The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1870-06-29

motive of White in paying the s., 900
was, and what it was if not the $4,000
that induced every member from Mas
sachusetts to advocate ON this floor
the extension of that patent. The
member had spoken of the length of
tie beard, and lie (Farnsworth) had.
told him then, as he did now, that
long or short, no member of Congress
should, with his knowledge, steal I'M
der the shadow of his. beard. No
member of Congress should, with his
knowledge, perpetrate a fraud like
this on the people ofthe United States,
whose interests would be violated, as
he (Butler) had SAID in his letter to
the Commissioner of Patents, by the
reissue of this patent 1t would be
noticed that in the letter written by
the member in 1869, he said the re-
issue of this patent would be subver-
sive of the interests of the govern
ment i; but n fee of $4,000 changed his
views. and now the member, forgetting
his oath, and forgetting the interests
of the United States, advocates the re-
issue of the patent and advised the
patentee to make an assignment of his
interest to the government, when the
evidence was that he had assigned it
long before to Smith & Wesson, and
therefore has no right to assign; it to
the government ; and yet the plea of
the member from Massachusetts was
that that advice was worth 80, 900, and
that White gave him $4,000 for it
That was too thin q gauze too thin a
veil-too shallow a pretense The
member could not thus compound,
for since he was inclined to it by
damning those he had no mind to-
He believed both the House and coun-
try would arraign the member from
Massachusetts Tor being On both sides
of the question, first on one side and
then on the other side for a fee.
The Speaker here called Mr.. Farms
worth to order.
Mr.. GARFIELD remarked that
such language ought not TO be heard
in the halls.
Mr.. FARNSWORTH said he had
finished, and moved the previous ques-
ton.
A general murmur Of disapproval
was showed. The House did not rel,
ish the idea of shutting off further
discussion.
The SPEAKER asked Mr.. Farms
worth whether he insisted on his de-
mand.
Mr.. FARNSWORTH withdrew it
MI. BUTLER replied to Mr..
Farnsworth and as he was speaking
the members gathered round him SO
that his remarks at times were very
indIstinctlv heard by the reporters
He denied having manifested any in
terest in the bill before the House in
the way of forwarding its passage, and
appealed to the chairman of the COM
mittee OH patents and the members
generally to bear him out in that de-
NAL. He explained that i'll 1870 he
was applied to by certain gentlemen in
his town interested in the manufac-
ture of arms and who thought that in
Il contract they were abont to enter
into with the government they might
interfere with Rollin Whites patent,
to watch any application that might
De made for an %extention of that pa.
tent, aud he had therefore written a
letter to the commissioner@of patents
stating three reasons which rendered
it for the interest of the government
that any claim for extension should be
examined before an extension was
made. He added he had not sought
this controversy. It was well known
that there vas a very great difference
of feeling between himself and ha as
s%ailant, but he, (Dutler) had eve in
truded that difference on the House,
and had brought his personal
quarrels before the House. He had
endeavored to keep what he said with
in exact parliamentary language. AS
to the insinuation that he had filed a
brief in the Supreme Court merely as
a pretense t. obtain a fee, he could
only say 80 Father Abraham, what
Christians are these, whose W hard
dealings teach ticm to suspect the
very thoughts of others /" Mr.. But
Ter took his seat, and the House was
gradually restored to order.
A vote was taken on a passage of
the bill over the Presidents vote and
was rejected, II to 1853. -.Hs.