The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-04-01
10. been ratified by sufficient number Of

no. been ratified by sufficient number o
States.
Exciting Discussion I'm the House
Moral Censor Butler.
An exciting and at times bad-tempered
discussion came off in the House this after.
noon On the motion to admit one of the Texas
members (Conner) to his seat. The scene
was as ludicrous as it was animated. "Bully
Bottom" Butler, becoming restless al
the lack of opportunity for two OF
three days past to place himself pro,
minently before the people, assumed
n new character, and thus added another
to his repertoire. After he has played the
part of Moral Censor of the characters OF
members of the House, the devil can cite
Scripture for his purposes. Butler draws
on ethics to prevent Democrat from taking
his seat. Among the members from Texas
there is but one Democrat, that man is
Captain Conner. When the Election Com
mittee reported that they recommended
that all the Texas members be sworn in,
Shanks, of Indiana, Red Radical, OBJ
jected to Conner, and had the Clerk read
certain &c parte statements to show that
Conner was disloyal. Butler took the case
out of the Indiana members hands, ignored
the Election Committee, and, after the
manner of his Shaksperian prototype, I'M
dertook to perform the comedy alone,
charging that Conner, whilst captain
in the regular army, had caused n
lot of negro soldiers to be whipped
aud afterwards induced some of them to
swear they were not whipped, or if they
were it was so long ago they didn't remem-
Der it. Butler admitted that the court ac-
quilted Conner of the charges, and yet lie
had the hardihood to reproduce them in the
House, where they could not be tried, nor
with propriety heard. 1t was novel pro-
ceeding that the histrionic Butler was intro
ducing, and Mr.. Dawes, who was for many
years of the Election Committee, said he
had never heard of on attempt before to try
q member-elect on his previous moral cha
racter except in one instance, when the
taccusers were told to 60 home and hold the
members constituents to account for send
ing their choice to represent them in Con-
gress. Stevenson, Ortiz, and others, (Radi,
cals,) pitched into the Massachusetts
actor without gloves for his impudent
meddling in other peoples business
The former, with delectable irony, said he
had heard of many grave charges against
members that one of them had con-
demned ministers of the Gospel to BIZ
chained together with negroes, and ha(
made them work like slaves that one
member had sacked a city and carried of
all the treasure he could lay his hands on
and yet lie (Stevenson) had never thought
it competent for the House to haul up the
accuscd member and try him on those ale
cations.
Butler felt the keen incision, and as q
good actor should, endeavored to hide his
personal feelings, but utterly failed, ant
his modification was aggravated By another
allegation from his own political household
that this was mere partisan scheme, with
which they would have nothing to do
Conner (of diminutivc stature and boyisl
appearance was sworn, and rose to a per-
sonal explanation, in which he expressed
the opinion that the member from Essex
had mistaken his vocation. He would make
Il better low comedian than statesman. Tho
Speaker said these were naughty words
and the little man from Texas took it al
back. Thereupon Shanks said Conner was
a worthless fellow; whereat the Speaker
raped, and decided such language impro
per as applied to member, but it might dc
to apply to an outsider. The elegant
Shanks apologized to the House, but de-
clincd to beg the Texas members pal don
and here ended this parliamentary extrava
CANA amid the laughter and applause o.
the audience.
The Bolivian Minister.
Hon. John w. Caldwell, who went out at
our Minister 20 Bolivia, and now comes
buck as Minister from Bolivia to thi:
country, has presented his credentials t.
Secretary Fish. The latter intimatcd t
Mr.. Caldwell that. according 10 precedent
n citizen of the United States cannot ht
received as the diplomatic representative
of foreign Government.
Mr.. Caldwell proposes, nevertheless, t.
urge his recognition by the President, ant
failing in that, be will await the result o.
correspondence with the Bolivian Govern
lnent as to his future action. WALLACE.
Congressional.
| WASHINGTON, March 3l.-HouSc.-Tht
bill transferring the Frcedmcn's Bureau
property TO the Educational Bureau was
taken up and discussed.
After long argument and amending tho
bill so az to make all expenditures OF mo
ney be done under direction Of the Presi'
dent, motion was made to lay it on the
table, which was lost-64 to SO. The morn
ing hour having expired, the bill went over
Mr.. Paine reported resolution seating
the Texas members.
Mr.. Shanks objected to seating Conner
of the Texas delegation, and read certain
expressions of disloyalty, and Butler read
about Conner's cruelty, while Federal
captain, to his soldiers.
MIR. Brooks made point of order that
the House had nothing to do with the pre-
yious private character Of persons elected
| The Chair overruled the point.
Finally all the members were seated
They are w. 7. Clarke, J. c. Conner, E
Degener, and G. w. Whitmore.
| The tariff bill was resumed, and dis