The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-02-06
Contest Over the Speakership
Of the House.
Threat med Belligerent Meeting Between
Two Members.
Speechsof Senator Sumner on the Suffrage
Amendment in the Senate.
Scanned, the New York Witness,
i'm the House.
Fiery Debate ON the Tyranny Of
His Imprisonment.

Fiery Debate ON the Tyranny Of
His Imprisonment.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 8, 1869.
Increase Of the Public Debt.
Owingsto the heavy expenditures Of the govern
ment during the past month for the public debt,
together with the ordinary expenses required for the
support Of the same, the increase Of the public debt
compared with that OF last month will be large.
Personal Diniculties~ Among Members.
There isa rumor afoat TO. night about threatened
diffeulty between candidate for Speaker Of the
next Rouse and two brother members. The cause
OF the difculty is said to be remarks made by the
aspirsnt for the Speakership, at a private dinner
party not many days ago, not complimentary to the
two other members. The consequence is said to
have been the despatchng OF q bellicose letter by
one Of the congressman aggrieved, asking
the party who is supposed to have made
the offensive speech for an exact statement
ofvhat was said. On receiving this letter the mem
Der addressed went over TO the aggrieved member
and inquired what he meant. "You know very well
what l mean, SIR" 81 do not understand your
meaning exactly" II think you must understand me-
sir. want no apology lsacsiwpy copy Of your re-
-narks.n The interview IL said to have terminated
by the aggrieved party saying, "Mr. -, in con-
junction with many other democratic members had
made up my mind that Of two evils should choose
the lesser, and that nasmuch as we could not elect
q democrat Speaker we would vote for you. But
now, sir, win see you in 49, frst.n The other
aggrieved member, who is q republican, is said to
be in great rage protesting that he viii have salts
faction for the arront put upon him. The secret Of
the whole difficulty seems to be the INSCRIPTIONS
efforts Of q newspaper man to kill on one Of
the candidates for the Speakership. The newspaper
man was at the private dinner party, and being
enlisted on the side of the other candidate for
the Speakership has misrepresented what really
Cured in order to draw of many Of the democratic
and Southern republican votes in behalf Of his own
favorite. 1t Is not believed that any vioentresuts
viii grow out OF the AFFAIR.
Spicy Debate in the House.
UnquestionaDly the spiciest bit Of debate that has
occurred in Congress for long time turned up in the
House this morning Mr.. Brooks started the fun by
OFFERING resolution for the discharge Of the con-
tumacious witness Scannell, without cost, premis-
ing by saying that the witness had got to be quasi
member Of the House. whose expulsion was desr-
able. Brooks then solemnly declared that the wit
ness was poor New York boy, unable TO pay the
costs insisted upon by the memorable Judge Law
renee, Of Ohio, He appealed to his fellow member,
chairman Of the Investigating Committee, not to in
terpose objection to the prisoners discharge
But Judge Lawrence would not be appealed to in
that way, unless the prisoner should make AFFIDAVIT
as to his inability to pay the fine demanded by the
insulted dignity of the House OF Representatives.
Judge Lawrence slyy remarked that he saw no evil
dence to prove that the noble son OF
New York was in a particularly destitute
or starving condition. He had heard that the hon.
orable Scannen had been member OF the New York
Common Council, and wickedly minated 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 members OF the New York
Common Council were not celebrated for their pow
erty. Brooks fred up at this ''sneer at the integ
riy of the immaculate municipal legislators OF New
York. At least he feigned great Indignation; said
he would not SIT quiet and bear constituent OF his
slandered by Judge Lawrence or "any other MANI
that the right Of habeas corpus and personal liberty
was violated by Scannes detention in a Congress
sonal prison, and that the House was demeaning
itself by prosecuting a poor, artess, innocent
youth, who had committed no crime, but merely
had striven to avoid betraying q confidence
reposed IN hun. Would the House persist In this
tyrannical courseY' asked Brooks, In a highly pa
tnetlc tone. "would It allow poor, Woodworking
man to be longer incarceratedw Brooks about this
time had his handkerchief to his eyes, while men,
bers on both sides were splitting with laughter.
Brooks was going heavily into the pathetics, when
u
Kelley, Of Pennsylvania, who wanted to know II the
prisoner, who had money enough to carry a CON-
pany Of voters to Philadelphia last election could
not possibly raise little to pay the trinng bill OF
costsa Brooks played the highly indignant again
and ecturcd Judge Kelley for presuming to traduce
the character Of one OF his constituents. He was
interrupted again, however, by Dickey, OF Penn
sylvania, asking II poor, laborng men In New York
generally wear diamond breaspins an inquiry which
fairly brought down the hodse. Members roared and
the galleries screamed with laughter. Brooks, how
ever was not to be put down in that way, and there
fore turned his guns upon Dckey. How did his hon.
orable friend from Lancaster know that the
prisoners breastpin contained genuine dia-
mond-might IL not be only pastef His honor
able friend ought to be more careful how he made
reckless statements. He would not suffer the rights
OF his constituent be sneered down or rdculed In
that way; and once moro Brooks launched into high
pathetics, keeping the diamond breastpn IN sight.
Might the noble prisoner at the bar OF the House
be one of those true sons OF toll In New York who
had saved some rich mans son from death and de-
struction and been rewarded by the wealthy PARENT
with diamond breastpns Might he not have bor-
rowed the breastpn from some friend In New
York; Roan OF laughter.) The prisoner came here,
of course, in his best clothes, TO ap-
near AZ well a. he could before the
assembled wisdom OF Congress. Judge Kelley struck
In with another ugly inquiry about this time. Could
not the prisoners said the Judge In his deepest For
restan Tone raise enough money to pay the costs by
mortgagine his famous trotting horse Hero More
laughter at the expense Of Brooks who retorted by
aging something quite inaudible about mortgaging
Kelley himself and something very sudbiy concern
ing Philadelphia being the birthplace Of bogus voters
and voting Kelley sprang to his feet againIto make
another inquiry, but Brooks refused to hear IT, de-
claring that he wanted no more "horse talk" from
the Philadelphia gentleman. John Covode suggested
that enough time had been spent In 'this here com.
edy,v and said that some OF the members Of his DEL
eaaton were wiling TO subscribe the amount Of the
costs in order to get rid Of the New York elephant
Mullins, Of Tennessee, seemed bilingr to git his
pint in" but was choked or by Brooks
calling the previous question on q modified resolu-