Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-03-29

know what any one then may have to say
Ii there be here to day a single gentleman
who has given to the gentleman from Massa
chusetts an intimation that he felt coerced
that ne was in any way restrained from free
action, let him get up and now speak or for.
ever after hold his peace
Mr.. Butler-Oh yes
Mr.. Blaine-The gentleman fran Massa
chusetts says in his letter: " Having beer
appointed against my wishes, expressed both
publicly and privately, by the Speaker, as
chairman OF the committee to investigate the
state of affairs in the South, ordered to-day
by the Democratic votes, against the most
earnest protest of more than two-thirds OF
the majority of the Republicans of the
House -
Mr.. Butler-Yes, sir
Mr.. Blaine This statement is SO bold and
groundless that do not know what reply to
make to it. 1t is made in the face of the
fact that on the roll call fifty-eight Repu bli-
cans voted for the resolution an / forty-nine,
besides the gentleman frem Massachusetts,,
against it. | deny that the gentleman has
the right to speak for any member who voted
for 1t, unless, 1T may be, the gentleman from
Tennessee (Maynard) who voted for it for
the purpose, probably, of moving a rcconsid-
Grafton, very common, a very justifable
and n very proper course whenever any gen
tleman chooses to adopt it. | am not criti-
cising it at all but if there be any one OF
the 50 gentlemen who voted for the resolu-
tion under coercion would like to have the
gentleman from Massachusetts designate him
Mr.. Butler am not here to detail private
conversation.
Mr.. Blane-Oh. no. But you will dis
tribute throughout the entire country un-
founded calumnies purporting to rest upon
an assertion made in private conversation
which when called for cannot be verified.
Mr.. Butler--Pardon me, sir | said it was
in the caucus.
Mr. Blaine hope God will pardon you
but you ought not TO ask me to do it.
(Laughter)
Mr.. Butler-I will ask God and not YOU.
Mr.. Blaine am glad the gentleman will
Mr.. Butler-I have no favors to ask of the
devil, and let me say that the caucus agreed
upon a definite mode Of action
Mr. Blaine-Caucus. Now let me say
here and now, that the chairman Of that
caucus, sitting on my right, chevalier in
legislation, sans petir Il sans Teproche,-the
gentleman from Michigan (BlairJ stated as a
man of honor, as he is bound to say officially
from the chair, that 1t was not considered
and could not be considered binding upon
the gentlemen, and more than that the talk
about tricks-why the very infamy of polit-
zeal trickery never cOmpassed a design so
foolish and so wicked, as to bring together a
caucus, and attempt to pledge them to the
support Of measures which might violate not
only the political principles, but the relig-
lOus faith Of men ; to the support Of a bill
drawn by the gentleman from Massachusetts,
(Mr- Butler), which might violate the con-
scentious scruples of men. And vet. for
sooth, he comes in here, and declares that
whatever a caucus may determine upon.
however hastily, you must support it, how
ever wrOngfully. Why, even IN the worst
days Of the democracy, when the gentleman
himself was in the front rank Of the worst
wing of it, when was it ever attempted to
say that a majority of a party caucus could
bind men upon measures that involved ques-
tions of constitutional law, of personal hon
or. of religious scruples The gentleman
asked my colleague (Peters) what would
have been done in the case of members-Of
the party voting against the caucus nomi-
nees for Speaker. | understand that was a
thrust at myself The caucus nominations
Of officers have always been held as binding
but Just here let me say If the minority did
not vote against the decision of the caucus
that nominated me for Speaker. in my iudy-
ment, it was not the fault Of the gentleman
from Massachusetts. (Applause). If the
requisite number could have been found TO
have gone over to the despised Nazarene on
the opposite side, that gen tleman would have
led them as galantly as he did his forces AT
Charleston. (Renewed applause and laugh
teri
Mr.. Butler-Mr. Speaker.
Mr.. Blaine-I have the floor do not
very often ask it,
Mr.. Butler-Lct not your conscience ac-
cuse you.
Mr. Blaine-Mr. Speaker, in old times it
was the ordinary habit of the Speaker to
take part in the debate The custom has
fallen into disuse. For one am very glad
1t has for one, | approve Of the conclusion
that forbids it. The Speaker could with
consistent fidelity to his own party, be an
impartial administrator of the rules Of the
House and constant participatOr in discus
siOns, if the members would take from him
that appearance Of imPartiality, which is 50
important to maintain in the rulings of the
chair. But at the same time | despise and
denounce the insolence of the gentleman from
Massachusetts,, when ne attemps to say that
the Representative from the 81 District Of
Maine has no right to seek that, under the
rules, the resolution be adopted has no
right to ask the judgment Of the House upon
the resolution. Why, even the insolence of
that gentleman himself never reached that
sublime height before (applause) and that is
the whole extent Of my offending, that
wrote the resolution. that | took it to va
rious gentlemen on the other side of the
house that | said to gentlemen on the 9TH
er side Of the House - this is a resolution
on which you cannot afford to tillIbuster it is
a resolution demanding fair, impartial in
vestigatiOn, and under the rules | desire that
this resolution may be offered and my col
league (Peters) will offer it, And then the
gentleman from Massachusetts, telegraphs-
he knows to h)w many apers-through the
whole United States, for doubtless his letters
will be found an eIteHS0 wherever he could
get it inserted in this mornings journals
This was 81 legislative trick"
Mr.. Butler-And | repeat it now
MIR. Blaine-There are certain repetitions
which do not amount to slander, and the
gentleman may repeat everything in that
cOnnec ton, as his colleague (Dawes) very
well says, " except the truth
Mr.. Butler, in his seat did not hear my
colleague say that.