The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1871-05-11
NATIONAL BEAR GARDEN

CLOSING SCENE IN THE HOUSE-A
p SPIRITED PERSONAL IsECONTRE-
A FREE FIGHT-BUTLER GOES IN
LEMONS, AND COMES OUT SQUEEZ-
ED. .t
From House of Representatives Proceeding
i.4 of April e0th. h
Mr.. Butler proceeded to address the
House in reference to the scene which
took place in the Senate between him
self and Mr.. Davis (Ky.) Assuming
that Mr.. Davis own description of
the occurrence be true, Mr.. Butler
submitted to the candid judgment of
the House, and all just men, which of
the two had in the affair played the
part of the courteous gentleman and
which the part of the blackguard.-
Mr.. Dav.s was shielded from the re-
sponsibility for what he said by his
age and by his Senatorial toga, and,
thus shielded and protected, he had
elected the effiuvia of his revenge after
the most high-toned manner of the
chivalry. He had for near five years
suffered from assaults aud charges of
having appropriated to his own use
small amounts of money in Louisiana
and now he would answer them one
for all. He had captured and levied
assessments on rebels in Louisiana to
the amount of nearly $3,000,000, and
he had charged himself with the
amount on the books of the depart
ment. Those books had been open
for nine years, and even detraction
had not said that he had not fully ac-
counted for the amount. b.
Referring to the investigation at the
last session into the management of
the national asylums, he accused Mr..
Farnsworth of having published in
the Globe a speech not delivered, and
highly slanderous to him (Butler).-
By that act that gentleman had put
himself out of the rule of civilized
warfare, and he would never hence
forth consider that gentleman's tongue
or pen SANDER upon anybody, GER
tainly not on himself. e 81 itli 81
Mr.. Farnsworth asked and obtained
permission to make personal expla-
nation in reply to Mr.. Butler. He
said it was too late in the day for that
gentleman to put ON airs and profess
the rule of non-intercourse. He
trusted that his (Farnsworth's) great
age had nothing to do with such nom
intercourse as was suggested by him
in reference to the Senator from Ken
tucky. Laughter. In reference to
the investigation of the management
of the National Asylum for disabled
soldiers, lie complained that the COM
mittee had not acted fairly in the mat
ter, and among other things, to require
the Treasurer of that institution Mr..
Butler) to produce his handbook,
which would show that he had some
100000 to $150,0OO of government
money whichshe kept in his own pri-
vate bank in his own name, and with
which he speculated.
Mr.. Butler made point of order
that this was an attack upon him in
stead of being an explanation. =
The Speaker.-Will the gentleman
from Massachusetts state the words
to which he objects, and the Chair
will rule on the question.
Mr.. Butler-I should say pretty.
much all of it. Laughter When 4
am told L have gorged myself with
public money l suppose that does not
require a point of order to be made.
Mr.. Farnsworth was allowed by a
vote of the House, to proceed in order.
He went on to speak of the sale of a
piece of property at Hampton, Va,
for the National Asylum, the property
having been owned by Butler, but
having been transferred by him to his
brother-in-law Hildreth, to cover ap-
pearances. In conclusion he said that
if that transaction and the testimony
given by Mr.. Butler before the COM
mittee on Military Affairs at the last
session, were before any petit jury in
the United States, it would convict
him (Butler) of embezzlement and
perjury, Laughter and great excite
ment, That was all he had to say.
Mr.. Butler remarked that he held in
his hand the report of the Military
Committee made at the last session on
that subject and he would read the
closing paragraph as in answer to all
that advertised calumny which might
be put ont against him anywhere
The paragraph which he read states
that the committee had come to the
conclusion that the Treasurer, having
accounted for all the funds of the asy-
lum that ever came into his hands,
was to be entirely exonerated from
any charge or suspicion of misappro-
priation, neglect, or misconduct in
discharge of his duties. Mr.. Butler
SAID in conclusion, that under that
report he branded as false and calum-
nious, every thing that could be said
against the President and Treasurer
of the national Asylum. 1t was for
the Military Committee to say wheth-
er its members had been corrupted
under his (Butler's) lead, They could
vindicate their own honor. lie had
not their honor in charge. There
were twelve OR fifteen gentlemen of
the House whom he had taken to For
tress Monroe and whom he had shown
the property which he had sold to the
National Asylum, and every man who
ever saw it would admit that in that
transaction he had given $4,000 to
disabled soldiers. ae1
Mr.. Farnsworth-The member from
Massachusetts swore i'll the investiga-
tien that he did not sell it; that his
brother-in-law sold it. [Laughter.]
Mr.. Butler-Oh, pshaw! pshaw!-
Laughter. That was one of the
cheats in the statement. 1t was put
into the hands of my brother-in-law
as security for money which he lent
me.
Mr.. Farnsw our brother-in-
law swore that he did not lend you
any money. [Laughter.]
Mr.. Butler-I cannot have any con-
troversy with that man whom 1 would
not believe under oath. Laughter
aud bammering from the Speakers
gavel.l Referring the witnesses who
swore against him in the investigation,
he said that one of them was a runa-
way marine deserter, whom he had
been trying to find to put bail and
chain around his leg, and that another
was a Baltimore man who had once
served with him (Butler) for supposed
gallant conduct, but had since gone
down lower, lower, lower, until he
had sunk to the position of being
witness for the member from Illinois.
ELaughter].
Mr.. Farnsworth-And the other
witnesses were the member from
Massachusetts and his brother.in-law.
(Renewed laughter and other mani
festations of thorough endowment of