Middletown transcript., 1869-02-13
SATURDAY MORNING. FEBRUARY ID, 1869.
Coa,At.Ag tns rr..lssn,,., v.t..


"Let us have peace,' was the rallying
cry of the dominant party, throughout the
progress of the late Presidential campaign.
But what mockery was contained in those
werds,-what bitter irony,-is seen in the
whole record of that party, since. But,
that they should break the reigning peace
among themselves, was hardly to have
been expected. Look, however, at the
following record of Wednesdays proceed
ings, while counting the vote for Presi-
dent, which we take from the columns of
a Republican paper. Is this a foretaste
of the "peace" the country is to enjoy
through radical ascendancy? Is this an
omen of the political storm and tempest
20 be inaugurated at the very threshold of
the new administration, making the new
President feel that the thunder and the
smoks Of battle were preferable? He will
find It a more difficult task to maintain
ecdcr and subordination in his corps Of
partizans and political camp-followers, than
he did at any time among his legions on
the banks of the Potomac.
The two Houses of Congress decided on
Monday by concurrent resolutions that the
vote Of Georgia should be counted, and
the general result announced, with and
without it. Upon reaching it, however,
in the joint convention, Wednesday, Gen
eral Butler objected, to its being counted,
and the Senate retired for deliberation.
The result was that the House sustained
Butler, and the Senate stood by the con-
current resolution. When the two Hou-
ses re-assembled, Mr.. Wade directed the
tellers to proceed with the vote of Georgia.
General Butler desired to state the action
of the House. "The Chair will entertain
no notion" was the reply of Mr.. Wade,
uttered in stentorian tone and accompan-
led by tremendous raps of his gavel. The
scene that followed beggars description.
Gen. Butler demanded to be heard. SEN
ator Wade raped, and growing more an
CRY as he did SO, declared that the Chair
would hear nothing. Fifty-seven at once
tried to address the Chair, Senators could
be heard telling Mr.. Wade to 60 on with
the count, &c. Shouts of "order" made
the disorder more turbulent. General
Buffers voice rose above the din of Mr..
Wade's gavcl, appealing from the Chairs
decision, and declaring with fierce and
electric effect that the rights of the House
-, were being invaded and trampled under
foot. Mr.. Wade still continued to beat
the desk, and declare that the Chair would
entertain no appeal, and that nothing was
in order but the announcement of Geor-
gia's vote. Messrs. Ingersoll, Bromwell,
and Farnsworth of Illinois, got into the
melee, and Mr.. Dickey, of Lancaster,
made himself both heard and seen effec-
lively in support of General Butler. The
latter was the valiant centre of an excited
group, and memories of Cromwellian pur-
. ges and Jacobinian Jurors came crowding
to the mind, as the eye took in the inten-
scly exciting and dramatic scene.
When the turmoil was at its hight. Mr..
Wade, rapping more angrily, Senators
growing more and more excited, Repre-
sentatives appearing each moment more
like the confusion worse confounded." :"
Mr.. Butler, throwing his head back, shout
cd out, giving point to his words by un-
consciously turning up his cuffs-"that
this tyranny could not be submitted to :;
that the rights of the House could not thus
be trampled upon" The disorder reached
its climax here. The Speaker came to
Mr.. Wade's rescue by directing the arrest
of members who disobeyed the orders of
the presidingofhcer. The House sank in
to sudden quiet. Mr.. Conkling proceeded
to read the returns. Mr.. Wade announ-
ced the final result, and the Senate return
cd to their chamber. While Gen. But
ler's pugnacity created the disagreement,
Senator Wade's obstinacy and want Of
tact as presiding officer, gave it a serious
aspect, and made it more awkward.