, 1870-06-16


Thomas Fitch, the gushing orator and editor
from the powerful State Of Nevada. The sub
iect was tho character Of MIR. Fitch, and tho par
ticular point under consideration was, whether
Mr. Fitch had been appEoached By Cuban
eniseary, named Taylor, and offered any Cuban
bonds to tako part in the incorruptible cause
OF Cuban independence As An ornamental
part Of this controversy, youthful and plucky
newspaper telegraphor, Mr.. ". Scott Smith,
Of Cincinnati, was "fctched" to tho floor
amidst N enormous hu]1abaloo Of various in
jurcd characters, and asked categorically most
Of the questions in the No. Catechism.
As nearly as 1 could make out, the questions
we're these: Whomade Mr.. Fitch? Out OF what
wus Mr.. Fitch made? Where will Mr..
Fitch go? While these questions were being
propounded, Mr.. Smith, forid, blue-eyed,
flowing -nliskered, tall young gentleman, de-
lberatcly sat down at the CLERKS desk and
wrote out Lis answers, which, by the way, wero
very business-lke and guarded responses;
and, therefore, boing entirely unlike the Con
gressiopal manner OF doing the same thing
lacking That vast dihfuscneas and beautiful
style Of partisan inference and exceeding re-
gard for the full measure Of printers ink
they we're considered By the House to be un-
parliamentary and informal.
A newspaper telegrapher occupies point
directly between Scylla and Charybdis he has
Lis newspaper to satisfy, which requires him
to be ente1prieing in getting fresh and novel
matter, and he Las, also, Congress to fear,
matter, which does not como IN it's own pecu-
liar way. through its Own turgid channel Mr..
Smith, it seen1s, had obtained from some
part Of the Executive dovernment-ru-
NOR says from tho Department
stsesting that a Mr.. Taylor, a runner namedi
Latham, and = celebrated city physician were
pnt in possession Of Cuban bonds and given
promises Of money whe1owish to purchase Con-
EreHEmen and other orEans. aud by this bal bal
OF most holy Cuba. That tho means sanctify
the end has passed from 4 church dogma into
q political principle, and as the Cuban bonds
were worth nothing, and the money was never
produced, it may be supposed that sufficient
Price had been paid for nothing in Partieq-
lar. Amongst the papers which this
enterpriEing newspaper man obtained Was one
directly naming five or six Congressman as
persons thought to be in the market for q
good job. So interesting vas the document
that General Butler is alleged to have sent it
to a newspaper in which he has monetary
interest, but Mr.. Smith getting lis document
from d different place, got 1t first to the
printer, ard hence ho was cited before tho
potential Congress to give IN account Of HIM
self. Aa notable instance Of what impartial
judicial forms Of Congress- observes to provo
its character, it may be mentioned that, after
tho ordc, had gone forth to have 1fr. Smith
arrested By the Sergcant-at-Ar1ns, ho WAS una-
bio to gel himself arrested because tic pros
ecution preferred to put OF the arrest one day,
in order that he might be set at disadvantage,
and the correspondent Was actually obliged to
use personal influence amongst Congress-
men to compel himself to be
Trough forthwith upon tho floor. He
he answered ly 4 doclination to reveal the
name Of the public official who gavo him the
document, on the ground that he received it in
confidence and lad not obtained permission to
betrny his friend. At this exhibition OF char
acter, thrce-fourths Of the Representatives
like had never been heard Of in any caucus
known to Craftsmanship. md at once there
was grand row. hr. Sargent, OF California,
tho Corsican brother Of Mr. Fitch, demanded
that A1r. Smith be expelled from tho
reporters gallery. This gallery is
Kind q private boz, with b dsaks IN Il, situated
the most distinguished place in the Capitol not
to find anything out. / have not been in this
gallery for year, although the Speaker has
been good enough to designate seat there
for me, and II, at any time in tho coursu Of
events, when Congress haa nothing to do. md
anybody wants to rise to d personal c1pl.na-
faction to mo to be expelled from tho. chair
which never sat in, because I do not SEQ how
that could be douc, and it would bo !,
telling piece Of news to see Congress do any
thing 60 Remarkable. have often wondered
that Mr, Kelley Mr.. Cake, Mr. Io1rell, Senator
Morton, or some other great genius Of ren-
geance, did not hare L resolution passed to
turn me out Of a place where I never was.
The largest contract pEice6 are offered for this
intrepid member.
While MI. Smith VAS backing. in hia high
backed chair OH the Qoor Of tho House, tho roar
snd rattle Of the artillery and email arms rcre
beard alt around him in debate. .As nearly as
could be made out, some Of the resolutions
were to toss him out Of the. window to give
isim tle f1a!lklng privileges; to telegraph to his
li afflicted ,oh,,s fLisnas; to send for surgeon
bind him up in tho Globe; to send
i'm to Mr.. Nl1ttemore's constituents for hon.
ots; to take him down to DoWningfs and give
hin, stale ale to take Ills photograph and hang
it in the old Hall OF Representatives. to set
him at liberty Offered by Sunset Cox TO
t1irn him over to special committee End ap-
ply the thumbscrev, the boot, tho rack, tie
Wheel, and, finally, to mako him read
ore of Keller speeches, which il was thought
would tinisil linn. The latter motion prevailed,
asked Smith how be felt, sitting in that
ebat All. ~ ocILH1eo " LIZ !nat An eutefplls
iDg man might hare a good subject for al
article while occupying that highly responsible
position. Smith said that be felt like David in
the lions den, with . green cotton umbrella
Under his a1u1- He snid that only two mem
beEs addressed any remarks to him, ono OF
whom remarked, "Come now! Come now!
You had better give the name OF that man; il
you do not, We will make you! We ain't
sgoing to have nothing Of these bchaviors! n
Inc next man Who camo along was James
Brooke, q newspaper editor and former cor
respondent. Brooks said:
You stick up for your profession. Don't
you tell unless you want to. We will test this
matter Of making man yiolate confidence"
may remark that Thomas Fitch is also an
editor, but 1le seems not to carry tho pride OF
Lis folmer profession to extremes.
Looking at this thing seriously, Of course.
any other Citizen and, AZ Congress is IN u1ti-
mate judicial body, in things pertaining to
iteclf, it follows that 1t has certain sort Of
right to know the name Of authorities but no
discreet Congressman will precipitately in
sist upon this inquisitofial right, and
Particularly no Congressman who is
also Ill editor, and who has the
weapons to meet attack, besides the privilege
which few gentlemen eser uae, Of rising on
the floor and repel1ing criticism, exposure, or
error. II correspondents cared to pursue
their privilege Of printing to the same doubt
lul e1tteme. whAt taIea might not be told
from this city7 Tales based upon universal
rutnor md public belief, which pass below the
Legislative life Of many men to the
mysteries Of their hotels, their haunts,
their games, their domestic 1aby1inths, their
selt-sought and ratributiyo atiiictions, their
little, unworthy vongeances. low intriguea, dark
profanity, and degraded estimate Of motive,
reputation, and honor. Few wr;tera caro ~
descend into lilo n,atr -o,I - -. sa.',,t
NAV he ,,aI r., noa ~. ol @ any ene uuuatss ats
Aio5 oe biAu ~ bee tHal EGW COnEfeHsmen caro-
70 Turn nan!o from the valuable hours Of na-
tlonal Legislation to pursue boys and reporters
into committee rooms and make them reveal
tho confidence reposed in them. The great