Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-06-24
A WAR OF WORDS.
Butter and FarnsvVorth in the Glad
fatoriaI Arena-Excftfng Scene ia
+ the House ae Representation.
er,eeias to fha Y t,r,tar-la Cnrr5ar To,,r,al

kButaer ana kaEf2stGOrtn a 11 dsfe GIsAu-
iatoriaI demonstrating Scene il,
the House oe Representatives.
speeiaa to the Louisville courier.Journal
WAsHINeToN, June 23.-Gen. Butter and
Gen. Farnsworth met in battle array in
the House this afternoon and the occas-
ion was one of rare interest and excite
ment- Probably no other scene of per-
sonalities was ever allowed more limit in
this body or produced more unpsrliamen-
tary language. The basis in itself was
insignificant, being the question of passing
private patent pistol bill for the relief
of one Rollin White over the Presidents
veto. While Butler was advocating the
passage of the bill, Fsrnsworth enter
ed 9 charge into the speech that produced
positive sensation by declaring that
Butler had been employed as counsel for
the opponent of White, but had turned
around to represent the latter before Con-
gross for fee of two thousand dollars.
He exhibited q certified copy of the doc
ument on file in the Patent Office to show
that Butler had received this sum. To
this FarhsWOrth added that Butler had
filed small brief in the Supreme Court,
where suit over the case was pending,
as mere pretense to cover the
receipt of SO large fee for
work to be done really in Congress.
81 therefore charge him" said Farms
worth with vehement force and gesture,
"with being on both sides of this case,
on one side without a fee, and then on
the other side of the case with a fee. F"
By this time the whole house was on its
feet The entire Democratic side came
into the central aisle to see what would
follow next Mr. Farnsworth had the
rule read, that no member shall vote in q
matter in which he is interested. An at
tempt was made to shut off debate here,
but the scheme failed, and AIr. Butler got
the floor in reply. Farnsworth sought an
interruption. Butler, excitedly said, t1
ldon'tyield to a man who has got more beard
than brains," alluding to the formers
long iron gray beard. Farnsworth shout
ed out: "The member may curse my
beard, but he shall not come into the
House and steal under the shadow of it. "
This was received with shouts of order
from the Republicans, and cries of
'Goodi goodr' and mods of approval
from the Democrats; but Butler went on
with his reply, charging Farnsworth with
making an infamous and maliciously false
statement, and adding that he spoke,
in the first instance, against the
White patent for some of his
constituents, but that he was not called
in the case professionally until White
came to him and said his counsel was
i'll, and asked Butler to take his place in
the Supreme Court on the pending case,
and he did this by preparing the brief,
which, he said, took him month, and
for which he received the sum named.
But he never argued the case in court,
because the counsel first engaged was
then able to go on himself. After dis
claiming any interest in it in violation of
the law and his position as member, as
Farnsworth had charged, he concluded by
saying that he who had dealt this
blow without notice, and when he, (But-
ler) was unprepared, was coward and an
assassin. Down came the Speakers gayel
with fearful blow, but the Speaker said
nothing. The whole House looked first
at the Speaker, then at FarnsWorth, who
was in his seat, and then at Butler. The
gavel fall was succeeded by no call TO Or
der. '1s it a message from the Senste2"
inquired Butler. The Speaker was now
as quiet as his gavel, and it was evident
that this was not the usual signal an
nouncing message from the Senate, but
an incompleted call to order. Butler
pushed ahead with a repetition of his
charge. 81 take it," said he, Sand re-
iterate it, that it is a principle of ethics
that no one here will dispute, that he who
deals blow on one that is unprepared
for it, and has no notice of it, is an as
sassin and coward, and | venture that
it is an assertion that even the Speakers
gaVel will not interrupt" Butler then
sat down full of passion and excitement.
Members were requested to take their seats
and order was restored. ..- .r.-
After little more debate, the vote was
taken, but so general was the feeling
against Butler, who had first advocated
the bill when he knew he was interested,
that he only got twelve votes to the
measure, it being rejected by morc than a
hundred majority.