Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1871-04-15
Tempest in o Teapot.

a very extraordinary scene took place
in the Senate the other dav between Gar
rett Davis and Ben. Butler, which, while it
lasted, created profound sensation,
especially in the galleries. Garrett hal
been speaking for some time upon Sher-
mans resolutions instructing the judi
ciary committee to report Ku klux
bill, and had worked himself into con-
siderable passion at what he considered
the unjust charges Of disorders made
upon the South, when Butler came into
the Senate. At this point Davis was
facing his Democratic colleagues. and
was apparently eXhorting them. Butler
observing who was speaking, marched
over in that direction and took n sea!
directly next to the Kentucky Senator;
then stretching his legs ont he wheeled
his chair around, threw his head back
and looked at Davis with an expression
on his face Of mingled insolence and con-
tempt. The galleries, thinking it a mere
piece Of bravado, enjoyed the thing
IIughely. Davis, whose back was still
turned, had reached that point in his
speech where he was claiming that the
stories of Southern outrages were gross
Y exaggerated. "Hhey arc more" said
he; "they are the vile inventions of un-
principled adventuarers and heartess
scouulrels, made to continue their illgot-
ten hold on political power; they are
land here turning around in the warmth
of his feeling, he beheld Butler aim ost
at his very elbow, looking straight at
him with "A face as immovabie as stone. J
Davis Immediately paused in his half fin
ished sentence, placed both hands on his
desk, and glared at Butler almost with
the terocity of tiger. Butler returned
the Kentuckiah's look unhinchingly.
growing only tritle paler. This tab
leaux lasted for several moments, neither
of the men changing their attitudes a
particle, while the galleries looked on in
suspense, and the surrounding Senators
held their breaths, and aft ct-d concern
which no one felt. Finally Garrett drew
himself mp, thrust his clenched fist al
most in Buffers face said, "Hpre, here is
the man, this is the class of men who
concoct stories of diaboheal Southern
outrages, and then ask for unlimited pow
er to suppress them. Look at the scoun-
drel, here he is" & his excitement bccom-
ing too great for him he sank back in his
seat. Some threatning demonstrations
were attempted in the galleries. 1t be-
ing one Of those things where interfer-
encc was n very delicate matter, no one
had attempted anything Of the kind thus
far, and those present breathed more free
ly when Garrett dropped into his seat.
Still Butler never budgcd nor altered the
expression of his face, although thous-
and eyes were turned upon him. Gar
rett was no sooner in his chair than he
wheeled it around and commenced to
draw it mp by sharp jerks in the direction
of Butler till the distance between them
was almost imperceplible, when he burst
out again, sob, you scouudlel! you ras-
cal ~ with few strong adicctives pre-
facing each of the above epithets, "Did
you come here to insult me ?"
Butler replied: "Go away from me.
What do YOU suppose care about you?
Go away"
Garrett was just about to raise his
hand t. strike Batter, when Henry Will
son left his own seat, FASTENED over To
the scene of threatning conflict, and p.ac
ing himself between the two men, stop
ped the disgraceful proceedings at once.
Garrett, upon being appealed to in a
calm considcrate way, cooled down al
once. and reireated into one OF the Sen
ate ante-rooms. Butler, however, stalked
aroand the Senate for several minutes
laughing and talking TO this aud that one
as if nothing Whatever hal occurred.
When Davis was asked, later in the day,
why he gave way to his prejudlces in
such CONSPICUOUS manner, replied that
it was evident to him that Butler took
his seat there for no other purpose than
to insult bin, and he would allow no
man to do that.
Butler, however, says that he no more
thought of Davis when he sac down than
he did of the man in the moon, and new
Ell had the least idea of insulting him.
The general verdict tonight seems TO
be that if Butler must have rows ne
must keep Oh his own side of the house.
HORACE GREELEY Says-l am poor, but |
it is my own fault; because l endorse
other folks notes. While | write there
lies before me one for s., 600, which
..,.,,t End n ,,ay IN nav i'm few daV5. |