The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1869-04-28
closing Scenes in tho House Of Re-
personalities.

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FIERCE TALE pErwgEs BUTLER, LOGAN AM
/ We copy as follows from tho spccia
Washington Dispatch OF the New Yorl
Herald, dated tho 1oth:
| The closing scenes in tho House wcrs
both exciting and lud:crous. After mid
night, when the galleries. began TO thin ou
Imembers threw aside the little restraint
and reserve which the presence ofpersont
in the galleries seems to impose. IThei
CONDUCT was, if possible: less .ligufictl, an,
their genera bearing and lemcanor seemed
TO say. "Wcll, VIC are alone now, and W,
will do just rs we please" by O'Clock
everybody had left except q few negroes
who were asleep in the gallery just behind
the clock and n man scattered here and
there, besides q few reporters who seemed
determined to SEQ the thing out. 1t was
noticeable about this time, that many mem
bers were absent from their seats. Some.
tlmesit was difficult when the House was
dividing to get a quorum. Tho explana.
ton was to be found in tho fact that up in
the law library of the House Sam Ward
Buffers 'sBismaach, Jr.," of Impeachment
notorioty, had SGT out an elegant lunch
with plenty of champagne to wash it down
to which ho invited oil the members, with.
out distinction Of party. just back Of the
lobby is the room of the Scrgeant-at- Arms
Col. Ordway- Here, too, was a Iurch
strictly temperance, though; only coffee to
be had in the way Of beverages. 1t was oil
a more public nature than Sam Wards, for
Ordway's invitation extended to all the
members aud employees of tho House. even
down the little pages. With Ordway s
attraction Mt Que side OF tho hall, and that
of Sam Ward at the other; Mr.. Speaker
Blaine was forced to order "tcllers" on
nearly every demand for q division of the
House. About o'clock the hall of the
House resemblcd huge smoking room
nearly everybody had cigar in his mouth
and was putting away vigorously, rs if leg
islative inspiration and wisdom was to be
gathered from tho weed. Some members
were sitting with their feet upon the desks
Others walked ncrvously around tho hall,
casting sharp glances towards tho Speakers
desk now and again, as if watching when
their "little bill" would be reached on tho
! Speakers table; still Others stretched them
selves upon the sofas and went to sleep.
Ono bill after another was taken up and
disposed OF. But few measures got through
without resistance. The Democrats, mad
dcncd by tho success of the majority in
! ousting their political colleagues and clag-
rincd at the passage of tho Virginia, Miss
issippi and Texas Reconstruction bill.
with the hated Morton amendment to it
were in no humor to facilitate the passage
of other measures in which they had little
CIR no interest. Motions for recess fol-
lowed by demands for o division, tcllers
and the yeas and nays, were of frequent
occurrences. So often was the roll called
that both the regular reading clerks be
came hoarso and had to be relieved by
fresh recruits. When Schenck arose TO
make his report from the Conference Com
mittoe Oh the Supplementary Whisky and
Tobacco Tax bill the nombers were gcner-
ally in their seats; tho respective lunches
of Sam Ward and Col. Ordway had given
out, members who had laid down carly in
evening to take q nap woke up and re-
aumcd their cigars; everything assumed an
air ofbusiness, and there was manifest
intention to do some work, though it was
then close on to 3 o'clock in tho morning
,chenck proceeded to explain aud advocate
the committees report, and manifestly an
tieipated but little opposition. He was
suddenly set upon, however, by Generals
Logan and Butler, who not only denounc
cd the committees report, but insinuatcd
rather broadly that The Commissioners OF
Internal Revenue, tho Conference Com
mittcc and the chairman of tho Ways and
Means Committee himself, were not above
suspicion nor by any means as honest MS
they should be. This aroused Schcnck's
sluggish Dutch blood, and rising, with his
FISTS c!cnched and his square jaws set like
those of a bull, ho commenced, in sarcas-
tic vein to portray the immaculate honesty
ofhis assailants. Toward tho close Of his
speech he lost his temper little and be-
came somewhat personal in his remarks,
speaking Of some men who added coward
ice to lalsehood." Gen. Logan was sitting
q few feet behipd Schencll with his feet
upon the desk. half asleep. Schenck's.
sharp tones awakened him-and jumping
hastily to his feet, ho exclaimed: ~ want
to know if tho gentleman from Ohio al
ludes to me, when he speaks of cowardice
and falsebood? Schenck, at tho beginning
of his speech, had given notice that he did
not want to be interrupted, but the defiant
tone Of Logan's interrogatory brought
Schenck to a halt; and after pausing suf-
ficient time TO allow Logan to get his qucs-
ton in, he answered, mo, sir, do not"
Gen. Butler, was smoking cigar and hob
nobbing with his former brethren on the
Democratic side of the House, when Bing-
ham who was in jolly humor, cried out
'.Butler, means YOU" Butler turned sud-
denly and walked at rapid pace toward
his own seat on tho Republican side of
the House. lie reached it just in time
to get in question at Schenck, who was
about to start off again on the rampage.
He was less direct than Logan, who went
to the Chairmaneof tho Ways and Means
in truo soldierlike style. Instead of say
ing, "Does the gentleman from Ohio refer
to me when he speaks of cowartlice and
falsehood ~ he merely said. in good lu-
mored way, "Does the gentleman not
know that tho Pharisee once said, i thank
God that l am not rs other men! Had But
Ter been Ms blunt in his inquiry as Logan,
he would it is said, have been told 'sThou
art tho man." AS it was, Schcnck rotor
ted upon him more fiercely than ever,
and added the word 'hypocrisy " to the
words "cowardicc and lalsehood." Butler
made no respOnsc. but went away smoking