Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-04-01
FORTY-FIRST CONGRESS.
WASHINGTON, March 81.

the Dlll dnDW1HR retired OIHceCS OF tne army
to be assigned to duty at the soldiers home
was passed.
A resolution was offered by Mr.. Salisbury
directing the Secretary of State to inform the
Senate fthe amendment by the several states.
Laid over after slight debate.
A resolution was adopted that the Commit
tee on Commerce inquire into the expediency
of the survey by the war department of the
country between the James and Ohio rivers,
with view of ascertaining the probability of
a water communication from the Atlantic
coast to the Mississippi valley.
The Senate then resumed the consideration
of the case of Gen. Ames, Senator elect from
Mississippi, and after a debate of four hours,
in which Yickers, Davis, Thurman, Sauls-
bury and Conkling spoke against his admis-
sion, and Ames, Sawyer, Drake and Morrill,
spoke in favor of it.
The Senate without action adjourned.
House. Mr. Paine of Wisconsin, from
Committee on Elections, reported that the
credentials of the members elect from Texas
were regular, and that they were prima facie
entitled to- seats.
Mr.. Butler of Mass, opposed the swearing
in of Mr.. Conner one of the members elect,
and read to the House various affidavits, ac-
cusing him of whipping negro soldiers while
he was captain in the L. S. Army; and of
his having boosted that he bullied a negro to
swear falsely before the Military Commission
which tried him for the offence.
Mr.. Stevenson of Ohio, a member of the
Committee on Elections defended the report,
and charged that the objection made to the
committee, was that he alone of the delega-
ton was democrat, (bad Texas boy) which
might all be true. He did not expect to see
any very rich specimens of christian gentle
men sent up here from Texas. But what
had thav TO do xr,{1 hat Il nr
feet Mr.. Connor's prima face right to his
seat. The member from Mass, who charged
that person on exparte afiidavits with subora-
ton of perjury had himself defended MEN,
Der of the House for a greater crime. 1t
was in judgment a farce, and worse, it was a
base partisan proceeding, and as such he de-
nounced it.
Mr.. Orth of Indiana denounced the pro-
ceeding against Mr.. Conner as preposterous-
He was native of Indiana. soldier of high
honorable record, and if severity of troops
was disqualification, other members of the
House might be ousted. The affidavits pre-
scented were utterly unworthy the notice of
the House, and he hoped the House would
promptly say
Mr.. Dawes of Mass, said this was the
first time an objection had been made to the
swearing in of a member elect, because of
unbecoming or improper conduct while he
was not member. That question was one
to be decided between the member and his
constituents, and not by the House.
Mr.. Butler of Mass, denied this partizan
proceeding, because with majority of three
fourths in the House, one democrat more or
less was of no consequence. He believed it
his duty to bring to the attention of the
House, four affidavits which he had read,
swearing to what Mr. Common had said at a
public meeting, where he advocated his cleo
ton on the ground that he had whipped his
negro soldiers and then bribed them to COM
init perjury.
Mr.: Garfield of Ohio, asked whether it
would be safe to establish a rule of injury in
the character of speeches which candidate
for Congress might make in a canvass.
Mr. Butler replied that his proposition was
that the House could inquire into anything
that ought to be inquired into.
Mr. Stevenson. | would like to ask the
gentleman one question.
Mr.. Butler. No sir, | can not yield to
you at all.
Mr.. Stevenson. | want information.
Mr.. Butler. l have not time to give you
all you want.
Mr.. Stevenson. do not believe that the
gentleman is competent to inform the House:
Mr.. Butler. Then why ask me.
Mr.. Stevenson. Because l believed you
would refuse.
During the discussion which followed, Mr..
Shanks of Indiana said he had once sent Mr..
Connor as cadet to the Naval Academy, and
that he had been dismissed for utter worth
lessness.
Mr.. Stevenson alluded to the fact that the
control of the subject had been taken from
the Committee on Elections by the gentle
man who generally took charge of every
thing, according to the argument of the gen
tleman. If anybody brought to the House
exparte affidavits, taking in Virginia, New
Orleans or Texas, making charges against
member, ne would have to be ousted from
his seat and tried on those charges. He had
heard some of the most outrageous charges
made against sundry members of the House.
He did not believe them. He did not believe
that any member had ever taken Minister
of the Gospel and chained him in a chain
gang of negroes, and made them all work to-
gether like slaves. He did not believe that
any member of the House had carried away
the treasure of whole city. 1t was false if
anybody said it, and for one he would spurn
with contempt the man who would ask the
house to try such question.
Mr.. Butler. viii the gentleman let me
say
Mr.. Stevenson. No sir, believe in lex
talionis.
MI Dutier. nat IL Is SaNe you hNS
minutes, you will not give me any.
Mr.. Stevenson. The gentleman robbed
the Committee of Elections of its whole time
and gave back five minutes.
Finally the discussion closed, and the four
Texas members, w. r. Clark, j. c. Connor,
Z. Degener and G. W. Whittimore were
sworn in. Mr.. Conner was allowed ten min
utes for personal explanation, in which he
attributed the position of Mr.. Shanks, to the
fact that his (Connor's) father had been
prominent opponent to that gentleman in the
convention that nominated him for Congress !;
and to the fact that he (Mr. Shanks) sup.
posed that he owned him because he had
nominated him to the Naval Academy.
As to Mr.. Butler, he said that with all that
gentleman's talent and ability, he had been
forcibly impressed to-day with convictions
that he (Butler) had missed his calling, and
that he would have made much better char
acter for himself in the profession of low
comedian.
The Speaker reminded the gentleman from
Texas, that his language was not parlia-
mentry.
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