Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-04-01
HOUSE.
ArneII,s Bureau.

Labor, relative to the Bureau of Education
and the Freedmen's Bureau, was taken up.
| Mr.. McNeely, a member of the same
committee, opposed the bill. He intimated
thatIthe managers of the Freedmens Bureau
had made nice property speculation with
! the funds of the Bureau; that the House
| had constantly refused to adopt a resold-
| ton, offered by Mr. Rogers, requiring an
| account of the disposal of the funds and
charged that the real object of the bill was
to cover up the Freedmens Bureau and let
it escape from examination by coDfounding
it with the Bureau of Education.
The bill was further discussed by Messrs.
Dockery, Shanks, Arnell, Hoar, and other
members till the close of morning hour,
when the discussion being closed, Mr..
Benjamin moved to lay it on the table.
MessrS. Washburne, of Wisconsin, and
Wood supported and Mr. Maynard OPP
posed the motion. Rejected, 63 against
| 81, and the bill went over until next morn
| ing hour.
The Texas Delegation.
Mr.. Paine, from the Election Committee,
reported that the credentials of the men,
bers elect from Texas were regular and
that they were prima facie entitled to
seats.
Mr.. Butler, of Massachusetts, was op-
posed to the swearing in of Conner, one
| of the members elect, and read to the
| House various affidavits accusing him of
whipping negro soldiers while be was Cap
tain in the army, and of having boosted
| that he bribed a negro TO swear falsely
before the Military Commission which
tried him.
Mr.. Van Trump asked whether the aft
davits were exparte.
Mr.. Butler admitted they were.
Mr.. Van Trump submitted they should
not be used to affect the judgment of the
| House.
Mr. Shanks moved to refer the charges
against Mr.. Conner to the Committee on
Elections.
| The Only Democrat.
Mr.. Stevenson, member of the Commit
tee on Elections, defended the report of
the committee, and charged the objection
made to Conner was, that he alone of the
delegation was a Democrat. A bad Texan
boy-that might be all true; he did not ex-
pect any very high specimens of Christian
gentlemen sent up here from Texas; but
what had they to do with that? How did
that affect Conner's right to a seat. The
member from Massachusetts, who charged
that person on an affidavit with subor-
nation and perjury, had himself defended
! q member of the House for a greater crime.
1t was in his Judgment farce and worse;
it was base, partizan proceeding, and as
such he denounced 1t.
''Good, from you" from Democratic
member.
The First Democratic Carpet-Bagger
Mr.. Orth denounced the proceedings
against Mr.. Conner as most preposterous.
He was a native of Indiana had entered
the army and served continuously until the
close of the war, and then had been ap-
pointed captain in the regular army, il
which he served till the time he accepted
the nomination as a candidate for Congress
in Texas. Against his loyalty breath o.
suspicion could not be brought. Capt
: Conner was charged with being severe t.
his soldiers If that was disqualification
| other members Of the House might bt
: ousted. 1t might exclude those who were
! attempting to exclude this young man from
! his seat. He was sorry Capt. Conner camt
here the only Democratic carpet-bagger IL
Congress. Affidavits from newspapers wer
unworthy the attention of the House, and
? he hoped the House would promptly sayso
il A Reference 90 GsAuld Lang Sync.'
|
= an objection had been made to swearing
a member elect because of unbecomlng o
e improper conduct while not a member
b While he Dawes was Chairman OF tn
g Committee on Elections statements an
d afidavits had been received as to the Grim
} inal conduct of a member from New YORK
> and the committee had directed him to re
It turn them to the persons sending them
&c with the notice that it was question be
is tween the member and his constituents
p and if they choose to be represented b
le the gentleman, il was their own business
and not the business of the Committee o
g Elections or of the House.
Mr.. Butler said he would not reply t
20 | the denunciation of his eloquent and in
I'd | pulsive friend from Ohio, Mr.. Stevenson
of that this was partizan proceeding.
ak have a majority of three-fourths in IL
&C. House and one Democrat more or les
lie was of no consequence. He had believe
nd it his duty to bring to the attention of Il
a House four affidavits, which he had read,
er officers and non-commissioned office
ld swearing to what Capt. Conner had said
be public meetings when he advocated /
le- election on the ground thathe had Whip,
his negro soldiers and bribed them
commit perjury.
Inn | \ Lively COllOquy.
S. Mr. Garfield asked if it would be safe
a establish rule of inquiry into the chara
to ter of speeches made by candidates
fu- Congress
o. Mr.. Butler replied that his propositi
N was that the House could inquire into an
IN thing that ought to be inquired int
Laughter.
Mr.. Stevenson-I would like to ask t
he gentleman one question.
Il Mr.. Butler-No, sir, l cannot yield
eli you at all
ov Mr.. Stevenson-I want information
90 Mr.. Butler-I have not time to give y
IN all you want. Laughter.
~ Mr.. Steyenson-Id do not believe the g
an tlemen is competent to inform the Hou
al MrrButler-Then, why ask me? Laui
of ter.
MIR. Stevenson-Because l believed J
would refuse.
Mr.. Butler went on to say he had brouj
the affidavits to the attention OF Capt. "
,aI ner. and he had said he was not Response
TO for what he had said in a political spec
ing to get votes.
The discussion. which at times beca
Ter quite heated, was further carried on
aim n soils Ingersol, Shanks and Butler,
also MASSACHUSETTS,, dSalns. Uno Isl ~
the Conner to seat, ana Messrs' man, o.eV
G to son, Poland, Schenck ana BANKS III tiA
9n's of it.
dis MIR. Shanks SAID ne mad once sen1 y
or a ner as a cadet TO the NaVal academy,
case he mad been dismissed lor utter "ol'ni
! of ness.
sion stevenson Warns up.
the Mr.. Stevenson alluded to the TACT
de- the control of the subject had been TIA
the from the Committee ON Elections by
gentleman who generally took charge