The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1870-06-24

cover the ground with lis rotten fruit.
Dignity and Decency ia Congress.
The personal discussion in the House
of Representatives on Wednesday be-
tween General BUTLER and Mr.. FARMS
WORTH is an entertaining commentary
upon the moral and social character of
that body Fishmongers in Billing.gate
never exchanged more coarse, and to
gentlemen, more insulting language
than was mutually given and returned
BY these two honorable representatives
Of a party Of great moral ideas sitting
in the representative hall OF the nation.
In the first place FARNswORTH gravely
charged BUTLER with being the cham
pion of bill to renew patent with q
paid fee of two thousand dollars from
RoLLIN WHITE. BUTLER admitted that
he had been paid two thousand dollars
in the case, but sought to justify him.
self on the plea that he was paid that
amount TO argue the case in the SUI
preme Court and not in the House.
But a. FARNswoRTH very properly re-
marked il is evident that Butler was
practically If not nominally engaged TO
advocate and vote for the bill in Con
gress and not in the Court, for BUTLER
had no other reason for advocating the
bill over the Presidents veto save a. a
feed attorney. But such matters as
these have become TO be of small cir
cumstance in these days of public cor
ruption, for members of Congress are
paid extra for nearly everything they do
DOW in Congress or out of it. When
personal bills come up for action some
members are felt and bought up like
80 many cattle in the shamhles 10y those
who pay the highest.
But it is to the chastc personalities
between these two Republican cham
pions that we specially refer BUTLER
said he would not give way TO be abused
by man who had more beard than
brains" In reply, FAENswoRTH said
the gentleman might curse his beard,
but he could not be permitted to steal
under the shadow OF his beard The
polished Speaker did not see anything
supplementary or discomteous in all
this, and did not call them to order.
For q member Of Congress to steal is
common, and to charge 4 member
with the little offence is simply a recip-
rocal matter Of amusement among hon
orable gentlemen Neither did BUTLER
mind the matter al all, but he retOrted
by branding the charge of the member
from Illinois as malicious, false and
Infamous" This occasioned a 'sensa-
ton, the reporters say, but as the
Speaker made no call to order, we sup
pose he considered the language EN-
ployed' rather complimentary than
otherwise, and the rest OF the House
considered tia matter of pleasant amusc-
ment. In reply to BUTLER, FARNswoETn
said that "he believed the House and
country would arrai2n the member
from Massachusetts Tor being on both
sides of the question-irst on one side
and then on the other side for fee.
At this point Speaker BLAINE seems
10 have reached the point OF compre-
hending some of tie dignity and de
cency belonging to his position, and for
the first time in the coarse and abusive
discussion, he called the gentlemen to
order, considering it, we presume
more parliamentary and courteous to
charge BrrLER with stealing and to
prove it on him, than to charge him
with being on both sides of the ques-
ton for a feel Can such coarse and
corrupt body Of men as now rule this
country and make laws for our people
fail 70 disgrace us at home and abroad ?