will hav'
sallsIaction for the affront put upon him. TIT
secret Of the whole diniculty seems TO be tn
| unHcrupuloue efforts OF q newspaper man U
| Kill of one of the candidates for the Speaker
ship. The newspaper man was ct the priyat