Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1871-04-07
A Scene In the Senate.
AcToRs-GARRETT DAVIS AND BENZ. F.
BUTLER

rett Davis, Senator from Kentucky, ant
Ben. +. Butler of Massachusetts,. Mr.
Davis in his SEVENTEEN year, and well
preserved specimen of an old-line Wing
He is rather short, spare and erect, with
a martial and rather a defiant look, es
pecially when the "rights " of the sover
eign State Of Kentucky are, in his opin
ion, assailed. Now it so happened that
at the commencement of his remarks
this afternoon Mr.. Davis enumerated va.
rious grievances to which the Kentuck
ians had been subjected at the hands Of
the Federal Government, among which
was the refusal to pay $500 apiece for
slaves emancipated or enlisted, as was
done in Maryland and this District.
To this Mr.. Sherman replied that he
was then in favor of paying the $500,
and he believed there was at that time a
majority of the Senate who approved of
it.
Mr. Pomeroy promptly declared that
he would never have voted to pay for
slaves, and Gen. Blair explained that the
payment had been prevented by the I'M
authorized act of Secretary Stanton.
This fred the Indignation of Mr.. Davis,
who said, energetically; "Sir, NOR,
lawiess dictator was never in power than
that same Secretary of War. If justice
had been dealt out to him in his lifetime
for his crimes he would have been hung
hundred times for murder, and put in
the penetentiary ten thousand times for
his crimes" Having thus become some
what excited, Mr.. Davis subsequently
went on to deny that lawlessness now ex-
lists in Kentucky, and to demonstrate
that peace and order prevails there.
Now it so happened that while he was
thus speaking Gen. Butler came over
from the House to confer on a matter of
business with Senator Sawyer, and took
the vacant chair of Senator Thurman,
which is between the seats of Messrs.
Sawyer and Davis. Not wishing to dis.
turb the Senator from Kentucky by con.
Versing with Mr.. Sawyer, Gen. Butler
thought that he would wait until the form.
er had concluded, and meanwhile he list
ened to what the Senator was so earnest
ly saying. 1t is said that democratic
Senator intimated to Mr.. Davis that Gen.
erai Butler was watching him too closely.
Certain it is that he became somewhat
FESTIVE, and at last turning half round,
so as to face General Butler, he proceed
ed to vehemently denounce the credibili-
ty of Ku-Klux stories. "Sir," said he
p" the fictitious charges are originated by
parties TO affect the coming elections.
The Legislatures which are then to be
chosen are to in turn elect one-third of
the members of this Senate, and it is with
view to use of this political capital for
these diabolical and devilish ends that
these vile and slanderous outrages ema-
nate from the brains of political scound-
rels and rufians." AS Mr. Davis utter
ed These words he looked directly at Gen
eral Butler, who in turn sat with his chin
resting in his hand, looking steadily at
the excited orator. Mr.. Davis then sat |
down, and wheeled his chair half round
SO as to meet General Buffers gaze de-
tiantly. There they sat watching each
other, like two game cocks in a pit, and |
attracting the attention of those on the
floor and in the galleries.
Gov. Stevenson, the colleague of Mr..
Davis, took the floor, but the attention
of the greater part of the Senators was
engrossed by the hostile attitude of the
gentlemen from Kentucky and from
the former having de-
'idedJy bellicose air, while the latter re-
NAMED immovable, looking steadfastly
1t his vis-a-vis. After two or three min
ltes thus spent, Mr.. Davis hitched his
chair along toward Gen. Butler, and then
lalf rising and shaking his clinched fist.
SAID loud enough to be heard by the Sen.
.ers sitting near: What do you mean
1y attempting to browbeat me in that
way? You are scoundrel. sir"
zen. Butler sat unnoved, but looking
1t Mr.. Davis, who, after moments pause
continued: :" Yes, sir, I repeat it, you are
/ - scoundrel."
Gen. Butler then said, in a low tone
Mr. Davis, have not said anything to
'ou, or done anything to you, and don't
are for you"
Just then Gen. Wilson, who with 9TH
RS had been watching the demonstra-
ions of hostility, came up and stepped s
'etween them, saying: "For Gods sake $
entlemen' don't do anything that you t
Sill regret" I,
Mr.. Davis turned to his seat and Sen. {
tor Wilson commenced a conversation /
nth Gen. Butler, who soon afterward left
he Senate Chamber. The only reason
iven for his extraordinary demonstra. ,
ion toward Gen. Butler, who was. as il
iere. the guest of the Senate, is that Mr. {
JAWS must have inaaoi,ad 49,. ~